AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON PROPERTIES

AND BEHAVIOR OF HIGH STRENGTH

CONCRETE AND REACTIVE POWDER
CONCRETE

Guided By:

Dr. Samaiya Nitin Kumar

Presented By: Udit Jain
Mr. Krishna Murari
Vikram Rajvanshi

HIGH STRENGTH CONCRETE

In many places in USA, High Strength Concrete is defined as minimum of
40 MPa or strength higher than the usual level in this region.
According to IS 456:2000, HSC is concrete with compressive strength
greater than 60 MPa
Ingredients of High Strength Concrete (HSC):
Cement, aggregates, water are the usual ingredients of concrete.
Additionally, for high strength concrete the following are required
Silica Fume
Superplasticizer
Fly ash, Granulated Slag optional
Fiber reinforcement optional

Bandra Worli Sea Link

M60 grade high performance concrete was designed for the construction of the
superstructure in the Bandra - Worli Sea Link in Mumbai.
Target 28 day compressive strength 74N/mm2
Cement 330 kg
Silica Fume-33 kg
Coarse aggregate 1028 kg
Fine aggregate 1026 kg
Water 130.68 kg (w/c =0.34)
Superplasticiser 10 kg
(*All quantities per m3 of concrete)
Slump 120 mm

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation

DMRC also designed M60 grade of HSC for the construction of the piers and the
deck of the span. Their ratio is as follows:
Target 28 day compressive strength 72N/mm2
Cement 475 kg
Silica Fume-35 kg
Coarse aggregate 1255 kg
Fine aggregate 484 kg
Stone Dust 54 kg
Water 147 kg (w/c =0.30)
Superplasticizer 7.14 kg
(*All quantities per m3 of concrete)

Reactive Powder Concrete

(RPC) or POWDER
the patented name
Ductal was developed by a
REACTIVE
CONCRETE
combined effort of three companies working in France: Bouygues, a contracting
company, Lafarge, a manufacturer of construction materials and Rhodia, a
manufacturer of chemical materials. Applications with Ductal use less material; are
lighter in weight; more elegant; easier, faster, and safer to construct; lower in
maintenance; and have a longer life than conventional materials.
Compressive strength is expected to be around 200 Mpa.

The materials that form Reactive Powder Concrete are:

Steel Fibers (Aspect Ratio 72)

Quartz Sand 400 to 200 Microns
Silica Fume or Micro silica
Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)
Acrylic or PCE based super plasticizer
Water

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF RPC

Sherbrooke Pedestrian Bridge in Canada

Footbridge of Peace in South Korea

The Sakata Mirai bridge in Japan

EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM
HIGH STRENGTH CONCRETE
High Strength Concrete (HSC) mix was designed by varying certain quantities to study their effect on strength. The materials used for
preparing High Strength Concrete are:
MATERIAL
OPC Grade 43
OPC Grade 53
Fine Aggregate
Type 1 Coarse Aggregate
Type 2 Coarse Aggregate
Silica Fume Grade 920D
Superplasticizer BASF, PCE Based
Water

COARSE AGGREGATE
Two different type of coarse aggregate was used in the project.

Locally available crushed aggregate, Type 1 (T1)

Omkareshwar crushed aggregate, Type 2 (T2).

Crushing Value of T2 was much better than T1 aggregate.

PROPERTY

T1 Aggregate

T2 Aggregate

Specific Gravity

2.72

2.75

Water Absorption

1.60

1.45

Crushing Value

27%

17%

MIX PROPORTIONS USED FOR HSC

HSC MIX
Materials
Cement
Silica fume
Fine Aggregate
Coarse Aggregate
Superplasticizer
Water
Water/binder ratio
HSC MIX
Materials
Cement
Silica fume
Fine Aggregate
Coarse Aggregate
Superplasticizer
Water
Water/binder ratio

HSC 1
kg/m3
450
32
763
1144
6.75
111
0.23
HSC 7
kg/m3
450
32
763
1144
8
96.4
0.2

HSC 2
kg/m3
450
32
755
1131
6.75
133
0.275
HSC 8
kg/m3
450
32
763
1144
6.75
108.45
0.225

HSC 3
kg/m3
425
30
763
1144
4.25
137
0.30

HSC 4
kg/m3
400
28
663
1144
8
121.44
0.23
HSC 9
kg/m3
450
32
763
1144
6
120.5
0.25

HSC 5
kg/m3
400
28
655
1131
6
145.21
0.275
HSC 10
kg/m3
450
32
763
1144
5
132.55
0.275

HSC 6
kg/m3
350
24.5
814.32
1221.48
7
86.135
0.23
HSC 11
kg/m3
450
32
763
1144
4.5
144.6
0.3

MIX PROPORTIONS USED FOR RPC

Materials (kg/m3)
Ordinary Portland cement
Silica fume
Fine sand (150-400 microns)
Coarse Aggregate
Superplasticizer
Steel fibres
Water
Water/binder ratio

Materials (kg/m3)
Materials
Ordinary Portland cement
Silica fume
Fine Aggregate
Coarse Aggregate
Poly Propylene Fibers
Superplasticizer
Water
Water/binder ratio

Batch 1

Batch 1

Batch 1

Batch 1

934
234
1030
0
12.7
0
215
0.18

955
230
1100
0
60
0
210
0.18

600
145
692
850
38
0
160

955
230
1100
0

0.19

0
210
0.18

Batch 5
kg/m3
955
230
1100
0
9.55
76
210
0.18

Batch 6
kg/m3
955
230
1100
0
0
65
219
0.18

Batch 7
Kg/m3
955
230
1100
0
0
60
210
0.18

Batch 8
kg/m3
955
230
1100
0
4.775
60
210
0.18

Trial & Error

The materials of RPC Batch 1 to Batch 4 were hand mixed due to unavailability of a
high speed mixer. Proper mixing of such fine material is by hand mixing is not possible,
and even the water content for RPC is very low. So, the desired results were not
obtained.
Polypropylene fiber was used in Batch 5 and Batch 8, and all mixing was done using
the high speed mixer. The mix formed now was far better than previous batches. It was
still not as it was desired. The mixing has to be so quick and swift that RPC becomes a
flowing concrete. It was still not possible to get that kind of a mix without the high speed
mortar mixer or pan mixer.

High Speed Mixer

RPC without PPF

RPC with PPF

Materials
RPC Batch 9 and Batch
10
Portland
In Batch 9, steel fibersOrdinary
were arranged
and added cement
to the mix.
Silica fume
Quartz Sand
Coarse Aggregate
Superplasticizer
Steel fibers
Water
Water/binder ratio

In Batch 9 of RPC, 5 sets of cubes were casted:

Set 2:
Set 3:
Set 4:
Set 5:

BATCH 9

BATCH 10

934 (OPC 43)

234
1030
0
60
187
215
0.18

934 (OPC 53)

234
1030
0
60
187
215
0.18

Set 1: Autoclave curing at 210C and 2 MPa pressure was done for 8 hours (9).
Autoclave curing at 210C and 2 MPa pressure was done for 8 hours and
then the cubes were kept at 27C for 28 days.
Ordinary 28 days curing was done at normal temperature.
In the fourth set, an external pressure was applied on the cubes immediately
after casting (9). Curing was done at normal temperature for 28 days.
External pressure with 56 Days curing.

RPC Batch 9 in Bitumen Mixer

RPC Batch 9 after Mixing`

RESULTS & ANALYSIS

REACTIVE POWER CONCRETE
BATCH 1 to BATCH 4:
1.Mix formed was very dry.
2.Weight of the cubes was less than expected.
3.Excessive Air bubbles emerged from the cubes when kept in curing tank.
4.Silica Fume and Quartz Sand were distinctly visible when the cube was broken.
5.Expected strength was not achieved.

The materials of RPC Batch 1 to Batch 4 were hand mixed due to unavailability of a
high speed mixer. Proper mixing of such fine material is by hand mixing is not
possible. Due to improper mixing, the materials could not blend with each other to
form a homogenous mix and the desired results were not obtained.

RPC BATCH 5, BATCH 6, BATCH 7, & BATCH 8

The 28 Days compressive strength of RPC batches 5 to 8 are shown in the graph below:
RPC Compressive Strength
75.2

28 Days Compressive Strength (MPa) 80

69.1

70
60

61.75
52.9

50
40
30
20
10
0

Batch 8 with Polypropylene fibers showed the maximum strength from Batch 1 to
Batch 8.

RPC BATCH 9
In Batch 9 of RPC, Steel Fibers were used and 5 sets of cubes were casted:
RPC Batch 9 Compressive Strength
113.5

120
110

98.6

100
90

78.4

80
70

60

60.8

60
50
40
30
Com20
pressive Strength (N/mm 2)
10
0

RPC Batch 9 Cube after Failure-1

RPC Batch 9 Cube after Failure-2

Even after the failure load RPC cubes did not break like a brittle material. Though the
cubes had taken the failure load, no major cracks were visible. The shape of the cubes was
still intact.

RPC BATCH 10
In Batch10, OPC 53 Cement was used for making RPC. Here 3 sets of cubes were casted:
RPC Batch 10 Compressive Strength
140
120

122.5
106.83

Com pressive Strength (N/m m2)

100
86.78
80
60
40
20
0

RESULTS & ANALYSIS HIGH STRENGTH CONCRETE

Five variables were taken to study their effect on the compressive strength
of High strength concrete:

Cement quantity was varied.

Cement grade was varied.

Coarse aggregate was varied.

Water/Binder ratio was varied.

External Pressure was applied in some cases

Variation in Cement Quantity

In the ratios HSC 1 to HSC 6, the quantity of cement used has been decreased constantly
from 450 kg/m3 to 350 kg/m3. The compressive strengths of HSC 1 to HSC 6 are shown
below:

93.4 91.67
89.23
86.36
86.7
84.2
84.54
82.1
79.83
77.64

100
90
80
70
60
50
Compressive
40 Strength (N/mm2)
30
20
10
0
HSC 7

OPC 43
OPC 53

HSC 8

Variation In
Cement Grade
Two type of cement grades
were used to see the change
in the strength property when

HSC 9

grade was varied. The results

HSC 10

HSC 11

due to change in grade of

cement after 28 Days of

28 Days Compressive Strength (Varying Cement Grade)

95

curing are shown here.

90
85
Compressive
Strength (N/mm2)
80
75

HSC 7

OPC
43
HSC 8

HSC 9

HSC 10

HSC 11

110.74

108.2
120
105.53
102.4
102.47
110
99.2
99.6
56 Days 100
Compressive Strength
96.32
93.5
90
91.76
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
HSC 7
HSC 8
HSC 9
OPC 43 OPC 53
HSC 10
HSC 11

The results in Compressive

Strength due to change in grade
of cement after 56 Days of
curing are shown here.

56 Days Compressive Strength (Varying Cement Grade)

115
110
105
100

Compressive Strength (N/mm2)

95
90
85
HSC 7

OPC 43

OPC 53

HSC 8

HSC 9

HSC 10

HSC 11

Variation In Coarse Aggregate

In high strength concrete, failure usually takes place due to cracking of
coarse aggregate; not due to cracking of cement mortar. If better quality
of coarse aggregate is used in preparing High strength concrete, much
higher strength can be achieved.
Two different type of coarse aggregate was used in the project.

Locally available crushed aggregate (T1)

Omkareshwar crushed aggregate (T2).

Crack in
Coarse
Aggregate

28 Days Compressive Strength (Varying Aggregate)

90
28 Days Compressive Strength (N/mm2)
85
80
75
70
65
T2 Aggregate

60

HSC 7

HSC 8

T1 Aggregate
HSC 9

HSC 10

HSC 11

Variation In Water-Binder Ratio

Water/binder ratio is one of the major factors that affect the strength of concrete. It is
known that as the water-binder ratio decreases, the strength of concrete increases. The
effect of w/b ratio on high strength concrete was studied and same kind of relation was
seen.
28 Days Compressive Strength vs w/b ratio (OPC 43)
90
88
86
f(x) = 407.62x^2 - 284.96x + 126.78
84
82
28 Days Compressive Strength (N/mm2) 80
78
76
74
72
70
0.18 0.2 0.230.250.28 0.3 0.33
Water/Binder Ratio

Compressive Strength v/s w/b ratio (OPC 43)

105

100

f(x) = 414.48x^2 - 315.88x + 149.13

Compressive Strength (N/mm2)

95

90

85

f(x) = 407.62x^2 - 284.96x + 126.78

80

75
0.18

0.2

0.23

0.25
w/b Ratio

0.28
28 Days

0.3

0.33

Compressive Strength v/s w/b ratio (OPC 53)

115

110

f(x) = 381.33x^2 - 314.68x + 158.38

Compressive Strength (N/mm2)

105

100
95

f(x) = 417.14x^2 - 305.28x + 137.97

90
85

80
0.18

0.2

0.23

0.25
w/b Ratio

0.28

0.3
28 Days

0.33

HSC With External Pressure

An external load of 20 to 30kN is applied to fresh concrete and it gets compacted
further. This process helps in better compaction and ultimately better strength of
concrete.

THANK YOU