CHAPTER 1:

Introduction

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 The definition of HPC is given by different authors, which are based on the performance
requirement or characteristics for a particular application which is accepted by the engineers.
ACI defines HPC as “Concrete meeting special combinations of performance and
uniformity requirements that cannot always be achieved routinely using conventional
constituents and normal mixing, placing and curing practices”.
ACI (American Concrete Institute) has defined HPC as a concrete in which certain
characteristics are developed for a particular application and environment. Under the ACI
definition durability is optional and this has led to a number of HPC structures, which should
theoretically have had very long services lives, exhibiting durability associated distress early
in their lives. ACI also defines a high-strength concrete as concrete that has a specified
compressive strength for design of 6,000 psi (41 MPa) or greater.
Mehta and Aitcin defined the term, high performance concrete (HPC) for concrete
mixtures possessing high workability, high durability and high ultimate strength.
According to R B Khadiranaikar, a “High performance Concrete” can be defined as
that concrete which has the highest durability for any given strength class, and comparison
between the concretes of different strength classes is not appropriate. This means that, with
the available knowledge, one can always strive to achieve a better (most durable) concrete
required for a particular application.
High performance concretes (HPC) are concretes with properties or attributes which
satisfy the performance criteria. Generally, concretes with higher strengths and attributes
superior to Conventional concretes are desirable in the Construction Industry. HPC is defined
in terms of Strength and Durability. Therefore HPC can be considered as a logical
development of cement concretes in which the ingredients are proportioned and selected to
contribute efficiently to the various properties of cement concrete in fresh as well as in
hardened states. High-performance concrete characteristics are developed for particular
applications and environments.

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 CHAPTER 2:

High Performance Concrete

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 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF HPC
Concrete being the second most consumed substance by weight in the world has been
extensively studied for optimization of its properties. In 20th century, concrete compressive
strength was in the range of 13.8 MPa, by the 1960s it was in the range of 27.6-41.4 MPa.
Deterioration, long term poor performance, and inadequate resistance to hostile environment,
coupled with greater demands for more sophisticated architectural form, led to the accelerated
research into long term performance of structures. It has become vital to the economies of all
nations .Concrete has been the major instrument for providing stable and reliable infrastructure
since the days of the Greek and roman civilization. As a result, new materials and composites
have been developed and improved cements evolved. Today concrete structures with a
compressive strength exceeding 200 MPa are being built world over. One major remarkable
quality in the making of High performance concrete (HPC) is the virtual elimination of voids
in the concrete matrix, which are mainly the cause of most of the ills that generate
deterioration.
High performance concrete (HPC) is a specialized series of concrete designed to
provide several benefits in the construction of concrete structures that cannot always be
achieved routinely using conventional ingredients, normal mixing and curing practices. In the
other words a high performance concrete is a concrete in which certain characteristics are
developed for a particular application and environment, so that it will give excellent
performance in the structure in which it will be placed, in the environment to which it will be
exposed, and with the loads to which it will be subjected during its design life.
It includes concrete that provides either substantially improved resistance to
environmental influences (durability in service) or substantially increased structural capacity
while maintaining adequate durability. It may also include concrete, which significantly
reduces construction time without compromising long-term serviceability. While high strength
concrete, aims at enhancing strength and consequent advantages owing to improved strength,
the term high-performance concrete (HPC) is used to refer to concrete of required performance
for the majority of construction applications.

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 HIGH-STRENGTH V/S HIGH PERFORMANCE CONCRETE

High strength concrete and high-performance concrete are not synonymous because strength
and performance of concrete are different properties of concrete. High-strength concrete is
defined based on its compressive strength at a given age.

During 1970s, any concrete mixtures which showed 40 MPa or more compressive
strength at 28 days were designated as high strength concrete. As the time passed, more and
more high strength concrete such as 60 – 100 MPa, were developed which were used for the
construction of long-span bridges, skyscrapers etc.

While high strength concrete is defined purely on the basis of its compressive
strength, Mehta and Aitcin defined the high-performance concrete (HPC) as concrete
mixtures, possessing high workability, high durability and high ultimate strength.

ACI defined high-performance concrete as a concrete meeting special combinations

of performance and uniformity requirements that cannot always be achieved routinely using
conventional constituents and normal mixing, placing, and curing practice.
High strength of concrete is achieved by reducing porosity, in-homogeneity, and
micro-cracks in the hydrated cement paste and the transition zone. Consequently, there is a
reduction of the thickness of the interfacial transition zone in high-strength concrete. The
densification of the interfacial transition zone allows for efficient load transfer between the
cement mortar and the coarse aggregate, contributing to the strength of the concrete. For very
high-strength concrete where the matrix is extremely dense, a weak aggregate may become
the weak link in concrete strength.

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 F IGURE 1 H IGH STRENGTH VS . H IGH PERFORMANCE CONCRETE

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 TYPICAL CLASSIFICATION OF CONCRETE

Concrete Types Concrete Strength

Normal strength concrete 20 – 50 MPa
High Strength Concrete 50 – 100 MPa
Ultra High Strength Concrete 100 – 150 MPa
Especial Concrete > 150 MPa

T ABLE 1: C LASSIFICATION OF CON CRETE

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN NORMAL STRENGTH

CONCRETE AND HIGH STRENGTH CONCRETE:

Micro-cracks are developed in the normal strength concrete when its compressive strength
reaches 40% of the strength. The cracks interconnect when the stress reaches 80-90% of the
strength. For High Strength Concrete, Iravani and MacGregor reported linearity of the stress-
strain diagram at 65 to 70, 75 to 80 and above 85% of the peak load for concrete with
compressive strengths of 65, 95, and 105 MPa. The fracture surface in NSC is rough. The
fracture develops along the transition zone between the matrix and aggregates. Fewer
aggregate particles are broken. The fracture surface in HSC is smooth. The cracks move
without discontinuities between the matrix and aggregates.

PROPERTIES OF HIGH PERFORMANCE CONCRETE

Some of the properties that may be required include:

 High strength
 High early strength
 High modulus of elasticity
 High abrasion resistance

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  High durability and long life in severe environments
 Low permeability and diffusion
 Resistance to chemical attack
 High resistance to frost
 Toughness and impact resistance
 Ease of placement
 Compaction without segregation
 Water-binder ratio =0.25-0.35 , therefore very little free water
 Reduced flocculation of cement grains
 Wide range of grain sizes
 Densified cement paste
 No bleeding, homogeneous mix
 Less capillary porosity
 Discontinuous pores
 Stronger transition zone at the interface between cement paste and aggregate
 Low free lime content
 Powerful confinement of aggregates
 Little micro-cracking until about 65-70% of fck
 Smooth fracture surface

ADVANTAGES OF USING HPC:

The advantages of using high strength high performance concretes often balance the
increase in material cost. The following are the major advantages that can be accomplished.
1. Reduction in member size, resulting in increase in plinth area/useable area and direct
savings in the concrete volume saved.

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 2. Reduction in the self-weight and super-imposed DL with the accompanying saving due to
smaller foundations.
3. Reduction in form-work area and cost with the accompanying reduction in shoring and
stripping time due to high early-age gain in strength.
4. Construction of High –rise buildings with the accompanying savings in real estate costs in
congested areas.
5. Longer spans and fewer beams for the same magnitude of loading.
6. Reduced axial shortening of compression supporting members.
7. Reduction in the number of supports and the supporting foundations due to the increase in
spans.
8. Reduction in the thickness of floor slabs and supporting beam sections which are a major
component of the weight and cost of the majority of structures.
9. Superior long term service performance under static, dynamic and fatigue loading.
10. Greater stiffness as a result of a higher modulus, Ec.

11. Low creep and shrinkage.

12. Higher resistance to freezing and thawing, chemical attack, and significantly improved
long-term durability and crack propagation.

13. Reduced maintenance and repairs.

14. Smaller depreciation as a fixed cost.

APPLICATIONS OF HPC:
Since 1960, with the advent of high- and ultra-high-strength concrete, there has been a
growing realization that building a concrete or composite column is more economical than
building the column with pure steel. In fact, studies in North America indicate that concrete
or composite columns are four to five times less expensive than all-steel columns. The
favorable economics of HPC combined with its high performances has led to its marriage
with steel, which has its own advantages namely strength, speed of construction, long span
capability and lightness. In tall building structures, the dead load plays a very severe effect
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 on structural members, especially the columns near the ground level which are required to
resist a tremendous axial load which is mainly due to the accumulated dead load from all the
floors.
HPC has found its application in hydropower engineering or we can say HPC is used in
underwater construction. HPC has also found its application in bridge constructions due to its
large compressive strength. Also in bridges no. of beams in bridge construction can be
reduced and longer span can be provided by using HPC. It has found its application in
nuclear power plants.

METHODS FOR ACHIEVING HIGH PERFORMANCE

High-performance concretes are made with carefully selected high quality ingredients and
optimized mixture designs; these are batched, mixed, placed, compacted and cured to the
highest industry standards. Typically, such concretes will have a low water-cementing
materials ratio of 0.20 to 0.45. Plasticizers are usually used to make these concretes fluid and
workable. High-performance concrete almost always has a higher strength than normal
concrete. However, strength is not always the primary required property. For example, a
normal strength concrete with very high durability and very low permeability is considered
to have high performance properties.
In general, better durability performance has been achieved by using high-strength, low w/c
ratio concrete. Though in this approach the design is based on strength and the result is better
durability, it is desirable that the high performance, namely, the durability, is addressed
directly by optimizing critical parameters such as the practical size of the required materials.

Two approaches to achieve durability through different techniques are as follows.

(1) Reducing the capillary pore system such that no fluid movement can occur is the first
approach. This is very difficult to realize and all concrete will have some interconnected
pores.
(2) Creating chemically active binding sites which prevent transport of aggressive ions such
as chlorides is the second more effective method.

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 CHAPTER 3:

Materials Used

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 COMPOSITION OF HPC

The ingredients of HPCs are almost same as those of Conventional Cement Concretes
(CCC). But, because of lower Water Cement Ratio, presence of Pozzolans and chemical
admixtures etc., the HPCs usually have many features which distinguish them from CCCs.
From practical considerations, in concrete constructions, apart from the final strength, the
rate of development of strength is also very important.
The High performance concrete usually contains both pozzolanic and chemical admixtures.
Hence, the rate of hydration of cement and the rate of strength development in HPC is quite
different from that of conventional cement.

The various materials used for production of HPC are as:-

CEMENT
There are two important requirements for any cement: (a) strength development with time
and (b) facilitating appropriate rheological characteristics when fresh. Studies made by
Perenchio (1973) and Hanna et al. (1989) have led to the following observations.
1) High C3A content in cement generally leads to a rapid loss of flow in fresh concrete.
Therefore, high C3A content should be avoided in cements used for HPC.
2) The total amount of soluble sulphate present in cement is a fundamental consideration for
the suitability of cement for HPC.
3) The fineness of cement is the critical parameter. Increasing fineness increases early
strength development, but may lead to rheological deficiency.
4) The compatibility of cement with retarders, if used, is an important requirement.

Selection of cement for high-strength concrete should not be based only on mortar-cube tests
but should also include tests of comparative strengths of concrete at 28, 56, and 91 days.
Cement that yields the highest concrete compressive strength at extended ages (91 days) is
preferable. For high-strength concrete, cement should produce minimum 7-day mortar-cube
strength of approximately 30 MPa (4350 psi). Trial mixtures with cement contents between
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 400 and 550 kg/m3 (675 to 930 lb/yd3) should be made for each cement being considered for
the project. Amounts will vary depending on target strengths. Other than decreases in sand
content as cement content increases, the trial mixtures should be as nearly identical as
possible.

AGGREGATES

In high-strength concrete, careful attention must be given to aggregate size, shape, surface
texture, mineralogy, and cleanness. For each source of aggregate and concrete strength level
there is an optimum-size aggregate that will yield the most compressive strength per unit of
cement. To find the optimum size, trial batches should be made with 19 mm (3⁄4 in.) and
smaller coarse aggregates and varying cement contents. Many studies have found that 9.5
mm to 12.5 mm (3⁄8 in. to 1⁄2 in.) nominal maximum-size aggregates give optimum strength.
In high-strength concretes, the strength of the aggregate itself and the bond or adhesion
between the paste and aggregate become important factors. Tests have shown that crushed-
stone aggregates produce higher compressive strength in concrete than gravel aggregate
using the same size aggregate and the same cementing materials content; this is probably due
to a superior aggregate-to-paste bond when using rough, angular, crushed material. For
specified concrete strengths of 70 MPa (10,000 psi) or higher, the potential of the aggregates
to meet design requirements must be established prior to use. Coarse aggregates used in high-
strength concrete should be clean, that is, free from detrimental coatings of dust and clay.
Removing dust is important since it may affect the quantity of fines and consequently the
water demand of a concrete mix. Clay may affect the aggregate-paste bond. Washing of
coarse aggregates may be necessary. Combining single sizes of aggregate to produce the
required grading is recommended for close control and reduced variability in the concrete.
The quantity of coarse aggregate in high-strength concrete should be the maximum consistent
with required workability. Because of the high percentage of cementitious material in high-
strength concrete, an increase in coarse-aggregate content beyond values recommended in

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 standards for normal-strength mixtures is necessary and allowable. In high-rise buildings and
in bridges, the stiffness of the structure is of interest to structural designers

Effect of Aggregate Type

The intrinsic strength of coarse aggregate is not an important factor if water-cement ratio
falls within the range of 0.50 to 0.70, primarily due to the fact that the cement-aggregate
bond or the hydrated cement paste fails long before aggregates do. It is, however, not true for
very high strength concretes with very low water-cement ratio of 0.20 to 0.30. For such
concretes, aggregates can assume the weaker-link role and fail in the form of trans-granular
fractures on the failure surface. However, the aggregate minerals must be strong, unaltered,
and fine grained in order to be suitable for very high strength concrete. Intra- and inter-
granular fissures partially decomposed coarse-grained minerals, and the presence of
cleavages and lamination planes tend to weaken the aggregate, and therefore the ultimate
strength of the concrete. The compressive strength and elastic modulus of concrete are
significantly influenced by the mineralogical characteristics of the aggregates. Crushed
aggregates from fine-grained diabase and limestone give the best results. Concretes made
from smooth river gravel and from crushed granite containing inclusions of a soft mineral are
relatively weaker in strength. There exists a good correlation between the compressive
strength of coarse aggregate and its soundness expressed in terms of weight loss. There exists
a close correlation between the mean compressive strengths of the aggregate and the
compressive strength of the concrete, ranging from 35 to 75 MPa, at both 7 days and 28 days
of age.

Effect of Aggregate Size

Reduction in water requirement can be achieved by using a well-graded aggregiate. The use
of larger maximum nominal size of aggregate affects the strength in several ways. First, since
larger aggregates have less specific surface area and the aggregate-paste bond strength is less,
the compressive strength of concrete is reduced. Secondly, for a given volume of concrete,

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 using larger aggregate results in a smaller volume of paste thereby providing more restraint
to volume changes of the paste. This may induce additional stresses in the paste, resulting in
micro cracks prior to application of load, which may be a critical factor in very high strength
(VHS) concretes. Therefore, it is the general consensus that smaller size aggregate should be
used to produce high performance concrete.
It is generally suggested that 10 to 12 mm is the appropriate maximum size of aggregates for
making high strength concrete. However, adequate performance and economy can also be
achieved with 20 to 25 mm maximum size graded aggregates by proper proportioning with a
mid-range or high-range water reducer, high volume blended cements, and coarse ground
Portland cement. Change in emphasis from water-cementitious material ratio versus strength
relation to water-content versus durability relation will provide the incentive for much closer
control of aggregate grading than in the current practices. A substantial aggregate.

SUPER PLASTICIZER

The use of chemical admixtures such as water reducers, retarders, high-range water reducers
or superplasticizers is necessary. They make more efficient use of the large amount of
cementitious material in high-strength concrete and help to obtain the lowest practical water
to cementing materials ratio. Chemical admixture efficiency must be evaluated by comparing
strengths of trial batches. Also, compatibility between cement and supplementary cementing
materials, as well as water-reducing and other admixtures, must be investigated by trial
batches. From these trial batches, it will be possible to determine the workability, setting
time, and amount of water reduction for given admixture dosage rates and times of addition.
The use of air-entraining admixtures is not necessary or desirable in high-strength concrete
that is protected from the weather, such as interior columns and shear walls of high-rise
buildings. However, for bridges, concrete piles, piers, or parking structures, where durability
in a freeze thaw environment is required, entrained air is mandatory. Because air entrainment
decreases concrete strength of rich mixtures, testing to establish optimum air contents and
spacing factors may be required. Certain high-strength concretes may not need as much air as
normal-strength concrete to be frost resistant.

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National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 16
 WATER
Tap water free from deleterious materials, fit for drinking purpose should be used for casting
as well as curing specimens. In curing tanks supply of fresh water should be maintained and
curing tank should be cleaned from time to time.

SILICA FUME

Silica fume, which has a similar function as fly ash, is very effective in lowering the water-to-
cement ratio needed for workable concrete in conjunction with superplasticizers because its
sub-micron particle size allows it to pack between the cement grains. The spaces between
cement grains that would normally have to be occupied by water are now partially filled with
other solid particles. This is the basis of castable densified with small particle (DSP) systems,
which can have a water-to cement ratio as low as 0.16 with a compressive strength more than
150MPa . In such a high strength concrete, the C-S-H gel formed by conventional hydration
reacts with silica fume .Silica fume is a waste by-product of the production of silicon and
silicon alloys.

Silica fume is available in different forms of which the most commonly used now is in a
densified form. In developed countries it is already available readily blended with cement. It
is possible to make high strength concrete without silica fume, at compressive strength of
upto 98 MPa. Beyond that strength level however, silica fume becomes essential. With silica
fume it is easier to make HPC for strengths between63-98 MPa. It is found that the
workability of high strength concrete can be maintained when 6% of the cement (by weight)
is replaced by silica fume. In pastes with higher water-to cement ratios, silica fume is adept at
subdividing the pore system. Very fine silica fume is effective in eliminating the interfacial
transition zone because of its good particle packing characteristics. It is found that the silica
fume, in combination with superplasticizers, improves the bonding between paste and
aggregate due to the formation of a dense microstructure in the interfacial transition zone.
Hence, there is little or no interfacial porosity resulting in a strong paste-aggregate bond in
HPC. It is noticed that the admixtures and the sand present in HPC are all very fine. The
small sizes of these particles are essential in generating HPC. The basic concept of adding
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 fine particles into the concrete mix is based on packing theory. It is found that packing
density of concrete governs the performance of concrete to a large extent.

GUIDELINES FOR THE SELECTION OF MATERIALS:

For the higher target compressive strength of concrete, the maximum size of concrete
selected should b e small, so that the concrete can become more dense and compact and less
void ratio.

 Up to 70 MPa compressive strength can be produced with a good coarse aggregate of

a maximum size ranging from 20 to 28 mm.
 To produce 100 MPa compressive strength aggregate with a maximum size of 10 to
20 mm should be used.
 To date, concretes with compressive strengths of over 125 MPa have been produced,
with 10 to 14 mm maximum size coarse aggregate.
 Using supplementary cementitious materials, such as blast-furnace slag, fly ash and
natural pozzolans, not only reduces the production cost of concrete, but also addresses
the slump loss problem.
 The optimum substitution level is often determined by the loss in 12- or 24-hour
strength that is considered acceptable, given climatic conditions or the minimum
strength required.
 While silica fume is usually not really necessary for compressive strengths under 70
MPa, most concrete mixtures contain it when higher strengths are specified.

MATERIALS USED
 53 Grade OPC conforming to IS :8112-1987 (TCI MAX)
 Locally available aggregates.
 Natural sand.
 Superplasticizer.
 Potable tap water.
 Silica fume

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 CHAPTER 4:

Preliminary Work Done

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 TESTS PERFORMED ON MATERIALS

CEMENT

Setting Time Test

An arbitrary division has been made for the setting time of cement as initial setting time and
final setting time. It is difficult to draw a rigid line between these two arbitrary divisions. For
convenience, initial setting time is regarded as the time elapsed between the moment that the
water is added to the cement, to the time that the paste starts losing its plasticity. The final
setting time is the time elapsed between the moment the water is added to the cement, and the
time when the paste has completely lost its plasticity and has attained sufficient firmness to
resist certain definite pressure. In actual construction dealing with cement paste, mortar or
concrete certain time is required for mixing, transporting, placing, compacting and finishing.
During this time cement paste, mortar, or concrete should be in plastic condition. The time
interval for which the cement products remain in plastic condition is known as the initial
setting time. Normally a minimum of 30 minutes is given for mixing and handling
operations. The constituents and fineness of cement is maintained in such a way that the
concrete remains in plastic condition for certain minimum time. Once the concrete is placed
in the final position, compacted and finished, it should lose its plasticity in the earliest
possible time so that it is least vulnerable to damages from external destructive agencies.
This time should not be more than 10 hours which is often referred to as final setting time.
Table 2.5 shows the setting time for different cements.
The Vicat Appartus shown is used for setting time test also. The following procedure is
adopted. Take 500 gm. of cement sample and guage it with 0.85 times the water required to
produce cement paste of standard consistency (0.85 P). The paste shall be gauged and filled
into the Vicat mould in specified manner within 3-5 minutes. Start the stop watch the
moment water is added to the cement. The temperature of water and that of the testroom, at
the time of gauging shall be within27°C ± 2°C.

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 Initial Setting Time

Lower the needle (C) gently and bring it in contact with the surface of the test block and
quickly release. Allow it to penetrate into the test block. In the beginning, the needle will
completely pierce through the test block. But after some time when the paste starts losing its
plasticity, the Vicat Apparatus and Accessories. Automatic Vicat Apparatus needle may
penetrate only to a depth of 33-35 mm from the top. The period elapsing between the time
when water is added to the cement and the time at which the needle penetrates the test block
to a depth equal to 33-35 mm from the top is taken as initial setting time .on performing
vicat’s apparatus test for initial setting time on three test specimens the average initial setting
time value was obtained as 47 minutes

Final Setting Time

Replace the needle of the Vicat appartus by a circular attachment The cement shall be
considered as finally set when, upon, lowering the attachment gently cover the surface of the
test block, the centre needle makes an impression, while the circular cutting edge of the
attachment fails to do so. In other words the paste has attained such hardness that the centre
needle does not pierce through the paste more than 0.5 mm.
On carrying out vicat’s apparatus test for final setting time, for three specimens the average
value for final setting time came out as 210 minutes.

Soundness Test
It is very important that the cement after setting shall not undergo any appreciable change of
volume. Certain cements have been found to undergo a large expansion after setting causing
disruption of the set and hardened mass. This will cause serious difficulties for the durability
of structures when such cement is used. The testing of soundness of cement, to ensure that
the cement does not show any appreciable subsequent expansion is of prime importance.
The unsoundness in cement is due to the presence of excess of lime than that could be
combined with acidic oxide at the kiln. This is also due to inadequate burning or

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 insufficiency in fineness of grinding or thorough mixing of raw materials. It is also likely that
too high a proportion of magnesium content or calcium sulphate content may cause
unsoundness in cement. For this reason the magnesia content allowed in cement is limited to
6 per cent. It can be recalled that, to prevent flash set, calcium sulphate is added to the clinker
while grinding. The quantity of gypsum added will vary from 3to 5 per cent depending upon
C3A content. If the addition of gypsum is more than that could be combined with C3A,
excess of gypsum will remain in the cement in free state. This excess of gypsum leads to an
expansion and consequent disruption of the set cement paste.
Unsoundness in cement is due to excess of lime, excess of magnesia or excessive proportion
of sulphates. Unsoundness in cement does not come to surface for a considerable period of
time. Therefore, accelerated tests are required to detect it. There are number of such tests in
common use. The apparatus consists of a small split cylinder of spring brass or other suitable
metal. It is 30 mm in diameter and 30 mm high. On either side of the split are attached two
indicator arms 165 mm long with pointed ends. Cement is gauged with 0.78 times the water
required for standard consistency (0.78 P), in a standard manner and filled into the mould
kept on a glass plate. The mould is covered on the top with another glass plate. The whole
assembly is immersed in water at a temperature of 27°C – 32°C and kept there for 24 hours.
Measure the distance between the indicator points. Submerge the mould again in water. Heat
the water and bring to boiling point in about 25-30 minutes and keep it boiling for 3 hours.
Remove the mould from the water, allow it to cool and measure the distance between the
indicator points. The difference between these two measurements represents the expansion of
cement. This must not exceed 10 mm for ordinary, rapid hardening and low heat Portland
cements. If in case the expansion is more than 10 mm as tested above, the cement is said to
be unsound.
The Le Chatelier test detects unsoundness due to free lime only. This method of testing does
not indicate the presence and after effect of the excess of magnesia. Indian
Standard Specification stipulates that a cement having a magnesia content of more than 3 per
cent shall be tested for soundness by Autoclave test which is sensitive to both free magnesia
and free lime. In this test a neat cement specimen 25 × 25 mm is placed in a standard
autoclave and the steam pressure inside the autoclave is raised in such a rate as to bring the

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 gauge pressure of the steam to 21 kg/ sq cm in 1 – 11/4 hour from the time the heat is turned
on. This pressure is maintained for 3 hours. The autoclave is cooled and the length measured
again. The high steam pressure accelerates the hydration of both magnesia and lime. No
satisfactory test is available for deduction of unsoundness due to an excess of calcium
sulphate. But its content can be easily determined by chemical analysis. The average
soundness value for three specimens came out as 3.77 mm.

AGGREGATES

Sieve Analysis

This is the name given to the operation of dividing a sample of aggregate into various
fractions each consisting of particles of the same size. The sieve analysis is conducted to
determine the particle size distribution in a sample of aggregate, which we call gradation. A
convenient system of expressing the gradation of aggregate is one which the consecutive
sieve openings are constantly doubled, such as 10 mm, 20 mm, 40 mm etc. Under such a
system, employing a logarithmic scale, lines can be spaced at equal intervals to represent the
successive sizes. The aggregates used for making concrete are normally of the maximum size
80 mm, 40 mm, 20 mm, 10 mm, 4.75 mm, 2.36 mm, 600 micron, 300 micron and 150
micron. The aggregate fractions from 80 mm to 4.75 mm are termed as coarse aggregate and
those fractions from 4.75 mm to 150 micron are termed as fine aggregate. The size 4.75 mm
is a common fraction appearing both in coarse aggregate and fine aggregate (C.A. and F.A.).
Grading pattern of a sample of C.A. or F.A. is assessed by sieving a sample successively
through all the sieves mounted one over the other in order of size, with larger sieve on the
top. The material retained on each sieve after shaking, represents the fraction of aggregate
coarser than the sieve in question and finer than the sieve above. Sieving can be done either
manually or mechanically. In the manual operation the sieve is shaken giving movements in
all possible direction to give chance to all particles for passing through the sieve. Operation
should be continued till such time that almost no particle is passing through. Mechanical
devices are actually designed to give motion in all possible direction, and as such, it is more

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 23

 systematic and efficient than hand sieving. From the sieve analysis the particle size
distribution in a sample of aggregate is found out. In this connection a term known as
“Fineness Modulus” (F.M.) is being used. F.M. is a ready index of coarseness or fineness of
the material. Fineness modulus is an empirical factor obtained by adding the cumulative
percentages of aggregate retained on each of the standard sieves ranging from 80 mm to 150
micron and dividing this sum by an arbitrary number 100. The larger the figure, the coarser is
the material. Table No. 3.9 shows the typical example of the sieve analysis, conducted on a
sample of coarse aggregate and fine aggregate to find out the fineness modulus. Many a time,
fine aggregates are designated as coarse sand, medium sand and fine sand. These
classifications do not give any precise meaning. What the supplier terms as fine sand may be
really medium or even coarse sand. To avoid this ambiguity fineness modulus could be used
as a yard stick to indicate the fineness of sand.

F IGURE 2 IS SIEVES

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 SIEVE SIZE WEIGHT CUMULATIVE CUMULATIVE CUMULATIVE
RETAINED (gm) WT. RETAINED %AGE RETAINED %AGE PASSING
10mm 22 22 1.1 98.9
6.3mm 775 797 39.85 60.15
4.75mm 795 1592 79.6 20.4
2.36mm 275 1867 93.35 6.65
1.18mm 80 1947 97.35 2.25
600µ 10 1957 97.85 2.15
300µ 10 1967 98.35 1.65
150µ 9 1976 98.8 1.2
pan 10 1986 99.3 0.7

T ABLE 2: S IEVE A NALYSIS (10 MM )

Gradation curve of 10mm

100
90
80
10mm
percentage passing

70
6.3mm
60
4.75mm
50
2.36mm
40
1.18mm
30
600µ
20
300µ
10
150µ
0
1 10
Sieve size

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 25

 SIEVE SIZE WEIGHT CUMULATIVE CUMULATIVE CUMULATIVE
RETAINED (gm) WT. RETAINED %AGE RETAINED %AGE PASSING
20 20 20 0.67 99.33
16 150 170 5.67 94.33
12.5 1105 1275 42.5 57.5
10 715 1990 66.33 36.67
6.3 910 2900 96.66 3.33
4.75 80 2980 99.33 0.67
pan 15 2995 99.833 0.167

T ABLE 2: S IEVE A NALYSIS (10 MM )

100
90
80
70 20
60 16
50 12.5
40 10
30 6.3

20 4.75

10
0
1 10 100
-10

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 SIEVE SIZE WEIGHT CUMULATIVE CUMULATIVE CUMULATIVE
RETAINED (gm) WT. RETAINED %AGE RETAINED %AGE PASSING
4.75mm 0 0 0 100
2.36mm 10 10 1 99
1.18mm 25 35 3.5 96.5
600µ 115 150 15 80
300µ 667 817 81.7 18.3
150µ 164 981 98.1 1.9
pan 14 995 99.5 0.5

T ABLE 2: S IEVE A NALYSIS (10 MM )

cumulative percentage passing

120

100
4.75mm
80
2.36mm
60 1.18mm
600µ
40
300µ

20 150µ

0
1 10

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 27

 The following limits may be taken as guidance:
Fine sand: Fineness Modulus: 2.2 - 2.6
Medium sand: F.M.: 2.6 - 2.9
Coarse sand: F.M.: 2.9 - 3.2
A sand having a fineness modulus more than 3.2 will be unsuitable for making satisfactory
concrete.

Specific Gravity

Indian Standard Specification IS: 2386 (Part III) of 1963 gives various procedures to find out
the specific gravity of different sizes of aggregates. The following procedure is applicable to
aggregate size larger than 10 mm.

A sample of aggregate not less than 2 kg is taken. It is thoroughly washed to remove the finer
particles and dust adhering to the aggregate. It is then placed in a wire basket and immersed
in distilled water at a temperature between 22° to 32°C. Immediately after immersion, the
entrapped air is removed from the sample by lifting the basket containing it 25 mm above the
base of the tank and allowing it to drop 25 times at the rate of about one drop per sec. During
the operation, care is taken that the basket and aggregate remain completely immersed in
water. They are kept in water for a period of 24 ± 1/2 hours afterwards. The basket and
aggregate are then jolted and weighed (weight A1) in water at a temperature 22° to 32° C.
The basket and the aggregate are then removed from water and allowed to drain for a few
minutes and then the aggregate is taken out from the basket and placed on dry cloth and the
surface is gently dried with the cloth. The aggregate is transferred to the second dry cloth and
further dried. The empty basket is again immersed in water, jolted 25 times and weighed in
water (weight A2). The aggregate is exposed to atmosphere away from direct sunlight for not
less than 10 minutes until it appears completely surface dry. Then the aggregate is weighed in
air (weight B). Then the aggregate is kept in the oven at a temperature of 100 to 110°C and
maintained at this temperature for 24 ± 1/2 hours. It is then cooled in the air-tight container,
and weighed (weight C).

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 Specific gravity = C/ (b-a) Apparent specific gravity = C/(c-a)
Water absorption = 100(B-C)/C
Where A= the weight in gm of the saturated aggregate in water (A1– A2),
B = the weight in gm of the saturated surface-dry aggregate in air, and
C = the weight in gm of oven-dried aggregate in air.

Moisture Content

Determination of moisture content in aggregate is of vital importance in the control of the

quality of concrete particularly with respect to workability and strength. The measurement of
the moisture content of aggregates is basically a very simple operation. But it is complicated
by several factors. The aggregate will absorb a certain quantity of water depending on its
porosity. The water content can be expressed in terms of the weight of the aggregate when
absolutely dry, surface dry or when wet. Water content means the free water, or that held on
the surface of the aggregate or the total water content which includes the absorbed water plus
the free water, or the water held in the interior portion of aggregate particles.
The measurement of the moisture content of aggregate in the field must be quick,
reasonably accurate and must require only simple appartus which can be easily handled and
used in the field. The method used to determine moisture content is the drying method. The
application of drying method is fairly simple. Drying is carried out in a oven and the loss in
weight before and after drying will give the moisture content of the aggregate. If the drying is
done completely at a high temperature for a long time, the loss in weight will include not
only the surface water but also some absorbed water. Appropriate corrections may be made
for the saturated and surface dry condition. The oven drying method is too slow for field use.
A fairly quick result can be obtained by heating the aggregate quickly in an open pan. The
process can also be speeded up by pouring inflammable liquid such as methylated spirit or
acetone over the aggregate and igniting it.

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 TEST DATA OF MATERIALS

Cement used: OPC 53 grade

Specific gravity of cement: 3.15
Specific gravity of coarse aggregate (20mm): 2.6
Specific gravity of coarse aggregate (10mm): 2.66
Specific gravity of fine aggregate: 2.65
Water absorption:
Coarse aggregate: 0.5%
Fine aggregate: 1%
Sieve analysis
Coarse aggregate: well graded
Fine aggregate: graded (zone 4)

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 30

 CHAPTER 5:

Mix Design Procedure

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 MIX DESIGN

Mix design can be defined as the process of selecting suitable ingredient of concrete and
determining their relative proportions with the objective of producing concrete of certain
minimum strength and durability as economically as possible. The purpose of designing mix
is two-fold. The first objective is to achieve the stipulated minimum strength and durability.
The second object is to make the concrete in the most economical manner. Since main cost
governing material is cement, therefore, much attention is given to the use of cement as little
as possible consistent with strength and durability.
With the given material, the four variable factors to be considered in connection with
specifying a concrete mix are-1)Water-cement ratio 2) Cement content or cement aggregate
ratio3) Gradation of aggregate 4) consistency.
With the advent of plasticizer and super plasticizer, it has now been possible to produce the
concrete of much higher strength than the normal concrete. Concrete of strength
approximately 138 MPa is commercially available as High Performance Concrete
(HPC).HPC are very common in North America, Japan and other European countries. High
performance high strength concrete is very commonly used in building column, bridge super
structures and decks. In India, the first prestressed concrete bridge was built in 1949 for
Assam Rail Link at Silliguri. In fifty’s a number of prestressed concrete structures were built
using concrete of strength from 35MPa to 45MPa. But strength of concrete more than 35MPa
was not commonly used in general construction practices. Probably concrete of strength
more than 35MPa was used in large scale in Konkan Railway project during early 90,s and
construction of Mumbai Municipal Corporation roads. It is during 90,s use of high strength
concrete has taken its due place in Indian construction scenario. Of late concrete of strength
from 45MPa to 60MPa has been used in high rise buildings at Mumbai, Delhi and other
metropolitan cities. High strength concrete was also employed in bridges and flyovers.
Presently in India concrete of strength 75MPa is being used for the first time in the flyovers
and bridges. Other notable example of high strength concrete in India is in the construction of
Containment Dome at Kaiga power project. They have used high performance concrete of
strength 60MPa with silica fume as one of the constituents. The different properties of high

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 32

 strength concrete have now been well understood. High strength concrete has not been used
in the area of highway rigid pavement. Due to higher durability and low permeability of
HSHPC, the pavement could be designed for longer design period. In the present research
work, author has developed high strength high performance concrete of M60 grade using fly
ash for highway pavement.
Design of concrete mix requires complete knowledge of the various properties of these
constituent materials, these make the task of mix design more complex and difficult. Design
of concrete mix needs not only the knowledge of material properties and properties of
concrete in plastic condition; it also needs wider knowledge and experience of concreting.
Even then the proportion of the materials of concrete found out at the laboratory requires
modification and re adjustments to suit the field conditions.

METHOD OF PROPORTIONING

American Concrete Institute (ACI) Method of Mix Design

This method of proportioning was first published in 1944 by ACI committee 613. In
1954 the method was revised to include, among other modifications, the use of entrained air.
In 1970, the method of mix design became the responsibility of ACI committee 211. ACI
committee 211 have further updated the method (ACI–211.1) of 1991. Almost all of the
major multipurpose concrete dams in India built during 1950 have been designed by using
then prevalent ACI Committee method of mix design.
We shall now deal with the latest ACI Committee 211.1 of 1991 method. It has the
advantages of simplicity in that it applies equally well, and with more or less identical
procedure to rounded or angular aggregate, to regular or light weight aggregates and to air-
entrained or non-air-entrained concretes. The ACI Committee mix design method assumed
certain basic facts which have been substantiated by field experiments or large works. They
are:
(a ) The method makes use of the established fact, that over a considerable range of
practical proportions, fresh concrete of given slump and containing a reasonably well graded

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 33

 aggregate of given maximum size will have practically a constant total water content
regardless of variations in water/cement ratio and cement content, which are necessarily
interrelated.
(b) It makes use of the relation that the optimum dry rodded volume of coarse
aggregate per unit volume of concrete depends on its maximum size and the fineness
modulus of the fine aggregate as indicated in Table 11.4 regardless of shape of particles. The
effect of angularity is reflected in the void content, thus angular coarse aggregates require
more mortar than rounded coarse aggregate.

(c) Irrespective of the methods of compaction, even after complete compaction is done, a
definite percentage of air remains which is inversely proportional to the maximum size of the
aggregate.

Data to be collected:
 Fineness modulus of selected fine aggregate
 Unit weight of dry rodded coarse aggregate
 Specific gravity of coarse and fine aggregates in SSD condition
 Absorption characteristics of both coarse and fine aggregates
 Specific gravity of cement

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 34

 DESIGN STIPULATION

 Grade Designation: M60

 Type Of Cement: OPC 53 Grade
 Maximum Nominal size of Aggregate:20 mm
 Minimum Cement Content: 350kg /m3
 Maximum water cement ratio:0.35
 Exposure condition :moderate
 Method of concrete placing :hand
 Degree of supervision: good
 Type of aggregate: crushed angular aggregate

Target strength for mix proportioning

Target strength=fck+1.65xs
Where
fck =characteristic compressive strength at 28 days
S= standard deviation
From table 8 is 456:2000 standard deviation s= 5 N/mm2
therefore target strength=60+1.65(5) =68.25N/mm2

F IGURE 3 CONCRETE SAMPLES

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 35

 TRIAL 1
 Selection of water cement ratio:
From aitcins table and ACI code
Max water cement ratio =0.33
Based on experience adopt water cement ratio as 0.3
 Selection of water content
water content adopted =180 kg/m3
 Calculation of cement content
Cement content= 180/0.3
= 545.45 kg/m3
 Calculation of coarse and fine aggregate content
From table 11.8 of ACI for 20mm aggregate, for fineness modulus of 2.8,the dry rodded bulk
volume of C.A is .62 per unit volume of concrete
Therefore weight of coarse aggregate = .6x1540
= 924kg/m3
From table 11.9 of ACI code the first estimate of density of fresh concrete for 20mm
maximum size of aggregate is 2280 kg/m3
Therefore weight of all known ingredients of concrete
Weight of water = 180 kg/m3
Weight of cement =545.45 kg/m3
Weight of coarse aggregate = 992 kg/m3
Weight of fine aggregate =2280-(180+545.45+924)
=630.55kg/m3

Proportioning of mix ingredients by weight

C : F.A : C.A : WATER
545.45 : 630.55 : 924 : 180
1 : 1.15 : 1.694 : .33
The above proportions are based on the fact that both coarse aggregate and fine aggregate are
in saturated and surface dry conditions.

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 36

 The proportions are required to be adjusted for field conditions.
by coarse aggregate=.01x992
=9.92kg/m3
Fine aggregate has a surface moisture of 2%.
Total surface moisture of fine aggregates = .02x562.55
=11.25 kg/m3
Weight of fine aggregate in field condition = 562.55+11.25
= 573.8 kg/m3

Coarse aggregate absorbs 1% water

Therefore weight of C.A=992+9.92=1002.84kg/m3
Therefore 11.25 – 9.92= 1.33 kgs the water contributed by aggregates therefore amount of
water to be used = 180 – 1.33
= 178.86 kg/m3
As the water cement ratio is kept low and the amount of cement used is very high ,use of
plasticizers becomes necessary to obtain a workable mix therefore water reducing admixture
is used. The first dosage of admixture used is 3% by weight of cement.
Therefore quantities of materials to be used in field are as follows
1) Cement = 545.45 kg/m3.
2) Coarse aggregate = 992 kg/m3.
3) fine aggregate = 573.8 kg/m3
4) water = 178.86 kg/m3
5) plasticizer = 16.36 kg/m3

Volume of concrete required for 9 cubes and 6 beams

Volume of concrete for 9 cubes = .030375m3
Volume of concrete for 6 beams = .03m3
Therefore total volume =.060375m3.

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 37

 Following sizes of moulds were used for casting concrete
Cubes of size 150x150x150mm
Beams of size 500x100x100mm
Manual mixing was adopted, coarse and fine aggregates were added first and mixed
thoroughly with the help of showels then cement was added and mixed again finely .water
was added in stages and mixing was done continuously to obtain a homogeneous mix
.plasticizer was added at the end by mixing it with adequate amount of water to ensure its
proper mixing with cementing material.
Five(4 normal and one with silica fume) trials were performed using same materials and
procedure by varying the water cement ratio and dosage of plasticizer till balance between
dosage of plasticizer and strength was achieved. In trial no 5 partial replacement of cement
was done with silica fume. The amount of silica fume used was taken as 11% by weight of
cement.
The mix ratio and other important data for the first four trial mixes are formulated in the
following table.

S.no Mix Ratio Water-Cement ratio Super plasticizer % Slump (mm)

1.
1:1.15:1.694 0.3 1.5 >300

2.
1:0.94:1.66 0.29 1.3 210

3.
1:0.71:1.645 0.28 1.1 182

4.
1:0.52:1.61 0.27 0.9 165

T ABLE 2: S IEVE A NALYSIS (10 MM )

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 38

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 39
 TRIAL 5 (USING SILICA FUME)

S.no Mix Ratio Water- Superplasticize Slump in mm Silica fume

Cement ratio r in % in %

1. 1:0.52:1.61 0.27 0.9 210 11%

T ABLE 2: S IEVE A NALYSIS (10 MM )

F IGURE 4 SILICA FUME SAMPLES

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 40

 CHAPTER 6:

Test Performed

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 EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS
As discussed above , the evolution of basic properties of concrete like strength in
compression, tension and flexure are compulsory, because the structural performance of
concrete is a function of these fundamental characteristics. These properties of hardened
concrete can be obtained, either carrying out destructive and non destructive tests on
concrete( which permits repeated testing on same specimen making potential study of
change in properties with time). For this reason of high reliability destructive methodology
of testing was adopted, all through the project. The test procedure adopted here is in
accordance with Indian standard and the important tests carried out to investigate the
fundamental properties of hardened concrete are as:-
1. Compressive strength test.
2. Flexure strength test.

COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH TEST

Off all the strengths , compressive strength is the most important property in concrete
because of the qualitative relation of compressive strength with other types of strengths.
Moreover it is easy to determine and has got intrinsic importance in construction. But the
fact cannot be denied that as yet no exact quantitative relationship between compressive
strength and other strength /parameters like flexural strength, tensile strength and modulus
of elasticity have been established nor they likely to be. Approximate or statistical
relationships, in many cases have been established and certainly provided very useful
information. This is because of the variability in the constituents of concrete from place to
place and even from batch to batch in a given environment. This approximation gets
magnified when different admixtures are used in concrete.
Compressive strength is the strength of concrete in compression and is determined by
applying loads on standard 150x150x150 mm cubes by UTM till failure of concrete cubes.
Testing is done after 3,7,14,28 days of casting. After 24 hours of casting, concrete cubes are
taken out of moulds and placed in water for curing purposes

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 42

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 43
 FLEXURAL STRENGTH TEST
Flexural strength is one measure of the tensile strength of concrete. It is a measure of an
unreinforced concrete beam or slab to resist failure in bending. It is measured by loading
(150 x 150-mm) concrete beams with a span length at least three times the depth. The
flexural strength is expressed as Modulus of Rupture (MR) in MPa and is determined by
standard test methods ASTM C 78 (third-point loading) or ASTM C 293 (center-point
loading).

Flexural MR is about 10 to 20 percent of compressive strength depending on the type, size

and volume of coarse aggregate used. However, the best correlation for specific materials is
obtained by laboratory tests for given materials and mix design. The MR determined by
third-point loading is lower than the MR determined by center-point loading, sometimes by
as much as 15%.
Designers of pavements use a theory based on flexural strength. Therefore,
laboratory mix design based on flexural strength tests may be required, or a cementitious
material content may be selected from past experience to obtain the needed design MR.
Some also use MR for field control and acceptance of pavements. Very few use flexural
testing for structural concrete. Agencies not using flexural strength for field control
generally find the use of compressive strength convenient and reliable to judge the quality
of the concrete as delivered.
Specimen to be tested was placed centrally on two rollers spaced 400 mm apart,
over the testing machine. On the top of specimen, a set of two rollers attached with the
machine was placed over the length of 133mm by lowering the mobile head of machine.
The load was then applied over the specimen without shock at a constant rate of
180kg/minute, till to the failure of specimen. At the failure of the beam readings were noted
down which gave us the flexural strength.
The formula for calculating bending stress is:-
f= M/Z
where
M= bending moment of section where failure occurred
Z=section modulus of specimen= bd3 /12

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 The dimensions of beam are 100x100x500 mm
With effective length= 400

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 MODES OF FAILURE

a) Compression failure.
b) Flexure failure

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 CHAPTER 7:

Test Results

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 RESULTS
Above mentioned tests were performed in the structure lab and following results were
obtained.

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 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH ( IN MPa)
Trial no.
3 day test 7 day test 28 day test

1 14.38 34.52 40.30

2 17.25 37.25 51.23

3 19.56 40.29 56.02

4 21.156 42.15 62.16

FLEXURAL STRENGTH (IN MPa)

TRIAL NO.
7 day strength 28 day strength

1 3.4 4.66

2 4.57 6.12

3 4.82 6.443

4 5.48 7.69

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 49

 Trial no. COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH (IN MPa)

7 14
day test day test 28 day test

1 17.25 38.136 57.43

TRIAL NO. FLEXURAL STRENGTH(IN MPa)

7 day test 14 day test

1 6.82 9.35

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 50

 70

Compressive Strength (MPa)

60

50

40 28 day
7 day
30
3 day
20

10

0
1 2 3

70

60 3 Day
7 Day
50
28 Day
40.3
40
34.52

30

20
14.38

10

0
1

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 51

 70

60

50 Compressive Strength (MPa)

40 28 day
7 day
30
3 day
20

10

0
1 2 3

70

60 3 Day
51.33
7 Day
50
28 Day
40 37.25

30

20 17.25

10

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 52

 70

60
Compressive Strength (MPa)

50

40 28 day
7 day
30
3 day
20

10

0
1 2 3

70

60 56.02
3 Day
50 7 Day
40.29
28 Day
40

30

19.56
20

10

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 53

 70

60
Compressive Strength (MPa)

50

40 28 day
7 day
30
3 day
20

10

0
1 2 3

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 54

 70

60
Compressive Strength (MPa)

50

40 28 day
7 day
30
3 day
20

10

0
1 2 3

70

60 57.43 3 Day
7 Day
50
28 Day
40 38.136

30

20 17.25

10

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 55

 COMPARISON
70

60

50

40

30 COMPARISON

20

10

0
1 2 3 4

COMPARISON
70
62.16
60 56.02
51.33
50
40.3
40

30 COMPARISON

20

10

0
1 2 3 4

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National Institute of Technology, Srinagar P a g e | 57
 CHAPTER 8:

Conclusion
References

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 CONCLUSION:
 The value of 0.27 as water cement ratio was experimentally found to be optimum for
production of M60 grade concrete. Water cement ratio of higher values lead to production
of lower strength concrete of higher workability
 The optimum percentage of super plasticizer was obtained as 0.9% for workability of 165
mm, super plasticizer percentage of 1.5% gave a slump value in excess of 300mm closely
resembling self -compacting concrete however strength in that case was under achieved.
 The effect of super plasticizer on flexural strength was overwhelming .The lowest value for
flexural strength obtained was 9.767 MPa which is more than the estimated value of 5.4221
MPa.
 The mix design ratio for M 60 grade concrete was obtained as 1: 0.52:1.61.
 Owing to the higher proportions of cement used, partial replacement of cement by silica
fume was carried out. 11% of cement was replaced by weight in one trail batch whose 28
day strength was found out to be 57.43MPa.

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 REFERENCES
1. ACI
2. Yawar Shah, abcdefghij
3.

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