CIEM 5240 Advanced Concrete Technology

Prof. Zongjin Li
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

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CIEM 5240 Advanced Concrete Technology

Instructor: Prof. Zongjin LI（李宗津）

Office: 3568
Office hour: Tuesday
4:00 - 5:00 am
Phone: 2358-8751
e-mail: [email protected]

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CIEM 5240 Advanced Concrete Technology

Text book: Advanced Concrete Technology

John Wiley & Sons
New York
Course website: http://lmes2.ust.hk/
Grade: Homework 30%
Final exam 70%

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Self Introduction
BE Zhejiang University (1982)
MS Northwestern University (Chicago, 1990)
PhD Northwestern University (Chicago 1993)
Joined HKUST in 1994

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Zhejiang University

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Northwestern University

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 Northwestern university

CIVL5840 Advanced Concrete Technology

Fall 2011
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HKUST

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Course contents
Chapter 1 Introduction to concrete
Chapter 2 Materials for making concrete
Chapter 3 Fresh concrete
Chapter 4 Structure of concrete
Chapter 5 Hardened concrete
Chapter 6 Advanced cementitious composites
Chapter 7 Concrete fracture mechanics
Chapter 8 Nondestructive testing in concrete Engineering
Chapter 9 The future and development trends of concrete

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Chapter 1
Introduction to Concrete

Learning Objectives:

1. To understand the definition and composition

of concrete
2. To learn and compare the advantages and
limitations of concrete
3. To identify the important factors that can influence
concrete properties
4. To learn how to classify the concrete

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Table of Content

1.1 Concrete definition and historical development

1.2 Concrete as a structural material
1.3 Characteristics of concrete
1.4 Types of concrete
1.5 Factors influencing concrete properties
1.6 Approaches to study concrete

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1.1 Definition and historical development
Definition of Concrete
Concrete is a composite material composed of coarse granular material
(the aggregate or filler) embedded in a hard matrix of material (the cement
or binder) that fills the space between the aggregate particles and glues
them together.

Concrete = Filler + Binder

Different types of concrete:

Non-hydraulic cement concrete
Hydraulic cement concrete
Portland cement concrete
Asphalt concrete
Polymer concrete

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 Coarse aggregate Fine aggregate Cement paste

Cement Concrete

CIVL5840 Advanced Concrete Technology

Fall 2013
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1.1 Definition and historical development
Non-hydraulic cement concrete (6500BC-100 BC)
Use lime or gypsum as binder : Egypt, Rommans

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1.1 Definition and historical development
Hydraulic cement (lime) concrete (AD, 1756-1800)
Use lime + volcanic ash as binder
John Smeaton, James Parker, Vicat
Portland cement concrete (1800-)
Use portland cement as binder
Joseph Aspdin, Isaac Johnson

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1.1 Definition and historical development
First generation: Plain concrete
Second generation: Steel reinforced concrete
Third generation: PrestressedRebar
concrete Jack

(1) Pre-stress rebar

Concrete
Anchor

(2) Cast concrete

(3) Release rebar

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1.1 Definition and historical development
Strength development:
1960’s  :  30  MPa
1970’s:  Mid-Continental Plaza, Chicago 52 MPa
Water Tower Place, Chicago, 62 MPa
1980’s  :  225 West Wecker building, Chicago, 95 MPa
Union Plaza, Seattle, 130 MPa

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Traditional and contemporary concrete

工业废渣 外加剂

传统混凝土

现代混凝土
18
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Contemporary concrete

19
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 1.2 Concrete as a structural material
Composition of portland cement Concrete

Portland Cement
+ (Admixture) Cement paste
Water
Mortar
+
Fine Aggregate
Concrete
+
Coarse
Aggregate

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Different applications
of concrete

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Three gorges dam

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High speed rail

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Jing-Hu high speed rail

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1.3 Characteristics of concrete

1.3.1 Advantages of Concrete

(a) Economical
(b) Ambient temperature hardened material
(c) Ability to be cast
(d) Energy efficient
(e) Excellent resistance to water
(f) High temperature resistance
(g) Ability to consume waste
(h) Ability to work with reinforcing steel
(i) Less maintenance required

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(a) Economical

Cement – HK$ 400-500/T

Concrete – HK$ 200/T
Aggregate – HK$ 40 ~ 60/T
V.S.
Steel – HK$ 3,000 ~
5,000/T
Composite –
HK$ 20,000/T

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(b) Ambient temperature hardened material

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(c) Ability to be cast

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(d) Energy efficient
Let us make a comparison among:

Concrete 450 ~ 750 kwh/T

Reinforced concrete 850 ~ 3200 kwh/T
Steel 8000 kwh/T

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(e) Excellent resistance to water
1. can gain strength in water
2. can withstand water without serious deterioration
3. examples: dam, pipeline

Pipeline under construction

Photo courtesy of California Precast
Concrete Pipe Association

Source:
http://www.cpcpa.com/

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(f) High temperature resistance
Let us make a comparison among:

Steel – lost strength at T=600 oC

Fibrous Composites – lost strength at T=100 -250 oC
Concrete – can withstand fire for a few hours

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(g) Ability to consume waste
Use waste as supplement cementitious materials
Fly ash
Slag
Silica fume

Use waste as replacing filler

Glass
Rubber tyre

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(h) Ability to work with reinforced steel
Similar coefficient of thermal expansion
Steel ----- 1.2 x 10-5 (copper – 10-8)
Concrete ----- 1.0 ~ 1.2 x 10 -5
High alkaline environmental
pH value 12 ~ 13.5

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(i) Less maintenance required
No coating or painting is needed for concrete

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1.3.2 Limitations
(a) Quasi-brittle failure mode
(b) Low tensile strength
(c) Low toughness
(d) Formwork is needed
(e) Long curing time
(f) Working with cracks

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(a) Quasi-brittle failure mode

Strain Softening

Strain hardening

Brittle Quasi-brittle Ductile

Improvement Reinforced concrete

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(b) Low tensile strength
Ft ~ 0.1 fc (for high strength concrete even lower)
Polymer concrete
Improvement Fiber reinforced concrete

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(c) Low toughness
σ

Steel

Concrete

ε
Improvement Fiber reinforced concrete

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(d) Formwork is needed

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(e) Long curing time
Improvement Steam curing

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Precast

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(f) Working with cracks

Improvement Prestressed concrete

Crack = < 0.2mm

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1.4 Types of concrete
1.4.1 Classification in accordance with unit weight
1.4.2 Classification in accordance with compressive
strength
1.4.3 Classification in accordance with addictives

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1.4.1 Classification in accordance with unit weight
Ultra light concrete <1200 kg/m3
Lightweight concrete <1800 kg/m3
Normal-weight concrete ~2400 kg/m3
Heavyweight concrete >3200 kg/m3

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1.4.2 Classification in accordance with compressive strength

Low-strength concrete
<20 MPa compressive strength of cylinder
Moderate-strength concrete
20~50 MPa compressive strength of cylinder
High-strength concrete
50~200 MPa compressive strength of cylinder
Ultra high-strength concrete
>200 MPa compressive strength of cylinder

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1.4.3 Classification in accordance with
Normal concrete
Fiber reinforced concrete
Polymer concrete
Micro Silica (M.S.) concrete

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1.5 Factors Influencing Concrete Properties

1.5.1 W/C ratio

1.5.2 Cement content
1.5.3 Aggregate
1.5.4 Admixtures
1.5.5 Mixing procedures
1.5.6 Curing

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1.5.1 W/C ratio
A lower W/C ratio will lead to a stronger and more
durable  concrete.  This  can  be  seen  from  Abrams’s  law:

where
fc = compressive strength,
A = empirical constant (usually 14,000 psi), and
B = constant depends mostly on the cement properties (usually 4).
It can be seen from the formula that the higher the W/C
ratio, the lower the compressive strength.
For example: W/C = 0.6 fc = 28 MPa
W/C = 0.5 fc = 37 MPa

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1.5.2 Cement content
Effects:
Binder
Coating
Lubricants
Amount:
High strength concrete: 400 ~ 600 kg/m3
Normal strength concrete: <400 kg/m3
• HK requirement --- Grade 30 (340 kg/m3)
Mass concrete: 160 ~ 200 kg/m3
• (Dam, Foundation)

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1.5.3 Aggregate
(a) Maximum aggregate size
(b) Aggregate grading
(c) Aggregate shape and texture
(d) Sand/Coarse aggregate ratio
(e) Aggregate/Cement ratio

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(a) Maximum aggregate size
Major influence: Paste requirement
For normal strength concrete:
The larger the maximum size, the lower the paste
requirement
At same W/C ratio and with same cement content, the
larger the maximum sizes, the better the workability
At same workability, the larger the maximum sizes the
higher the strength
Considerations for choosing maximum aggregate size:
Structural member size h
Spacing of reinforcing steel b

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(b) Aggregate grading
Well-defined grading decreases the cement content and
void in concrete
There are five common grading
(Details will be discussed in Chapter 2)

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(c) Aggregate shape and texture

The aggregate shape and texture can influence

workability, bond, and compressive strength of concrete
At same W/C ratio and with same cement content, the
aggregates with angular shape and rough surface texture
result in lower workability but lead to better bond and
mechanical properties

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(d) Sand/Coarse aggregate ratio
Increase of sand/coarse aggregate ratio can lead
to increase of cohesiveness, but reduce
consistency

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(e) Aggregate/Cement ratio
Increase of aggregate/Cement ratio in a
lower consistency because of less cement
paste as lubricant

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1.5.4 Admixtures
It is important and necessary component of modern
concrete technology.
(In many countries, 70~80% of concrete contains one or
more admixtures.)
The concrete properties, both in fresh and hardened
states, can be modified or improved by admixtures.

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1.5.5 Mixing procedures
Mixing procedures directly influence the workability
of fresh concrete

Example of mixing procedure:

1. Coarse aggregate + 75% water + 50% fine aggregate –
mixing for 15 to 30 secs
2. Add cement + superplasticizer + 50% find aggregate –
mixing for 2 minutes
3. Add 25% water – mixing for 3 minutes

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1.5.6 Curing (1)
Curing is an additional process that takes care of the
fresh concrete to gain strength.
This process is important for the development of
concrete strength and for controlling early volume
changes. Careless curing leads to plastic shrinkage.

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1.5.6 Curing (2)
Method helpful in curing:
Moisten the subgrade and forms;
Porous aggregate as internal water reservoir;
Erect windbreaks and sunshades;
Cooling aggregate and mixing water;
Fog spray;
Covering;
High temperature (70 – 80oC) steam curing;
Curing compound.

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1.6 Approaches to study concrete
Main components in materials science and engineering
Philosophy in research of materials
Understand the systematic scientific background of
concrete

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 实
木 Materials
Hardware
• Microstructure
• Processing
Real

材
虛 Materials • Properties
才 Software • Performance

Virtual
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 实
米 Materials:
Hardware
• Composition
• Synthesis
Real

料
虛 Materials: • Characterization
斗 Measurement • Measurement

Virtual

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 A Fundamental Approach
Performance

Processing Properties

Microstructures
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 Materials Science & Engineering and End-uses

End-use Needs / Constraints

Performance Properties

Synthesis / Structure /
Processing Composition
Ref: U. S. National Research Council,  “Material  Science  and  Engineering:  Forging  
Stronger  Links  to  Users.”  1999
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 1.6 Approaches to study concrete

Mechanism of formation of microstructure of hydration

products

? ?
Complicated
binding system 
5A Concrete
Hydration products Chapter 1 / Page 66
 1.6 Approaches to study concrete

Mechanism of damage process

Loading
O2
CO2 Environmental
- effects
Cl
H2O
SO42-

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Microscopic damage sources
1.6 Approaches to study concrete

Lack of study on unified design of loading carrying

and durability

｛R≧Q｝∩｛Dindex=f (p,t,T,H…)｝→?

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