Application of experimental plans method to formulate a self compacting cement paste

Abstract

The self-compacting concrete formulation means to elaborate a self-compacting cement paste to which will be injected aggregates. The purpose of this work is to find the composition of this cement paste containing local materials (pozzolanic cement, limestone fillers, superplasticizer and water) having self-compacting properties. The use of the experimental plans method shows that it is possible to delimit an experimental field bounded by the volumetric proportions of materials composing the paste. The field was transformed in equations form conditioned by implicit constraints, defining zones of minimal shearing threshold and maximum viscosity; numerical resolution submitted to the optimization criteria permitted to define the volumetric proportions of each mixing parameter contributing to the preparation of an optimal paste. After experimental checking to validate obtained results, conclusions are that, from results given by ternary diagrams and desirability’s functions, a composition of an optimal self-compacting cement pas was obtained.

Keywords

• rheological properties
• ternary diagrams
• miscellanies plans method
• self-compacting cement paste