Analysis of production factors in high performance concrete

Abstract

The incorporation of silica fume and superplasticizers in high strength and high performance concrete, along with a low water-cement ratio, leads to significant changes in the workability and the energy needed to homogenize and compact the concrete. Moreover, several aspects of concrete production that are not critical for conventional concrete are important for high strength concrete. This paper will discuss the need for controlling the humidity of the aggregates, optimizing the mixing sequence used in the fabrication, and the slump loss. The application of a silica fume concrete in typical building columns will be analyzed considering the required consolidation, the variability of the material strength within the structural element and the relation between core and molded specimen strength. Comparisons will also be made with conventional concrete.

Keywords

• Production factors
• High performance concrete
• Columns
• Destructive and non-destructive tests