An Investigation of Mix Design and Test Methods for Self Consolidating Concrete

There is no standard method for SCC mix design and many academic institutions, admixture, ready-mixed, precast and contracting companies have developed their own mix proportioning methods. Mix designs often use volume as a key parameter because of the importance of the need to over fill the voids between the aggregate particles. Some methods try to fit available constituents to an optimised grading envelope. Another method is to evaluate and optimise the flow and stability of first the paste and then the mortar fractions before the coarse aggregate is added and the whole SCC mix tested. Each SCC mixture must be designed to meet the demands of a given project. Several test methods have been proposed for evaluating the fresh properties. Although none of these methods has been standardized by the corresponding regulatory bodies. So far no single method or combination of methods has achieved universal approval and most of them have their supporters. Similarly no single method has been found which characterizes all the relevant workability aspects so each mix design should be tested by more than one test method in order to obtain different workability parameters. The following shows three different SCC mixes that have been used in Japan, Canada, and the U. S, and brief description of some of the most common techniques, and the reader is referred to other publications for further details The testing method such as: Slump flow, J-ring, L-Box and V-funnel are evaluated theoretically.

Keywords:

Mixture design , Test method , Fresh properties , Workability