TYPES OF CONCRETE WITH APPLICATIONS

Typesofconcretewithapplicationsfordifferentstructuralcomponentslike
beams,columns,slabs,foundationsareexplainedhere.Specialconcretewith
uses.

Lightweightconcrete
Oneofthemainadvantagesofconventionalconcreteistheselfweightof
concrete.Densityofnormalconcreteisoftheorderof2200to2600.Thisself
weightwillmakeittosomeextendanuneconomicalstructuralmaterial.
1.Selfweightoflightweightconcretevariesfrom300to1850kg/m3.
2.Ithelpsreducethedeadload,increasetheprogressofbuildingandlowersthe
haulingandhandlingcost.
3.Theweightofbuildingonfoundationisanimportantfactorinthedesign,
particularlyincaseofweaksoilandtallstructures.Inframedstructure,the
beamandcolumnhavetocarryloadofwallandfloor.Ifthesewallandfloorare
madeoflightweightconcreteitwillresultinconsiderableeconomy.
4.Lightweightconcretehavelowthermalconductivity.(Inextremeclimatic
conditionwhereairconditionistoinstalledtheuseoflightweightconcretewith
lowthermalconductivityisadvantageousfromthepointofthermalcomfortand
lowpowerconsumption.
5.Onlymethodformakingconcretelightbyinclusionofair.Thisisachievedbya)
replacingoriginalmineralaggregatebylightweightaggregate,b)By
introducinggasorairbubbleinmortarc)Byomittingsandfractionfrom
concrete.Thisiscallednofineconcrete.
6.Lightweightaggregateincludepumice,sawdustricehusk,thermocolebeads,
formedslag.Etc
7.Lightweightconcreteaggregateexhibithighfireresistance.
8.Structurallightweightaggregatescellularstructureprovidesinternalcuring
throughwaterentrainmentwhichisespeciallybeneficialforhighperformance
concrete
9.lightweightaggregatehasbetterthermalproperties,betterfireratings,

reducedshrinkage,excellentfreezingandthawingdurability,improvedcontact
betweenaggregateandcementmatrix,lessmicrocrackingasaresultofbetter
elasticcompatibility,moreblastresistant,andhasbettershockandsound
absorption,HighPerformancelightweightaggregateconcretealsohasless
cracking,improvedskidresistanceandisreadilyplacedbytheconcretepumping
method
1.Aeratedconcreteismadebyintroducingairorgasintoaslurrycomposedof
Portlandcement.
2.Nofineconcreteismadeupofonlycoarseaggregate,cementandwater.These
typeofconcreteisusedforloadbearingcastinsituexternalwallsforbuilding.
Theyarealsousedfortemporarystructuresbecauseoflowinitialcostandcan
bereusedasaggregate.

Highdensityconcrete
1.Thedensityofhighdensityconcretevariesfrom3360kg/m3to3840
kg/m3.Theycanhoweverbeproducedwithdensityupto5820kg/m3usingiron
asbothfineandcoarseaggregate.
2.Heavyweightconcreteusesheavynaturalaggregatessuchasbaritesor
magnetiteormanufacturedaggregatessuchasironorleadshot.Thedensity
achievedwilldependonthetypeofaggregateused.Typicallyusingbaritesthe
densitywillbeintheregionof3,500kg/m3,whichis45%greaterthanthatof
normalconcrete,whilewithmagnetitethedensitywillbe3,900kg/m3,or60%
greaterthannormalconcrete.Veryheavyconcretescanbeachievedwithironor
leadshotasaggregate,is5,900kg/m3and8,900kg/m3respectively.

1.Theyaremainlyusedintheconstructionofradiationshields(medicalor
nuclear).Offshore,heavyweightconcreteisusedforballastingforpipelinesand
similarstructures
2.Theidealpropertyofnormalandhighdensityconcretearehighmodulusof
elasticity,lowthermalexpansion,andcreepdeformation
3.Becauseofhighdensityofconcretetherewillbetendencyforsegregation.To
avoidthispreplacedaggregatemethodofconcretingisadopted.
4.HighModulusofElasticity,LowthermalExpansion,Lowelasticityandcreep
deformationareidealproperties.
5.Thehighdensity.Concreteisusedinconstructionofradiationshields.Theyare
effectiveandeconomicconstructionmaterialforpermanentshieldingpurpose.
6.Mostoftheaggregatespecificgravityismorethan3.5

Massconcrete
MassconcreteisdefinedinACIasanyvolumeofconcretewithdimensionslarge
enoughtorequirethatmeasuresbetakentocopewithgenerationofheatfrom
hydrationofthecementandattendantvolumechangetominimizecracking.The
designofmassconcretestructuresisgenerallybasedondurability,economy,and
thermalaction,withstrengthoftenbeingasecondary,ratherthanaprimary,
concern.Theonecharacteristicthatdistinguishesmassconcretefromother
concreteworkisthermalbehavior.Becausethecementwaterreactionis
exothermicbynature,thetemperaturerisewithinalargeconcretemass,where
theheatisnotquicklydissipated,canbequitehigh.Significanttensilestresses
andstrainsmayresultfromtherestrainedvolumechangeassociatedwitha
declineintemperatureasheatofhydrationisdissipated.Measuresshouldbe
takenwherecrackingduetothermalbehaviormaycausealossofstructural
integrityandmonolithicaction,excessiveseepageandshorteningoftheservice
lifeofthestructure,orbeaestheticallyobjectionable.Manyoftheprinciplesin
massconcretepracticecanalsobeappliedtogeneralconcretework,whereby
economicandotherbenefitsmayberealized.Massconcretingpracticeswere
developedlargelyfromconcretedamconstruction,wheretemperaturerelated
crackingwasfirstidentified.Temperaturerelatedcrackinghasalsobeen
experiencedinotherthicksectionconcretestructures,includingmatfoundations,
pilecaps,bridgepiers,thickwalls,andtunnellinings

ReadymixConcrete
Readymixconcretehascement,aggregates,waterandotheringredients,
whichareweighbatchedatacentrallylocatedplant.Thisisthen
deliveredtotheconstructionsiteintruckmountedtransitmixersandcanbe
usedstraightawaywithoutanyfurthertreatment.Thisresultsinaprecise
mixture,allowingspecialtyconcretemixturestobedevelopedandimplementedon
constructionsites.Readymixconcreteissometimespreferredoveronsite
concretemixingbecauseoftheprecisionofthemixtureandreducedworksite
confusion.However,usingapredeterminedconcretemixturereducesflexibility,
bothinthesupplychainandintheactualcomponentsoftheconcrete.Ready
MixedConcrete,orRMCasitispopularlycalled,referstoconcretethatis
specificallymanufacturedfordeliverytothecustomersconstructionsiteina
freshlymixedandplasticorunhardenedstate.Concreteitselfisamixtureof
Portlandcement,waterandaggregatescomprisingsandandgravelorcrushed
stone.Intraditionalworksites,eachofthesematerialsisprocuredseparatelyand
mixedinspecifiedproportionsatsitetomakeconcrete.ReadyMixedConcreteis
boughtandsoldbyvolumeusuallyexpressedincubicmeters.ReadyMixed
Concreteismanufacturedundercomputercontrolledoperationsandtransported
andplacedatsiteusingsophisticatedequipmentandmethods.RMCassuresits
customersnumerousbenefits.
AdvantagesofReadymixConcreteoverSitemixConcrete
Acentralisedconcretebatchingplantcanserveawidearea.
Theplantsarelocatedinareaszonedforindustrialuse,andyetthedelivery
truckscanserviceresidentialdistrictsorinnercities.
Betterqualityconcreteisproduced.
Eliminationofstoragespaceforbasicmaterialsatsite.
Eliminationofprocurement/hiringofplantandmachinery
Wastageofbasicmaterialsisavoided.
Laborassociatedwithproductionofconcreteiseliminated.
Timerequiredisgreatlyreduced.
Noiseanddustpollutionatsiteisreduced.

DisadvantagesofReadyMixConcrete
Thematerialsarebatchedatacentralplant,andthemixingbeginsatthat
plant,sothetravelingtimefromtheplanttothesiteiscriticaloverlonger
distances.Somesitesarejusttoofaraway,thoughthisisusuallyacommercial
ratherthantechnicalissue.
Accessroadsandsiteaccesshavetobeabletocarrytheweightofthetruck
andload.Concreteisapprox.2.5tonneperm.Thisproblemcanbeovercome
byutilizingsocalledminimixcompanies,usingsmaller4mcapacitymixers
abletoaccessmorerestrictedsites.
Concreteslimitedtimespanbetweenmixingandgoingoffmeansthatready
mixshouldbeplacedwithin2hoursofbatchingattheplant.Concreteisstill
usableafterthispointbutmaynotconformtorelevantspecifications.

Polymerconcrete
Concreteisporous.Theporosityisduetoairvoids,watervoidsorduetoinherent
propertyofgelstructures.Onaccountofporositystrengthofconcreteisreduced,
reductionofporosityresultinincreaseinstrengthofconcrete.Theimpregnationof
monomerandsubsequentpolymerizationisthelatesttechniqueadoptedtoreduce
inherentporosityofconcreteandincreasestrengthandotherpropertiesof
concrete
Therearemainly4typesofpolymerconcrete
1.Polymerimpregnatedconcrete
2.Polymercementconcrete
3.Polymerconcrete
4.Partiallyimpregnatedandsurfacecoatedpolymerconcrete.
Polymerimpregnatedconcrete

Itisaprecastconventionalconcretecuredanddriedinovenorbydielectric
heatingfromwhichtheairintheopencellisremovedbyvacuum.Thenalow
viscositymonomerisdiffusedthroughtheopencellandpolymerizedbyusing
radiation,applicationofheatorbychemicalinitiation.
Mainlythefollowingtypeofmonomersareused
Methylmethacrlylate(MMA)
1.Acrylonitrile
2.tbutylstyrene
3.Otherthermoplasticmonomer
4.Theamountofmonomerthatcanbeloadedintoaconcretespecimenislimited
bytheamountofwaterandairthathasoccupiedthetotalvoidspace.
5.PICrequirecastinsitustructures

Polymercementconcrete
Polymercementconcreteismadebymixingcement,aggregate,waterand
monomer.Suchplasticmixtureiscastinmoulds,cureddriedandpolymerized.
ThemonomerthatareusedinPCCare
1.Polysterstyrene
2.Epoxystyrene
3.Furans
4.Vinyldenechloride
PCCproducedinthiswayhavebeendisappointing.Inmanycasesmaterialpoorer

thanordinaryconcreteisobtained.Thisisbecauseorganicmaterialare
incompatablewithaqueoussystemsandsometimesinterferewiththealkaline
cementhydrationprocess.Russiansdevelopedasuperiorpolymerbyincorporation
offurfurylalcoholandanilinehydrochlorideinthewetmix.Thismaterialisdense
andnonshrinkingandtohavehighcorrosionresistance,lowpermeabilityandhigh
resistancetovibrationandaxialextension.PCCcanbecastinsituforfield
application.
Polymerconcrete
PolymerconcreteisanaggregateboundwithapolymerbinderinsteadofPortland
cementasinconventionalconcrete.ThemaintechniqueinproducingPCisto
minimizevoidvolumeintheaggregatemasssoastoreducethequantityof
polymerneededforbindingtheaggregate.Thisisachievedbyproperlygrading
andmixingtheaggregatetoattainmaximumdensityandminimumvoids

Shotcrete
Itisdefinedasamortarconveyedthroughahoseandpneumaticallyprojectedat
highvelocityontoasurface.Therearemainlytwodifferentmethodsnamelywet
mixanddrymixprocess.Inwetmixprocessthematerialisconveyedaftermixing
withwater.

Prepackedconcrete
Inconstructionswherethereinforcementisverycomplicatedorwherecertain
arrangementslikepipe,openingorotherarrangementsareincorporatedthistype
ofconcretingisadopted.Oneofthemethodsisconcreteprocessinwhichmortar
ismadeinahighspeeddoubledrumandgroutingisdonebypouringon
prepackedaggregate.Thisismainlyadoptedforpavementslabs

Vacuumconcrete
Concretepouredintoaframeworkthatisfittedwithavacuummattoremove
waternotrequiredforsettingofthecementinthisframework,concreteattains
its28daystrengthin10daysandhasa25%highercrushingstrength.Theelastic

andshrinkagedeformationsareconsiderablygreaterthanfornormalweight
concrete.

Pumpedconcrete
Pumpedconcretemustbedesignedtothatitcanbeeasilyconveyedbypressure
througharigidpipeofflexiblehosefordischargedirectlyintothedesiredarea.
Pozzocreteusecangreatlyimproveconcreteflowcharacteristicsmakingitmuch
easiertopump,whileenhancingthequalityoftheconcreteandcontrollingcosts.
MixHomogeneity
Thedesignermustbeawareoftheneedtoimprovethegradeandmaintain
uniformityofthevariousmaterialsusedinthepumpedmixinordertoachieve
greaterhomogeneityofthetotalmix.Threemixproportioningmethodsfrequently
usedtoproducepumpableconcreteare:
MaximumDensityofCombinedMaterials
MaximumDensityLeastVoids
MinimumVoidsMinimumArea
Mixesmustbedesignedwithseveralfactorsinmind:
1.Pumpedconcretemustbemorefluidwithenoughfinematerialandwatertofill
internalvoids.
2.Sincethesurfaceareaandvoidcontentoffinematerialbelow300microns
controltheliquidunderpressure,theremustbeahighquantityoffinematerialin
anormalmix.Generallyspeaking,thefinerthematerial,thegreaterthecontrol.
3.Coarseaggregategradingshouldbecontinuous,andoftenthesandcontent

mustbeincreasedbyuptofivepercentattheexpenseofthecoarseraggregate
soastobalancethe500micronfractionagainstthefinersolids.

PozzocreteEffective
Unfortunately,addingextrawaterandfineaggregateleadstoaweakerconcrete.
Theusualremediesforthisareeithertoincreasethecementcontent,whichis
costly,ortousechemicaladmixtures,whichcanalsobecostlyandmayleadto
segregationinmarginalmixes.Thereisanotherandfarmoreeffectivealternative:
POZZOCRETE
TherearemanyadvantagestoincludingPOZZOCRETEinconcretemixestobe
pumped.Amongthemare:
1.ParticleSize.PozzocretemeetsIS3812Specificationwith66%passingthe325
(45micron)sieveandthesefineparticlesareidealforvoidfilling.Justasmall
deficiencyinthemixfinescanoftenpreventsuccessfulpumping.
2.ParticleShape.MicroscopicexaminationshowsmostPozzocreteparticlesare
sphericalandactlikeminiatureballbearingsaidingthemovementoftheconcrete
byreducingfrictionallossesinthepumpandpining.Studieshaveshownthat
Pozzocretecanbetwiceaseffectiveascementinimprovingworkabilityand,
therefore,improvepumpingcharacteristics.
PozzolanicActivity:
hischemicalreactioncombinesthePozzocreteparticleswiththecalciumhydroxide
liberatedthroughthehydrationofcementtoformadditionalcementitious
compoundswhichincreaseconcretestrength.
WaterRequirement:
Excesswaterinpumpedmixesresultinginoversixinchslumpswilloftencause
materialsegregationandresultinlineblockage.Asinconventionallyplaced

mixes,pumpedconcretemixeswithexcessivewateralsocontributetolower
strength,increasedbleedingandshrinkage.TheuseofPozzocreteinpumpedor
conventionallyplacedmixescanreducethewaterrequirementby2%to10%for
anygivenslump.
Sand/CoarseAggregateRatio:
Inpumpedmixes,theinclusionofliberalquantitiesofcoarseaggregatecanbe
verybeneficialbecauseitreducesthetotalaggregatesurfacearea,thereby
increasingtheeffectivenessoftheavailablecementitiouspaste.Thisapproachis
inkeepingwiththeminimumvoids,minimumareaproportioningmethod.As
aggregatesizeincreases,sodoestheoptimumquantityofcoarseaggregate.
Unfortunately,thisprocessisfrequentlyreversedinpumpmixes,andsandwould
besubstitutedforcoarseaggregatetomakepumpingeasier.Whenthathappens,
thereisaneedtoincreasecostlycementitiousmaterialtocompensateforstrength
loss.However,ifPozzocreteisutilized,itsuniqueworkabilityandpumpability
propertiespermitabetterbalanceofsandtocoarseaggregateresultinginamore
economical,pumpableconcrete.

SHOTCRETE
Shotcreteisaprocesswhereconcreteisprojectedor"shot"underpressureusing
afeederor"gun"ontoasurfacetoformstructuralshapesincludingwalls,floors,
androofs.Thesurfacecanbewood,steel,polystyrene,oranyothersurfacethat
concretecanbeprojectedonto.Thesurfacecanbetrowelledsmoothwhilethe
concreteisstillwet.
Benefits
Shotcretehashighstrength,durability,lowpermeability,excellentbondand
limitlessshapepossibilities.Thesepropertiesallowshotcretetobeusedinmost
casesasastructuralmaterial.Althoughthehardenedpropertiesofshotcreteare
similartoconventionalcastinplaceconcrete,thenatureoftheplacementprocess
providesadditionalbenefits,suchasexcellentbondwithmostsubstratesand
instantorrapidcapabilities,particularlyoncomplexformsorshapes.Inaddition

tobuildinghomes,shotcretecanalsobeusedtobuildpools
MethodsofApplication
WetMixAllingredients,includingwater,arethoroughlymixedandintroduced
intothedeliveryequipment.Wetmaterialispumpedtothenozzlewhere
compressedairisaddedtoprovidehighvelocityforplacementandconsolidation
ofthematerialontothereceivingsurface.
DryMixPreblendeddryordampmaterialsareplacedintothedelivery
equipment.Compressedairconveysmaterialthroughahoseathighvelocityto
thenozzle,wherewaterisadded.Materialisconsolidatedonthereceivingsurface
bythehighimpactvelocity.
Features
Thepropertiesofbothwetanddryprocessshotcretecanbefurtherenhanced
throughtheadditionofmanydifferentadditivesoradmixturessuchas:
SilicaFumeProvidesreducedpermeability,increasedcompressiveandflexural
strength,increasedresistancetoalkaliandchemicalattack,improvedresistance
towaterwashout,reducedreboundlevelsandallowsforthickersinglepass
applications.
AirEntrainingAdmixturesImprovepumpabilityandadhesioninwetprocess
shotcreteandfreezethawdurabilityinbothwetanddryprocesses.
FibersControlcracking,increasetoughnessvaluesandimproveimpact
resistanceandenergyabsorption.
AcceleratorsImproveplacementcharacteristicsinadverseconditions,allowfor
thickersinglepassapplications,increaseproductioncapabilitiesandreducethe
occurrenceoffalloutsonstructuressubjectedtovibration.