Concrete • Identify & Evaluate the Properties of the Building Material What is Concrete • Composite material which contains a paste to bind the fine & course aggregates • Man Made Rock ! What is Concrete A History of Cement • Portland Cement Cement • Types of Cement Cement Type GP Cement Type GB Cement Type HE • High Early Strength Cement Type HE Cement Type GP 7 28 28 3 1 3 7 56 • Cement Type HE Cement Type LH • Low Heat Used on large civil works to reduce the heat produced and the Consequential result of loss of water Cement Type SR • Sulphur Resistant – Where concrete is expected to be in contact with Sulphates and/or Salts – Heavy Industrial – Swimming Pools Storage of Cement • If kept dry will last indefinitely • Moist air or high humidity will allow cement to start setting • Stack tightly to stop air circulation Cement Type SL • Shrinkage Limited To reduce cracking that is induced by curing What is Concrete Water • Potable water must be used • Potable water is water suitable for Human Consumption What is Concrete Aggregates • Fine – less than 5mm i.e. sand • Course – greater than 5 mm i.e. Crushed Rock Fine Aggregate • Clean • Sydney Sand Course Aggregates • Give Concrete its major characteristics • Selection of Aggregates will be determined by required use, – Exposed Aggregates – Fire Rating – Structural Requirements Course Aggregates • Clean sands • Hard rocks such as basalt, granite, diorite, Blue Metal • Shales & Slates & Sandstones are unsuitable Aggregates • Must be strong enough to cope with compressive strength • Hard enough to resist abrasion and wear • Durable enough to resist the effects of the weather cycles • Chemically inert so they will not react with the cement or other liquids that they may come in contact with. Aggregates • Aggregates should consist of varying in sizes up to their ordered mix size. Why? • Less Chance of segregation • Less chance of air voids • More workability Effect of Aggregate Size • During Tilt Up lifting operations • A piece of the panel separated striking a rigger • On investigation it was found that there were areas of 40mm aggregate. • The Engineer specification was for 20mm What is Concrete Accelerators • speed up the hydration (hardening) of the concrete. • Chloride accelerators have been banned as they attack the reinforcement. Retarders • To slow down the Hydration process • Sugar is a retardant! Air Entrainments • Cause small air bubbles to form. • Used in severe extremes (Hot/Cold) • Reduce damage caused by freeze/thaw • Reduces Concrete Strength Plasticisers • Increase workability of Concrete • Reduce the amount of water need • Increase strength of Concrete Pigments • Colouring of Concrete • Engineer approval must be sought The Concrete Mix Concrete is a Chemical Reaction • Setting of Concrete is a chemical reaction called hydration. • Hydration releases heat- which presents a problem curing concrete. • Water is a catalyst • The loss of water will retard/stop hydration Water Cement Ratio • A ratio to determine the amount of water used in the mix. • Excess water increases workability • Excess water reduces strength Water Cement Ratio In a mix with correct water/ cement ratio the cement paste completely surrounds the aggregates Water Cement Ratio If water/ cement ratio is to high excess water forms in the mix (green) Water Cement Ratio When the mix dries out these the leave voids which may affect adhesion and cause weakness similar to perforated paper. Water Cement Ratio • May be tested by the Slump test Properties of Concrete 1. Compressive Strength 2. Tensile Strength 3. Durability 4. Workability 5. Cohesiveness Properties of Concrete • Compressive Strength– Concretes ability to resist a crushing force – Affected by the water cement ration – the more water the less strength concrete has! – Concrete has Good Compressive Strength Properties of Concrete • Tensile Strength – Concretes Ability to resist a pulling force – Concrete has poor Tensile Strength Properties of Concrete • Flexural Strength – Basically a tensile load – Caused when a side load is placed on a structural load – Concrete has Poor flexural Strength Flexural Loads Load Flexural Loads Concrete will want to split on this side Load Durability • The ability of concrete to resist the affect of water or chemical action. • This is achieved by 1. Inert Aggregates 2. Correct Water Cement Ratio- to limit voids 3. Dense surface finish to concrete so as to limit the ability of water to penetrate Workability • Is the effort required to handle & place the concrete – affected by – Water Cement Ratio – The more water the easier it will move, but strength will be affected – Cement Content – Cement as a lubricant and make the concrete more workable. – Grading of Aggregates (Boney Mix)– Aggregates will fit into each other – Aggregate Shape – Smooth rounded aggregates will flow more easily Cohesiveness • The ability of plastic concrete to hold its form. – Large aggregate should not sink to the bottom of the mix during placement and vibration. This is called segregation. – The more water in a mix the more likely it is to segregate Testing of Concrete Testing of Concrete • Water / Cement Ratio Test – On site Slump Test. • Compressive Test – Conducted in Laboratory Slump Test Tamp / Compact Concrete Remove Cone Slump Test Results Slump Test Compression Test • Test designed to test compressive strength of concrete • Cylindrical Concrete is tested to destruction Transporting Concreting • Concrete should be delivered – Placed as soon as possible – Compacted well before the initial set – Avoid segregation Transporting Problems • Delay – Hydration begins immediately – No significant stiffening occurs in the first 30 minutes – If concrete is kept agitated for 90 minutes concrete will still be suitable to be placed Drying Out • If concrete dries out during transportation it will lose its work ability. • Site water should only be added under the supervision of the supplier. • Dry concrete will also not compact readily. Methods of transporting concrete • • • • • • Wheelbarrows Hoists Trucks Chutes Pumps Pipelines Trucks • Trucks range from 1.8 mini trucks to 7.5 metres capacity • When using trucks you may need to specify – Size of truck i.e 6 wheeler or 8 wheeler – A cubic metre concrete weighs 2.5t – A 7.5 metre truck will carry 18.75t of concrete – This will need to be taken account of when driving over structures – Always be aware that after trucks discharge concrete they actually get higher Chutes • A convenient method to transport concrete • Items that can be used to make a chute – Roof sheeting – Bondek – Plywood Pumps and pipelines • Concrete pumps come in two types, line and boom pumps Concrete pumps • When ordering pumps consideration – A pump’s footprint (a 42m boom pump may need up to 12m in width to operate properly) – Generally boom pumps will take up 2 lanes of road traffic and traffic management plans will need to be put in place – Boom pumps can reach approximately 15 floors after this concrete line pumps can only be used Placing of Concrete • Placed vertically and near its final position • If it needs to be moved it needs to be done with shovels • Dropping of concrete should be restricted to 1.8m to avoid segregation • Sequence should be planned to avoid cold joints on large slabs Compacting • Compaction is required to achieve – Maximum Strength – Watertight Concrete – Fill in Sharp Corners – Good bond to reinforcement – Good surface appearance Inadequate Compaction • This has a severe effect on concrete strength Vibration • Immersion Vibrators – Large Volume of Concrete 35mm shafts (for use in walls etc) to 50mm shafts Only suitable for thin slabs Form Vibrators • Clamped on formwork at regular intervals • Will compact only to 450mm depths • Used mainly on precast Surface Vibration •Placed directly on Concrete Mass •Max thickness 250mm •Good for Dry Thickness •Vibration follows Gravity •Less Chance of Segregation Segregation • The separation of the components of wet concrete caused by excessive handling or vibration. The differential concentration of the components of mixed concrete, aggregate, or the like, resulting in non-uniform proportions in the mass Curing of Concrete • Hydration requires water to continue • Hydration generates heat • Water removal will also cause concrete to shrink – Tensile Cracking • Natural effects will also remove water – Sun – Wind Curing Methods • 2 Types – Supply of additional moisture – Sealing the surface Supply of Additional Moisture • Ponding – Edges of slab are built up to flood the slab – Can only be used on flat surfaces Supply of Additional Moisture • Sprinkling – Can be intermitted or permanent – Hard to monitor and control if intermittent – On irregular shapes – Uses a lot of water – Usually not allowed Sprinklers Supply of Additional Moisture • Wet Coverings – 50mm of sand, hessian, straw etc covers slab and is kept continually moist Wet Coverings Sealing the Surface • A liquid membrane is sprayed on the surface of the concrete to form a continual barrier • PVA compounds are the most common – They allow for work to continue and allow for other finishes, but has poorest performance • Other types compounds are more effective – They allow for work to continue and allow for other finishes Curing Compound Efficiency of Curing Compounds Effect of Curing Sealing the Suface • Concrete is completely covered by plastic so evaporated water falls back onto slab Effect of Curing Effect of Concrete compared to continual wetting for 180 days Compare Air to 3 & 7 Days Surface Coatings • Hardeners Surface Coatings Tolerances Degradation of Concrete • Chemical • Mechanical • Thermal Damage Degradation - Chemical • • • • • • Carbonation Sulphates Chlorides Leaching Decalcification Sea Water Degradation - Chemical • Carbonation – Carbon Dioxide in the Air reacts with Calcium Hydroxide in the Concrete. – Cracks in the Concrete allow it to enter deeper into & closer to the reinforcement. – This process reduces the Alkalinity of the Concrete. (This is what protects the Reinforcement from Corrosion) Degradation - Chemical • Carbonation The process of corrosion is initiated by the Acidic environment the steel in. These are caused contaminates called IONS. Alkaline is the opposite to this environment and will neutralise the effect. We will cover this in more detail when we look at Metals. Degradation - Chemical • Carbonation Insert Photo Degradation - Chemical • Sulphates – Attack the Cement Binder. – Concrete will basically fall apart. Degradation - Chemical • Sulphates – Insert Photo. Degradation - Chemical • Chlorides – Can be used as accelerators – Chlorides leach Calcium Hydroxide – Accelerates the Carbonation process – Attacks the reinforcement Degradation - Chemical • Chlorides – Insert Photo Degradation - Chemical • Leaching – Water penetrating through cracks – May collect & deposit IONS in these cracks in proximity to the reinforcement – This will counteract the Alkalinity – Cause oxidation of the Reinforcement Degradation - Chemical • Decalcification – Distilled water will leach Calcium out of the Concrete – Calcium gives the concrete ductility – This makes the concrete very brittle and at more risk to mechanical damage – A common source of distilled water is steam! Degradation - Chemical • Sea Water – Contains both Chlorides & Sulphates and other contaminating IONS causing degradation as outlined above. – Below water line a protective layer of Brucite is formed Degradation of Concrete • Chemical • Mechanical • Thermal Damage Degradation - Mechanical • Aggregate Expansion • Concrete Cancer Degradation - Mechanical • Aggregate Expansion – Caused by poor choice of aggregates that expansively react in the presence of water. – These include • Opal • Flint • Quartz Degradation - Mechanical • Concrete Cancer – Concrete Reinforcement for whatever reason oxidizes – 2 failures may occur, • Complete Failure due to failure of the reinforcement. • Gradual failure as follows – When steel oxidizes it expands – This places mechanical stress on the concrete which will either crack or break away – This then exposes more reinforcement to the oxidising environment and the failure continues. Degradation - Mechanical • Impact/Overloading – The structure may suffer a severe impact/ overloading causing immediate failure. – The structure may suffer a impact/ overloading causing strain on the structure • This effects of this strain may cause some minor damage that may allow the other types of failure to occur. Degradation of Concrete • Chemical • Mechanical • Thermal Damage Degradation of Concrete • Thermal Damage – Concrete has good thermal properties and is typically used to provide protection to other building materials such as Steel. – but Degradation of Concrete • Thermal Damage – Up to 300° Normal Thermal Expansion Occurs – Above 300° the binder begins to shrink due to water loss but the aggregate continues to expand causing internal stresses. – At 400 to 450° C the hydrated cement begins to decompose. – Prolonged exposure to > 600° will cause the concrete to break up – On cooling uneven contraction will occur cause crack and or failure exposing the reinforcement Tolerances • Tolerances in Placement Failure • Korean Collapse Environmental Aspects
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