UNIT 8 :SPECIAL CONCRETES

Polymer concrete :
Polymer concrete is part of group of concretes that use polymers to supplement or replace cement as a binder. In polymer concrete, thermosetting resins are used as the principal polymer component due to their high thermal stability and resistance to a wide variety of chemicals. Polymer concrete is also composed of aggregates that include silica, quartz, granite, limestone, and other high quality material. The aggregate must be of good quality, free of dust and other debris, and dry. Failure of these criteria can reduce the bond strength between the polymer binder and the aggregate.

Uses
Polymer concrete may be used for new construction or repairing of old concrete. The adhesion properties of polymer concrete allow patching for both polymer and cementitious concretes. The low permeability of polymer concrete allows it to be used in swimming pools, sewer pipes, drainage channels, electrolytic cells for base metal recovery, and other structures that contain liquids. It can also be used as a replacement for asphalt pavement, for higher durability and higher strength.

Advantages of polymer concrete include:

Rapid curing at ambient temperatures High tensile, flexural, and compressive strengths Good adhesion to most surfaces Good long-term durability with respect to freeze and thaw cycles Low permeability to water and aggressive solutions Good chemical resistance Good resistance against corrosion Lightweight May be used in regular wood and steel formwork May be vibrated to fill voids in forms Allows use of regular form-release agents Dielectric

SELF COMPACTING CONCRETE :

The concrete where no vibration is required . The concrete is compacted due to its own weight. It is also called self consolidated concrete or flowing concrete. It can be also categorized as high performance concrete as the ingredients are the same, but in this type of concrete workability is increased. This self-consolidating concrete is characterized by:

Extreme fluidity as measured by flow, typically between 650-750 mm on a flow table, rather than slump (height). No need for vibrators to compact the concrete. Placement being easier. No bleed water, or aggregate segregation.

Uses and Applications of Self Compacting Concrete:

1. It is used in location unreachable for vibrations. e.g. underground structure, deep wells or at bottom of deep sea. 2. SCC can save up to 50% in labor costs due to 80% faster pouring and reduced wear and tear on formwork.

High Performance Concrete This mix has the following main properties:

High strength. High workability. High durability. Ease of placement. Compaction without segregation. Early age strength. Long-term mechanical properties. Permeability. Density. Heat of hydration. Toughness. Volume stability. Long life in severe environments.

Preparation
High strength concrete mix can be prepared with careful selection of ingredients and optimization of mix design.

High workability is attained by super plasticizers, they lower the water cement ratio to 0.25 which is the amount required only for hydration process. High durability is attributed to fly ash and silica fume which modify the e mineralogy of the cement; it enhances the compatibility of ingredients in concrete mass and reduces the CH amount. Fly ash also causes ball bearing effect increasing workability.

The admixtures are 20-25% fly ash of partial replacement of cement and rest 70% is Ordinary Portland Cement. As it is not usually durable against freezing and thawing so air entrained agents can also be utilized.

Properties of high performance concrete mix

Strength of high performance concrete ranges from 10000 psi - 15000 psi Water cement ratio can be reduced to 0.25

Types of Special Concrete:

Special Concrete means the concrete used or made for special cases, such as: Concreting in Hot Weather Concreting in Cold Weather

Frequently, concrete may be used for some special purpose for which special properties are more important than those commonly considered. Sometimes, it may be of great importance to enhance one of the ordinary properties. These special applications often become apparent as new developmsents using new materials or as improvements using the basic materials. Some utilize special aggregates (lightweight aggregate, steel fiber, plastic fiber, glass fiber, and special heavy aggregate). Some special properties increased compressive and tensile strength, water proofing, and improved chemical resistance are achieved with polymers, either as admixtures or surface treatment of hardened concrete. Admixtures for coloring concrete are available in all colors. The oldest and cheapest is perhaps carbon black. Admixtures causing expansion for use in sealing cracks or under machine bases, etc., include powdered aluminum and finely ground iron. Special admixtures are available for use where the natural aggregate is alkali reactive, to neutralize this reaction. Proprietary admixtures are available that increase the tensile strength or bond strength of concrete. They are useful for making repairs to concrete surfaces. Uses and Application of Special Concrete 1. Special concrete is used in extreme weather. 2. HPC has been used in large structures such as the Petronas Towers and the Troll Platform. Petronas Towers was the tallest concrete building in the world built in Malaysia in the mid-1990s. In 1998, the deepest offshore platform, the Troll platform, was built in Norway a structure taller than the Eiffel Tower. 3. Good cohesiveness or sticky in mixes with very high binder content 4. Some delay in setting times depending on the compatibility of cement, fly ash and chemical admixture 5. Slightly lower but sufficient early strength for most applications 6. Comparable flexural strength and elastic modulus

7. Better drying shrinkage and significantly lower creep 8. Good protection to steel reinforcement in high chloride environment 9. Excellent durability in aggressive sulphate environments 10. Lower heat characteristics 11. Low resistance to de-icing salt scaling 12. PC pipes with good resistance to chemical attack from both acidic and caustic effluents inside the pipe, and from chemical attack on the outside of the pipe.