An Experimental Study on Strength and Behaviors of Reactive Powder Concrete

GRD Journals- Global Research and Development Journal for Engineering | Volume 6 | Issue 6 | May 2021 ISSN- 2455-5703

An Experimental Study on Strength and Behaviors of Reactive Powder Concrete Vidhee H Patel PG Student Department of Civil Engineering Sankalchand Patel College of Engineering, Visnagar-384315, Mehsana, Gujarat, India

Ashutosh D Patel Assistant Professor Department of Civil Engineering Sankalchand Patel College of Engineering, Visnagar-384315, Mehsana, Gujarat, India

Abstract Reactive powder concrete is an Ultra-High Strength Concrete with high strength ductile materials formulated. These materials included ordinary Portland cement, silica fume, quartz powder, steel fibre, super plasticizer and low water cement ratio. The compressive strength of cementations composite based material concrete reached up to 130 Mpa. The flexural strength got up to 30 Mpa and investigate the difference between reactive powder concrete (RPC), reactive powder concrete with coarse aggregate (RPCCA), reactive powder concrete with steel fibre (RPCSF) and reactive powder concrete with coarse aggregate and steel fibre (RPCCASF).The all RPC samples checked their mechanically and durability properties under different types of curing system like Normal water curing, Hot water curing, and steam water curing.

Keywords- Reactive Powder Concrete, Compressive Strength, Durability Properties, Flexural Strength, Coarse Aggregate

I. INTRODUCTION In recent times, Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC) is very high strength cement based compound with high ductility has been established in Bouygues, France (Richard and Cheyrezy, 1994). RPC introduced by the Richard and Cheyrezy and the initial composition in which they eliminated coarse aggregates to improve the homogeneity. The relation between the coarse aggregate and the cement paste are the feeblest links in the matrix, therefore to develop strength the coarse aggregates were displaced from the composition. However, supplementary studies have specified that addition of coarse aggregate does not basically reduce the compressive strength. The main function of addition coarse aggregates reduced the cements content therefore the costs of concrete could be dropped.

II. MATERIAL STUDY AND METHODOLOGY A. Materials for RPC 1) Cement Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) of 53 grades was used for the experimental program conforming to IS: 12269-2013.

2) Fine Aggregate Fine aggregate used for RPC must be properly sieve to give lowest void ratio and free from injurious materials like clay, silt and chloride toxic waste etc., Here, it is used in the range of 2.36 mm sieve.

3) Coarse Aggregate The size of aggregate is more than 4.75 mm, are terms as coarse aggregate. The Course Aggregates from crushed igneous rock, conforming to IS: 383 is being used. The flakiness and elongation index was maintained well below 15%. Coarse aggregate shall consist of hard, clean, dense, durable, and uncoated crushed rock.

4) Water It should be clean from all the organic impurities as well as other dust particles. It should not be saline in nature.

5) Quartz Powder Generally quartz powder should be crystalline in nature. It is preferred based on their fine quality and their particle size ranges from 0.005 mm to 0.025 mm. The fundamental reason of quartz is to provide maximum resistance to the concrete in opposition to heat. Quartz Powder was obtained from Vimal Microns Ltd., Mehsana, Gujarat (India).

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An Experimental Study on Strength and Behaviors of Reactive Powder Concrete (GRDJE/ Volume 6 / Issue 6 / 001)

6) Silica Fume Silica fume was used in cement concrete to study its effectiveness for development of ultra-high strength concrete. Silica fume was obtained from Vimal Microns Ltd., Mehsana, Gujarat (India). Silica fume received was grey in color.

7) Steel Fibres The steel fibre used has diameter 0.5mm, length 13mm, density 7800 kg/m3 and ultimate tensile strength of 800MPa. Mostly steel fibres are used in UHSC to improve both the compressive and tensile strength because no other fiber will give the required high strength to the concrete.

8) Superplasticizer The RPC obtains high strength with low water cement ratio and this requires the use of super plasticizers to achieve enough workability. Master Glenium SKY8233 a high performance super plasticizer based on polycarboxylic ether is used in this project.

Fig. 1: Constituent materials of RPC

B. Specimen Preparation and Curing Regimes A pan mixer of 100 kg capacity was used for mixing. RPC specimens were instantly cast after the end of the mixing procedure.

Specimens were cast in three layers. Each layer was compacted using a vibrating table. After remolding RPC specimen was kept in water for strength assessment at 7 and 28 days. To know the effect of different curing regimes on compressive strength of RPC, three different curing regimes were selected namely Normal Water Curing (NC), Air Curing (AC), and Steam Curing (SC) at 90°C.The curing period were kept constant as 24 hr for all curing regimes.

C. Concrete Mix Proportion The first mix design of RPC was formulated by Richard and Cheyrezy in 1995. Similarly, the constituents of RPC used in this research are cement, silica fume/MIRHA, super plasticizer, water, and steel fibers, with exception of river sand instead of fine quartz sand, and fly ash instead of quartz powder. Therefore, the mix design for this research is similar to the original mix design

by RPC inventors, Richard and Cheyrezy (1995), as shown in Table below, Table 1: RPC Mix proportion Items RPC RPCCA RPCSF Portland cement 1 1 1 Silica Fume 0.23 0.23 0.23 Sand 1.1 1.1 1.1 Quartz powder 0.30 0.30 0.30 Coarse aggregate 1.5 Steel fibre L=12 mm 2% by volume Super plasticizer 0.025 0.025 0.025 W/C Ratio 0.25 0.25 0.25

RPCCASF 1 0.23 1.1 0.30 1.5 2% by volume 0.025 0.25

III. RESULT AND DISCUSSION A. Compressive Strength Test As per IS: 516 – 1959, the compressive strength test performed and the compressive strength was find by the cube samples of size (10cm x 10cm x 10cm).The required amounts of materials are weighed and mixed manually. The concrete is occupied in the mould by layers and with compacted by tamping rod each layer. The cube were remolded and then exposed to different curing for 7days and 28days. It is then placed on the axis of compression testing machine and the load is uniformly released on the surface

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An Experimental Study on Strength and Behaviors of Reactive Powder Concrete (GRDJE/ Volume 6 / Issue 6 / 001)

perpendicular to the direction of compaction. The load was applied until the failure the concrete cube. The compressive strength of the specimens was calculated and noted.

Fig. 1: Compressive Strength at 7 Days

Fig. 2: Compressive Strength at 28 Days

B. Flexural Strength Test For the flexural strength tested by 100 KN flexural testing machine at a pace rate of 0.2 KN/sec, according to the standard test method by ASTM 1609. A total 72 of 3 beams of each mix were tested after the 7th and 28th days of curing to get the average flexural strength. Flexural strength is calculated using by the equation “F= PL/A2” Where, F= Flexural strength of concrete (in MPa), P= Failure load (in N), L= Effective span of the beam (500mm).

Fig. 3: Flexural Strength at 7 Days

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An Experimental Study on Strength and Behaviors of Reactive Powder Concrete (GRDJE/ Volume 6 / Issue 6 / 001)

Fig. 4: Flexural Strength at 28 Days

C. Split Tensile Strength Test The cylinder of length 300mm and diameter 150mm was cast to test the split tensile strength. Three specimens were tested to determine tensile strength at 7th and 28th days of curing period. After the different curing period the specimens were taken out and wiped off the dampness. To make sure the specimens are in same axial plane when placed in the apparatus, draw diametrical lines on the faces of the specimen. Place the specimen on the plywood strips so that they are immovable from that position. Apply the load at a continuous rate and note the ultimate load and the breaking load. The split tensile strength is then calculated and listed.

Fig. 5: Split Tensile Strength at 28 Days

D. Durability Test 1) Water Absorption Test The cube blocks after casting were been immersed in water for 28 days curing. These specimens were then been oven dried in Hot Air Oven for 24 hours at the temperature 110°C until the mass became constant and again weighed. This weight was noted as the dry weight (W1) of the cube. After that the specimen were kept in water for 24 hours. Then this weight will noted as the wet weight (W2) of the cube.

Fig. 6: Water Absorption Test (%) at 28 Days

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An Experimental Study on Strength and Behaviors of Reactive Powder Concrete (GRDJE/ Volume 6 / Issue 6 / 001)

2) Sulfate Attack Test Sulfate attack comprises a series of chemical reactions between sulfate ions and the components of hardened concrete. As these reactions may lead to cracking, spalling or strength loss of concrete structures, appropriate test methods are needed to determine the resistance of concrete under sulfate exposure.

Fig. 7: Strength loss Due to Sulphate attack at 58 Days

Fig. 8: Loss of weight Due to Sulphate attack at 58 Days

IV. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION The conclusions which can be drawn from the research work carried out to evaluate various properties of RPC containing quartz powder, silica fume, sand, cement, steel fiber and coarse aggregate on the basis of experimental investigation are as follows.

– The Addition of coarse aggregate the strength of concrete is 9.52 % and 3.42% decrease compare to RPC 7 Days and 28 Days respectively. In Addition when I added steel fiber the strength is 11.42% and 15.88% increase compare to RPC 7 Days and 28 Days respectively.

– Reactive powder concrete gives enhanced performance such as toughness and For RPC shown that heat treatment in 90o C achieved larger values of Flexural strength Up to 28 MPa, and compressive strength Up to 130 MPa. – From the results we can determine that RPC and RPCCA have very minor differences in compressive strength flexural strength values and also split tensile values.

– RPCSF got maximum split tensile strength value .In the Contrast RPCCA shown that the minimum split tensile strength value compare to RPC, RPCSF, RPCCASF. – Durability Parameter like Water Absorption increased when I added modified RPC contain like Coarse Aggregate and Steel Fiber. It can also improve by different Curing System.

– The loss of mass and compressive strength in RPCCA specimens, when tested in 10% Sodium sulphate solutions are very much lower compared to RPC.

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An Experimental Study on Strength and Behaviors of Reactive Powder Concrete (GRDJE/ Volume 6 / Issue 6 / 001)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I am thankful to my project guide Prof. Ashutosh D.Patel whose encouragement, guidance and support from the initial to the final level enabled me to develop an understanding of the subject. I would like to express his endless guidance and patience throughout my study. His energetic and idealist instructor is a real pleaser for me.

Finally, I would like to offer my special thanks to my family for their encouragement and support.

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