The stenght properties of self-compacting concrete containing of fly ash and zeolite

Self-compacting concrete finds many application fields in civil engineering, especially in ready-mixed concrete, repairing-retrofitting. Recently, SCC has become well known and found application in Turkey. SCC design deviates from those of traditional concretes with respect to not only an effective superplasticizer requirement but also other parameters, such as total fine material, viscosity enhancing agent, water/binder ratio, sand/total aggregate ratio and total coarse aggregate content. It is also important to have both cement and superplasticizer to become in compatibility.In this study the general properties and working mechanism of SCC are discussed and the incompability observed between some cement types, different proportions of fly ash or zeolite and superplasticizers used in both ready-mixed concrete and precast industry are investigated. Slump-flow, t500, V-funnel and L-box tests were achieved for SCCs having different proportions of fly ash or zeolite as replacement of portland cement. Fly ash or zeolite as replacement of portland cement was used as variable only, i.e. aggregates (sand and gravel), cementitious materials and superplasticizer were constant, in all tests. Optimum workability for SCC mixes was obtained by using different water/(cement+fly ash or zeolite) proportions. In the following day of casting, the specimens were de-moulded and located in standard 20°C water cured for the periods of 7, 28, 90 and 365 days. At the end of each curing period, a total of 3 specimens were tested for each concrete property. The compressive strength velocity tests were carried out on the cube specimens, whilst the splitting tensile tests were carried out on the cylindrical specimens. It was found that different proportions of fly ash or zeolite as replacement of portland cement had an important effect on properties of self-compacting concrete. The results showed that use %20 fly ash as replacement of portland cement increased the strength properties of SCC.