Use of barite agregate in heavy-weight concrete and study of concrete properties

In this study, the properties of the concrete manufactured by the use of barite aggregate in heavy-weight concrete and the effect of the concrete on the radiation screening have been studied.Effects of radiation and radiation screening are important issues in concrete components. For this purpose, absorption properties of concrete may be generally improved by the use of heavy-weight concrete in places exposed to radiation. Barite aggregate has been chosen as heavy aggregate in the heavy-weight concrete mixes manufactured for this purpose and added to the mix in different particle sizes. Particle size in the mixes has been kept fixed in the 5-22mm group, and the quantities of 0-5mm and rock flour have been changed. In the mixes in which the water-cement ratio has been fixed to be 0.46 and 0.50, the cement quantity has been chosen as 270 kg/m3. In order to ensure high workability of the concrete, new generation super plasticiser has been used at a rate of 1.5 percent. On the mixes so prepared, such tests as slamp, ultrasound rate, Schmidt hammer, pressure strengths, water absorption and unit weight as well as radiation absorption have been performed.According to the results of the tests, an increasing trend has been observed in the densities of the mixes with the reduction of rock flour in the samples manufactured at two different water-cement ratio. Moreover, it has been observed that the concrete increases its absorption amounts when the amount of voids reduces. Besides, the desired pressure strengths have been provided by the use of barite.