Development of a Portable Rheometer for Fresh Portland Cement Concrete

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to identify an effective field test method for measuring the workability of concrete in general and of high-microfines concrete in particular. The workability of fresh concrete has traditionally been measured with the slump test, which provides an inadequate indication of workability. For certain concrete mixtures—such as that containing fiber reinforcement, ground granulated blast furnace slag, or high contents of aggregate microfines—the slump test can provide inaccurate and misleading results. The need for a better test method for workability is well established within the concrete industry. Based on a literature search in which 61 existing workability test methods were identified and on feedback from government, industry, and academia, criteria for an improved workability test device were developed. It was determined that the best approach to measuring workability would be to develop a new portable rheometer. The ICAR rheometer—a low-cost, fully portable test device for concrete—was developed and tested. A first generation prototype was built using off-the-shelf components. The ICAR rheometer is approximately the size of a drill and can be operated by hand or positioned above a standard container. It is capable of measuring a flow curve or performing a stress growth test and is appropriate for nearly the full range of concrete workability ranging from a slump of approximately 2 inches to self-consolidating concrete. Experimental testing on a wide range of concrete mixtures indicated that the ICAR rheometer was able to detect changes in workability and rheology successfully. As a dynamic test that adds energy to concrete, it is well suited for measuring high-microfines concrete and other highly thixotropic concrete mixtures. Field testing confirmed the portability of the ICAR rheometer. The low cost and portable form factor of the ICAR rheometer can make the routine measurement of concrete rheology in the field an economically viable solution to characterizing concrete workability.