Mechanical properties of conventional and self-compacting concrete: An analytical study

Abstract

Self-compacting concrete can be placed and compacted under its own weight with little or no compaction. It is cohesive enough to be handled without segregation or bleeding. It can be used to facilitate and ensure proper filling of complex and multipart formworks and consequently offers good structural performance in heavily reinforced structural members. Modification in the mix design of self-compacting concrete may significantly influence the material’s mechanical properties. Therefore, it is vital to investigate whether all the assumed hypotheses about conventional concrete are also valid for self-compacting concrete structures. The present study includes: (a) evaluation and comparison of the current analytical models used for estimating the mechanical properties of self-compacting concrete and conventional concrete, and (b) proposing new models for the mechanical properties of both self-compacting and conventional concrete mixtures. The investigated mechanical properties are modulus of elasticity, tensile strength, and compressive stress–strain (σ–ε) curve. Extensive databases used for evaluating the analytical models include the measured modulus of elasticity of 110 self-compacting concrete mixtures and 32 conventional concrete mixtures, measured tensile strength of 81 self-compacting concrete mixtures and 26 conventional concrete mixtures, and compressive stress–strain curve of 28 self-compacting concrete mixtures and four conventional concrete mixtures.