Performance Study of Self-Compacting Concrete by Fly Ash and Silica Fume for Sustainability in Building Construction

Abstract

Self – compacting concrete (SCC) is a high – performance concrete that can flow under its own weight to completely fill the form work and self-consolidation without any mechanical vibration. Green concrete is defined as a concrete which uses waste material as at least one of its components, or its production process does not lead to environmental destruction. Such concrete can accelerate the placement, reduce the labor requirements needed for consolidation, finishing and eliminate environmental pollution. One alternative to reduce the cost of self-compacting concrete is the use of mineral admixtures such as silica fume, ground granulated blast furnace slag and fly ash, which is finely, divided materials added to concrete during mixture procedure .When mineral admixtures replace a part of the Portland cement, the cost of self-compacting concrete will be reduced especially if the mineral admixtures are waste or industrial by-product. The various tests for compressive, tensile and flexural strength are determined for various specimens with certain percentages ( 10 % ,30 % ) of replacement like silica fume, fly ash and combination of both fly ash and silica fume. Admixture combination of fly ash and silica fume replacing 30 % results in maximum compressive strength. Admixture of fly ash replacing 10 % results in maximum tensile and flexural strength. In order to make SCC effective, trials can be made with partial replacement of combining silica fume and fly ash to achieve the higher compressive strength. Minimum replacement of fly ash can be investigated to achieve higher tensile and flexural strength .With respect to the above combination of replacement SCC can be dealt with its several specializations to make it effective.