Production of High Strength Pastes, Mortars, and Concretes

Abstract

AbstractFor concrete, a grossly heterogeneous material, guidelines for selection of materials for its production, especially high strength concrete, should consider the interactions of its different components under load. Materials selection and production techniques for achieving concretes, mortars and cement pastes with strengths in excess of 10,000 psi are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the production of concretes having a compressive strength in the range of 10,000 to 15,000 psi using readily available materials and conventional production techniques. Emphasis is placed on the practical and technical significance of the factors involved in the selection of the materials and their proportions to achieve uniform, economical, high quality concrete. Selection of the concrete ingredients and their proportions is discussed in terms of their relative contribution to the compressive and flexural strength, elastic properties and observed failure mode of the paste, mortar and concrete. Production of concretes having compressive strengths in excess of 15,000 psi using exotic materials and special production techniques is also discussed.