Rheological and strength properties of self-compacting concrete incorporating marble and granite powders

Abstract

The use of waste products like fly ash in self-compacting concrete (SCC) is a common practice. In regions where a lot of waste generated due to sawing and polishing of granite and marble has a huge potential of using them in concrete without compromising the rheology and strength. This paper presents the experimental investigations on rheological behavior (T500, Vft, and viscosity) and strength properties (compressive, flexural, and splitting tensile strengths) of SCC made of marble and granite powders. The comparison was made with higher fly ash and higher sand content concrete mixes. The rheological properties showed similar and linear inter-relationship between different sets of mixes. Most of the mixes fall under VS2/VF1 and VS2/VF2 categories of EFNARC specifications. The strength properties of SCC mixes were compared with normal concrete mixes and found analogues with control concrete mix. The use of marble and granite powders up to 360 kg/m3 was studied. There is a beneficial effect due to the reduction of other raw materials significantly in concrete mixes. The admixture dosage was identified and found to be dependent on the surface area of particles.