Using Taguchi method in optimizing the compressive strength of self-compacting lightweight structural concrete containing Nano-silica.

Abstract

Because of lightweight concrete has less mechanical properties than normal concrete, one of the objectives of engineering society is to design light weight concrete with a structural mechanical characteristic suitable for optimum resistance. Therefore, in this paper, using the Taguchi method to studied the parameters influencing of the compressive strength of Self-Compacting Light Weight Structural Concrete containing Nano-Silica. According to the Taguchi data, a total of 9 mixed designs were considered, taking into account the effects of the whole content, which included the ratio of water to cement materials, the ratio of Nano-silica to cement materials, the ratio of superplasticizer to cement materials, and the ratio of aggregate to total concrete weight. The results show that the maximum effect on the compressive strength is related to the change in water-to-cement ratio, which is about 56.5% of the impact on the pressure resistance. The percentage of Nano-silica to cement was 36.1. The third degree of impact on the compressive strength of the concrete is related to the effect of the superplasticizer ratio on the cement, which is about 7%, and finally the weight ratio of aggregates to the total concrete volume with an impact of about 0.4% in the fourth grade is important. Finally, the quality criterion was considered for lightweight concrete so that the optimal state for achieving Self-Compacting Light Weight Structural Concrete containing Nano-Silica with water to cement ratio was 0.35, the percentage of Nano-silica to cement was 4%, the superplasticizer percentage was 0.8%, the ratio of aggregate to total concrete volume was 0.48 obtained.