Use of Ground Calcium Carbonate for Self-compacting Concrete Development based on Various Water Content and Binder Compositions

Abstract

The development of a Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) mixture requires a different composition compared to normal vibrated concrete. This experimental study was designed to propose a modification of the concrete mix design formula to produce an SCC mix that meets the specified requirements for both fresh and hardened concrete using Ground Calcium Carbonate (GCC) as local fine powder material. The research was carried out with a targeted compressive strength between 30 and 60 MPa. The materials that were used in this research were fine natural aggregate, crushed stone as a coarse aggregate with a maximum size of 19 mm, Portland pozzolan cement (PPC), GCC, freshwater, and high-range water reducer. The properties of fresh concrete were tested using the slump-flow test method, while the compressive strength test was carried out on 50 standard cylinders after 28 days of curing with water immersion. Test results indicated that the compressive strength and fresh properties of SCC significantly depend on the water content, the water/cement ratio, the volume ratio between water to the total binder, and the weight ratio between the GCC and Portland cement. Furthermore, using the experimental data based on varied water content and binder compositions produces equations with a good fit for SCC mix design in the compressive strength range between 30 MPa to 60 MPa.