Properties of Reactive Powder Concrete Using Local Materials and Various Curing Conditions

Abstract

Reactive Powder Concrete RPC is comprise of (cement, quartz powder, sand, and superplasticizer) mixture with low water/cement ratio. It has not coarse aggregates and characterized by highly dense matrix, high strength concrete, excellent durability, and economic. This study aims to investigate fresh and hardened properties of locally cast RPC with several available economical materials such as silica fume (SF), fly ash (FA), steel fiber (STF), and glass fiber (GF). Experimental investigation were performed to study the effectiveness of partial replacement of cement by SF or FA to reach ultra-high strength concrete, effect of additional materials STF or GF in order to improve the fracture properties of the RPC mixes, and influence of the treated with normal water as well as with hot water. Fifteen different RPC mixes were cast with 20, 25, 30, and 35% cement replacement by SF, 25% cement replacement by FA, and another proportions taken combination between SF and FA with percentages 15, 20, 25% FA and constant 10% SF. Varying fiber types (steel fiber or glass fiber) added to concrete by different percentages 1, 2, and 3%. Specimens were treated with normal water 25ᵒC and hot water at 60ᵒC and 90ᵒC by 2 mixes with silica fume content 25% of binder and steel fiber content 2% by total volume. Performance of the various mixes is tested by the slump flow, compressive strength, flexure strength, splitting tensile strength, and density. The production of RPC using local materials is successfully get compressive strength of 121 MPa at the age of 28 days at standard conditions and normal water curing 25°C with Silica fume content 25% of binder and steel fiber content 2% by total volume of RPC and water/binder ratio of 0.25.  The results also showed the effect of curing by hot water 60 and 90°C, it is observed that compressive strength increases proportionally with curing temperatures and a compressive strength of 149.1 MPa at 90°C for 1days was obtained.