Experimental Testing of the Effects of Fine Particles on the Properties of the Self-Compacting Lightweight Concrete

Abstract

The self-compacting lightweight concrete (SCLC) is a combination of the Self compacting concrete (SCC) and the Lightweight concrete. It combines all the good properties of those two materials and is extremely convenient for the construction of buildings that require low mass and do not require high compressive strength, for example restoration works in old structures (e.g., replacement of wooden floors), prefabricated elements that require transportation, and for structures and elements where the concrete surface should be visible. In this paper the effect of the amount of fine particles on the properties of the self-compacting lightweight concrete (SCLC) in the fresh and hardened state was explored. For this purpose, sets of specimens with different combinations of admixtures of silica fume, fly ash, and filler were prepared and tested. Slump flow and flow time of fresh concrete, as well as the dynamic elastic modulus and compressive strength of hardened concrete, were measured at different ages of concrete. The processes of manufacturing and methods of testing are described, as well as the obtained results.