Research on the Relation between Slump Flow and Yield Stress of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Mixtures

Abstract

The relation between slump flow and yield stress of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) mixtures was studied with theoretical analysis and experimentation. The relational expression between slump flow and yield stress of UHPC mixtures was built and then verified with a rheological test. The results showed that the prediction model, as a function of cone geometry of dimensionless slump flow and dimensionless yield stress of the UHPC mixtures, was constructed based on Tresca criteria, considering the geometric relation of morphological characterization parameters before and after slump of the UHPC mixtures. The rationality and applicability of the dimensionless prediction model was verified with a rheological test and a slump test of UHPC mixtures with different dosages of polycarboxylate superplasticizer. With increase in polycarboxylate superplasticizer dosage, yield stress of the two series of UHPC mixtures (large/small binding material consumption) gradually decreased, leading to a gradual increase in slump flow. Based on the prediction model of dimensionless slump flow and dimensionless yield stress, the relational expression between slump flow and yield stress of the UHPC mixtures was built. The comparison result showed that the calculated data was consistent with the experimental data, which provided a new method for predicting yield stress of UHPC mixtures with a slump test.