Analysis of a Composite Admixture Based on Ready-Mixed Concrete Waste Residuals

Reasonable treatment and utilization of waste residuals discharged during the production of ready-mixed concrete is an important problem in the cement industry.In this study,a composite admixture was prepared by using ready-mixed concrete waste residuals,furnace slag,and water granulated slag.The grinding characteristics of such material were investigated.Moreover,the effect of such admixture on cement hydration and pore structure was analyzed by X-ray diffraction,thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimetry,scanning electron microcopy and mercury intrusion porosimetry.As shown by the results:The grinding characteristics of the waste residuals can be improved significantly by mixing them with furnace slag and water granulated slag.Furthermore,the composite admixture does not change the composition of hydration products;rather it contributes to refine the pore structure of the matrix,thus improving the mechanical properties of these cement-based materials.

Fiber-reinforced Mechanism and Mechanical Performance of Composite Fibers Reinforced Concrete

To understand the enhancing effect and fiber-reinforced mechanism of composite fibers reinforced cement concrete, the influences of composite fibers on micro-cracks and the distribution of composite fibers were evaluated by optical electron micrometer(OEM) and scanning electron microscope(SEM). Three kinds of fiber, such as polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fiber, basalt fiber, and glass fiber, were used in the composite fibers reinforced cement concrete. The composite fibers could form a stable structure in concrete after the liquid-phase coupling treatment, gas-liquid double-effect treatment, and inert atmosphere drying. The mechanical properties of composite fibers reinforced concrete(CFRC) were studied by universal test machine(UTM). Moreover, the effect of composite fibers on concrete was analyzed based on the toughness index and residual strength index. The results demonstrated that the composite fibers could improve the mechanical properties of concrete, while the excessive amount of composite fibers had an adverse effect on the mechanical properties of concrete. The composite fibers could significantly improve the toughness index of CFRC, and the increment rate is more than 30%. The composite fibers could form a mesh structure, which could promote the stability of concrete and guarantee the excellent mechanical properties.

Peridynamic Modeling and Simulation of Fracture Process in Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

In this study,a peridynamic fiber-reinforced concrete model is developed based on the bond-based peridynamic model with rotation effect(BBPDR).The fibers are modelled by a semi-discrete method and distributed with random locations and angles in the concrete specimen,since the fiber content is low,and its scale is smaller than the concrete matrix.The interactions between fibers and concrete matrix are investigated by the improvement of the bond’s strength and stiffness.Also,the frictional effect between the fibers and the concrete matrix is considered,which is divided into static friction and slip friction.To validate the proposed model,several examples are simulated,including the tensile test and the three-point bending beam test.And the numerical results of the proposed model are compared with the experiments and other numerical models.The comparisons show that the proposed model is capable of simulating the fracture behavior of the fiber-reinforced concrete.After adding the fibers,the tensile strength,bending strength,and toughness of the fiber-reinforced concrete specimens are improved.Besides,the fibers distribution has an impact on the crack path,especially in the three-point bending beam test.

Anti-cracking Property of EVA-modified Polypropylene Fiber-reinforced Concrete Under Thermal-cooling Cycling Curing

In order to investigate the synergistic effect of re-dispersible powder-ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer(EVA) and polypropylene fiber on the crack resistance of concrete under thermal fatigue loading, the compressive strength, ultimate tensile strength, ultimate tensile strain and tensile modulus of elasticity were tested. In addition, ultrasonic method and scanning electron microscope analysis were used to explain the microstructure mechanism. The results show that polypropylene fiberreinforced concrete presents a better performance on crack resistance than ordinary concrete, and the synergism of EVA and polypropylene fiber can improve the anti-cracking ability of concrete further.

Compressive Strength Estimation for the Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP)-Confined Concrete Columns with Different Shapes Using Artificial Neural Networks

An evaluation of existing strength of concrete columns confined with fiber-reinforced polymer( FRP) was presented with extensive collection of experimental data. According to the evaluation results, artificial neural networks( ANNs) model to predict the ultimate strength of FRP confined column with different shapes was proposed. The models had seven inputs including the column length,the tensile strength of the FRP in the hoop direction,the total thickness of FRP,the diameter of the concrete specimen,the elastic modulus of FRP,the corner radius and the concrete compressive strength. The compressive strength of the confined concrete was the output data. The results reveal that the proposed models have good prediction and generalization capacity with acceptable errors.

Effect of Recycled Mixed Powder on the Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of Concrete

In this paper,recycled bricks and recycled concrete were applied to prepare eco-friendly recycled mixed powder(RMP)cementitious material,as a supplementary to replace conventional cement for improve the recycling of construction and demolition waste.Based on the effect of cementitious materials on the hydration of silicate cement,the effects of RMP on the workability,mechanical properties and microstructure of recycled mixed powder concrete(RMPC)with the different replacement ratios and the 8:4 and 6:4 mixing ratio of recycled brick powder(RBP)and recycled concrete powder(RCP)were investigated.The results showed that the fluidity of the mix decreased with increasing of the replacement ratio and the mixing ratio of RBP and RCP,but the influence of the fluidity was smaller within 15%replacement ratio.As the replacement ratio increases,the internal pore structure of RMPC tends to be loose and porous,which exhibits a significant pore volume distribution characteristic.The number of large capillaries was considerably increased at replacement ratio of 45%.The 7 d compressive strength of RMPC was slightly lower than that of ordinary concrete.The compressive and splitting tensile strengths of RMPC at 28 d increased by 4.2%and 10.1%,respectively,with increasing curing age at 15%replacement ratio and 6:4 mixing ratio.The RMPC mechanical strengths with RBP and RCP at the mixing ratio of 6:4 was higher than those of 8:2.Finally,a basis for the recycling of RBP and RCP in the construction industry can be provided by the results of this study.

The Continuum Analytical Method of Steel Frame- Reinforced Concrete Shear Wall Mixed Structure

The inter-story drift stiffness considered the semirigidity of beam and column joints connection, and P-Delta second order effect of steel frame parts in the mixed structure is presented in the paper. After considering on the influence of semirigidity between steel beams and steel columns, second order effect of beam-column members for steel frame and structural second order effect, the traditional continuum analytial method used in RC shear-frames wall structure is developed to steel frames-reinforced concrete shear wall mixed structure subject to horizontal load in this paper. A continuum approach, which is suitable for analyzing steel frames-reinforced concrete shear wall mixed structure subject to horizontal load, is presented. The method is relatively simple and more practical. It will be referred to structural design for steel frames-reinforced concrete shear wall mixed structure.

High Performance Concrete and Its Typical Mixes

With the modern development of chemical and mineral admixtures, it is now possible to produce much higher performance concrete than before. Higher performance does not only mean higher strength, but also better durability, lower risk of thermal cracking and higher dimensional stability etc. The three most effective admixtures for producing high performance concrete are superplastieizer, pulverized fuel ash and condensed silica fume. This paper outlines the properties of these materials and presents some practical guidelines for their usage.

A Simple Mix Proportion Design Method Based on Frost Durability for Recycled High Performance Concrete Using Fully Coarse Recycled Aggregate

Durability design of recycled high performance concrete（RHPC） is fundamental for improving the use rate and level of concrete waste as coarse recycled aggregate（CRA）. We discussed a frostdurability-based mix proportion design method for RHPC using 100 % CRA and natural sand. Five groups of RHPC mixes with five strength grades（40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 MPa） were produced using CRA with four quality classes, and their workability, 28 d compressive strengths and frost resistances（measured by the compressive strength loss ratio and the relative dynamic modulus of elasticity） were tested. Relationships between the 28 d compressive strength, the frost resistance and the CRA quality characteristic parameter, water absorption, were then developed. The criterion of a CRA maximum water absorption limit value for RHPC was suggested, independent of its source and quality class. The results show that all RHPC mixes achieve the expected target workability, strength, and frost durability. The research results demonstrate that the application of the proposed method does not require trial testing prior to use.

Process-Functional Model of Transportation Mix Concrete

The paper proposes a process-functional model of transportation mix concrete, which is a structured description of a means of transportation technology mix concrete road at the level of the production process. Range of activities related to the transportation of concrete mixtures is presented in the form of hierarchically nested processes that are coordinated on the basis of general systems theory. The model is described in a strict sequence: process chain→process step→process link, and all built technological chains consist of indivisible units.

Local Aggregate in Production of Concrete Mix in Jordan

Concrete properties such as unit weight and compressive strength are highly dependable on the properties of aggregate. Current research aims to study the effect of aggregate properties on concrete considering the resource of aggregate. The properties of aggregate and fine sand were studied (specific gravity, density, absorption, and abrasion). Also, the properties of concrete were studied (density, unit weight, and compressive strength). Samples of coarse and medium aggregates, and fine sand were collected from different areas in Jordan (Ajloun, Amman, Aqaba, Irbid, Jerash, Karak, Ma’an, Madaba, Salt, Zarqa, and Tafila) to be tested and used in concrete mix. Aggregate from South of Jordan has higher values in specific gravity and bulk density (Aqaba, Ma’an, and Karak aggregates). Also, the same aggregate samples have lower values in absorption and abrasion (Ma’an, Aqaba, Karak, and Tafila). For the properties of concrete that include density, unit weight, and compressive strength, all samples have achieved the design properties and strength in the current study. For density and unit weight, samples from South of Jordan have higher values (Ma’an and Aqaba). And for compressive strength, Ma’an, Irbid and Amman concrete samples have the highest values at 7-day, while the 28-day compressive strength comes highest for Zarqa, Ma’an, Irbid and Amman. From the results of the current study, the compressive strength at 7-day and 28-day is related to the density of coarse and medium aggregate, abrasion, and absorption. The higher the density, the higher the compressive strength. And the lower abrasion and absorption, the higher the compressive strength of concrete. Current research will be useful in selecting the source of aggregate to produce a considerable concrete strength.

Equal Volumes of Sand and Gravel Concrete Mix Ratios in Cameroon and Its Effect on Concrete Compressive Strength

In recent years, the rationalization of concrete mix ratios which batches equal volumes of sand and gravel in building projects has been gaining grounds in the Cameroon construction industry. The main objective of this study is therefore to investigate if the concrete produced with rationalized mix ratio can be adopted as conventional mix ratio in terms of minimum required compression strength of concrete for buildings. Specifically this work compared the conventional mix ratio of 350 kg of cement: 400 liters of sand: 800 liters of gravel for a cubic meter and the rationalized batch of 350 kg of cement: 600 liters of sand: 600 liters of 5/15 gravel, 15/25 gravel and a combination of 5/15 + 15/25 gravel. Average compressive tests’results for both the conventional and the rationalized mix ratios were found to meet the minimum compressive strength of 65% at 7 days, 90% at 14 days and 99% at 28 days for gravel size combination 5/15 + 15/25. Single size gravel of 5/15 and 15/25 did not meet the minimum required compressive strength of 20 N/mm2 for the rationalized mix ratio at 28 days curing based on the minimum compressive strength required, this study arrives at the conclusion that the equal volumes of sand and gravel mix ratio of 350 kg/m3 of cement: 600 liters of sand: 600 liters of gravel mix ratio can be adopted as a conventional concrete mix ratio for gravel size 5/15 + 15/25.

Concrete Mix Design by IS,ACI and BS Methods:A Comparative Analysis

Concrete is one of the most consumable construction materials on the earth.The concrete constitutes cement,sand,gravel,water and/or additives in definite proportions.The proportions of raw materials of concrete are decided by the concrete mix design.The mix design depends on the various factors.For mix design,most of the countries have their own specifications.In the present study,standard guidelines of India,Britain and America for the concrete mix design have been discussed.The concrete grades of M25,M35 and M45 were designed and compared.Indian Standards were also compared.It was concluded that a new revised version of Indian Standard code has the lowest value of water/cement ratio and highest quantity of cement as compared to other standards.

Preparation and Optimization of Mix ratio for C50T Girder Manufactured Sand and Concrete

Considering actual construction conditions of Binchuan-Heqing Highway,this paper provides the C50 mix ratio conforming to engineering requirements by strictly controlling the quality of raw materials,optimizing the design of mix ratio scientifically,preparing superior C50 concrete 0 with manufactured sand,and optimizing the concrete mix ratio based on the adjustment of fly ash replacement,water-cement ratio,polycarboxylate-type water reducer mixing amount,sand ratio,etc.The result indicates that,the water-cement ratio has a great influence on the concrete strength,and if the ratio of coal ash is high in the binding material,the early compressive strength of the concrete will increase slowly.

Comparative Analysis of PM10 Emission Rates from Controlled and Uncontrolled Cement Silos in Concrete Batching Facilities

This research study quantifies the PM10 emission rates (g/s) from cement silos in 25 concrete batching facilities for both controlled and uncontrolled scenarios by applying the USEPA AP-42 guidelines step-by-step approach. The study focuses on evaluating the potential environmental impact of cement dust fugitive emissions from 176 cement silos located in 25 concrete batching facilities in the M35 Mussafah industrial area of Abu Dhabi, UAE. Emission factors are crucial for quantifying the PM10 emission rates (g/s) that support developing source-specific emission estimates for areawide inventories to identify major sources of pollution that provide screening sources for compliance monitoring and air dispersion modeling. This requires data to be collected involves information on production, raw material usage, energy consumption, and process-related details, this was obtained using various methods, including field visits, surveys, and interviews with facility representatives to calculate emission rates accurately. Statistical analysis was conducted on cement consumption and emission rates for controlled and uncontrolled sources of the targeted facilities. The data shows that the average cement consumption among the facilities is approximately 88,160 (MT/yr), with a wide range of variation depending on the facility size and production rate. The emission rates from controlled sources have an average of 4.752E-04 (g/s), while the rates from uncontrolled sources average 0.6716 (g/s). The analysis shows a significant statistical relationship (p < 0.05) and perfect positive correlation (r = 1) between cement consumption and emission rates, indicating that as cement consumption increases, emission rates tend to increase as well. Furthermore, comparing the emission rates from controlled and uncontrolled scenarios. The data showed a significant difference between the two scenarios, highlighting the effectiveness of control measures in reducing PM10 emissions. The study’s findings provide insights into the impact of cement silo emissions on air quality and the importance of implementing control measures in concrete batching facilities. The comparative analysis contributes to understanding emission sources and supports the development of pollution control strategies in the Ready-Mix industry.

Effect of Flaky Plastic Particle Size and Volume Used as Partial Replacement of Gravel on Compressive Strength and Density of Concrete Mix

Common ways of disposing waste plastic such as incineration and landfilling have negative impacts on the environment. Partial replacement of natural aggregate in concrete with waste plastic including polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is more environmental friendly and sustainable. The effect of adding 5% to 20% waste plastic by volume of natural coarse aggregate (“gravel”) and plastic particle size (3 to 7 mm) on the density and compressive strength of plastic-concrete mix after 28 days of curing was studied. The results showed that density of the concrete decreased from 2406.7 to 2286.7 kg/m3 as waste plastic increased from 5% to 20% v/v compared with 2443.3 kg/m3 recorded by concrete without waste plastic. Change in particle size from 3 to 7 mm has no significant effect on the density of the plastic-concrete mix. The compressive strength decreased as the volume and particle size of waste plastic increased. When waste plastic volume changed from 5% to 20% v/v, the compressive strength decreased from 20.5 to 15 MPa, 18.6 to 14.3 MPa and 17.2 to 13.8 MPa for 3, 5 and 7 mm waste plastic particle size respectively while the concrete without plastic has 21.33 MPa. Therefore, the addition of 5% (v/v gravel) of flaky waste plastic in the concrete produces a lightweight concrete which could offer economic benefit without substantially reducing the compressive strength of the plastic-concrete mix.

Seismic strengthening of reinforced concrete columns damaged by rebar corrosion using combined CFRP and steel jacket

In order to study the effectiveness of combined carbon fiber-reinforced polymer （CFRP） sheets and steel jacket in strengthening the seismic performance of corrosion-damaged reinforced concrete （RC） columns, twelve reinforced concrete columns are tested under combined lateral cyclic displacement excursions and constant axial load. The variables studied in this program include effects of corrosion degree of the rebars, level of axial load, the amount of CFRP sheets and steel jacket. The results indicate that the combined CFRP and steel jacket retrofitting technique is effective in improving load-carrying, ductility and energy absorption capacity of the columns. Compared with the corrosion-damaged RC column, the lateral load and the ductility factor of many strengthened columns increase more than 90% and 100%, respectively. The formulae for the calculation of the yielding load, the maximum lateral load and the displacement ductility factor of the strengthened columns under combined constant axial load and cyclically increasing lateral loading are developed. The test results are also compared with the results obtained from the proposed formulae. A good agreement between calculated values and experimental results is observed.

The Properties of Sulfur Rubber Concrete (SRC)

The mix designs and specimen preparation for the dry process and wet process of sulfur rubber conerete （ SRC ） were investigated. The compressive strength, corrosion-resistance and toughness were studied and discussed. The results show that SRC is corrosion-resistanet. Although the compressive strength of SRC decreases with inereasing rubber content, the toughness increases instead . Adding micro-filler will improve the compressive strength of SRC . There is a threshold value for the sulfur content, at which the compressive strength and the workability of SRC reach an optimum balance . The bond between rubber particles and surrounding sulfur is strong due to the vulcanization process that generates cross-link through S-C bonds.

Experimental study on bond behavior between BFRP bars and seawater sea-sand concrete

Combining fiber reinforced polymer(FRP)with seawater sea-sand concrete(SSC)can solve the shortage of river sand that will be used for marine engineering construction.The bond performance of BFRP bars and SSC specimens is researched by pull-out test in this paper.The effects of the parameters,such as bar type,bar diameter,concrete type and stirrup restraint,are considered.It is beneficial to the bonding performance by the reduction of bar diameter.The utilization of seawater sea-sand has a low influence on the bond properties of concrete.The bond strength of BFRP is slightly lower than the steel rebar,but the difference is relatively small.The failure mode of the specimen can be changed and the interfacial bond stress can be improved by stirrups restraint.The bond-slip curves of BFRP ribbed rebar include micro slip stage,slip stage,descent stage and residual stage.The bond stress shows the cycle attenuation pattern of sine in the residual stage.In addition,the bond-slip model of BFRP and SSC is obtained according to the experimental results and related literature,while the predicted curve is also consistent well with the measured curve.