SCHOOL OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

CVEN 3304 CONCRETE STRUCTURES

SEMESTER 2 -2016
Questions for Workshop 2: Water, Aggregates and Admixtures
Question 1
Why do commercial building codes impose a limit on the chloride content of
mixing water for concrete? What is the implication of high chloride ion
concentration in reinforced concrete construction?
Solution: Lecture 2a, slide 11-12
The presence of chloride ions in concrete increases the potential of accelerated
corrosion on the surface of reinforcing steel. Steel in concrete is naturally
protected by the passive film (passivated from corrosion in the high pH
environment because of the formation of passive film).
If the chloride concentration in concrete is above a specified level, there is high
chance for chloride ions to be able to reach the surface of the reinforcement.
Chloride ions react with the protective oxide layer (passive film) formed on the
steel bars, repeatedly break this passive layer and accelerates the corrosion on
this steel bars. The initiation of corrosion occurs when the chloride
concentration at the reinforcing steel exceeds a threshold concentration of
chloride in pore solution. This is why we need the limit content of the chloride.
However, there is no single threshold value of chloride content in cement but
generally agree within the range between 0.4% and 0.8% by weight of the
cement. So, 0.4% by weight of the cement (this is total chloride content) is
conservatively selected for general purpose of structures in Europe, Britain and
Australia.
Question 2
The concrete producer has an order of 1 tonne of concrete with w/c of 0.45. In
this specific mix design of concrete, it is supposed to use the 75% of SSD
condition of aggregate (combination of fine and coarse aggregate) by weight. In
the stockpile, the surface moisture was measured as 1.1 %. Discuss about the
adjustment of the mix water. It is assumed that there is no admixture in the
concrete.
Solutions:
Consider that the aggregate is SSD condition.
75% of SSD aggregate: 1000kg 0.75 = 750kg of aggregate. Thus, the amount
of paste is 250kg.
w/c = 0.45, thus the amount of cement and wanter can be easily computed.
W
0.45 = w and Wc + Ww = 250kg
Wc
, where Wc is the weight of cement and Ww is the weight of water.
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After computing two equations, we obtain Wc = 172.4 kg and Ww = 77.6 kg.

However, the actual aggregate is not SSD condition and it contains the surface
water. Therefore, we have to subtract the amount of water on the surface
because this water will be part of the mix water.
According to the definition of the surface of moisture

Wwet WSSD
100
WSSD
We want the 750kg of SSD aggregate. So, WSSD= 750 kg.
Then, Wwet = 758.25 kg
So, the weight of surface moisture is 758.25-750 = 8.25 kg.
1.1 =

Therefore, the mass of mix water = 77.6 kg 8.25 kg = 69.35 kg.

Thus, to maintain the specified w/c, we should subtract 8.25kg of water and the
total mix water would be 69.35 kg.

Question 3
Sieve analysis carried out on an aggregate sample gave the following results:
Sieve size
(mm)
10.0
4.75
2.36
1.18
0.6
0.3
0.15
< 0.15

Mass retained
(g)
0
30
120
150
200
320
150

(PAN)

30

Calculate the % Weight Retained, Cumulative % Retained and the cumulative

percentage passing in order to plot a grading curve.
Calculate the fineness modulus of the aggregate. What sort of aggregate is it? Is
it suitable for concrete according to standards requirement?
Solutions: Lecture 2a: slides 49 - 58

The fineness modulus: 2.77

The value of FM is higher for coarse aggregates and lower for finer aggregates.
For the aggregates commonly used, the range of FM is as below:
Fine aggregate: 2.0 to 3.5
Coarse aggregate: 5.5 to 8.0
All-in-aggregate: 3.5 to 6.5
Further, the range of fineness modulus for various categories of sand is shown
in below:
Fine sand: 2.0 to 2.6
Medium sand: 2.6 to 2.9
Coarse sand: 2.9 to 3.5
The aggregate analysed in this question is a fine aggregate considered as
medium sand and it is usable in concrete mix in terms of its gradation.
Question 4
Please discuss about the difference of hydraulic and pozzolanic reaction.
Solution:
Pozzolanic reaction is the chemical reaction with calcium hydroxide (CH) and
water that leads to the formation of cementitious products like C-S-H.
Pozzolans are the materials which are capable of pozzolanic reaction.
Generally, they are siliceous or alumina-siliceous material that, in finely divided
form. In the presence of moisture, pozzolans chemically react at ordinary
temperature with calcium hydroxide released by the hydration Portland cement
to form compounds possessing cementing properties (C-S-H).
Hydraulic reaction is the chemical reaction with water that produces the C-SH.
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Hydraulic materials react chemically with water to form compounds

(hydrates) that have cementing properties. Portland cement and slag can be the
representative hydraulic materials.
SCMs can be either hydraulic materials or pozzolans. However, there are
materials which have both reactions. Medium CaO and high CaO fly ashes have
both hydraulic and pozzolanic reaction. Slag also has both reaction but
hydraulic reaction is dominant.

Question 5
Please least three SCMs used to replace Portland cement which we discussed
during the class. Discuss about their origin (what industrial by product are
they?), effects of each SCM on concrete properties, the importance of contents
of amorphous glass in SCMs
Solutions:
Lecture 2b: Please go through the Slides from 9 to 27
1) Fly ash: Coal burnt power plants
Fly ash is a by-product obtaining during the combustion of coal in power
plant. In 2010, the annual production of coal ash worldwide is estimated
around 600 million tons, 500 million tonnes at 75-80% of the total ash
produced. World average of fly ash usage is just around 16% of the total
ash. Thus, utilization of fly ash is a matter of primary concern.
Fly ash reduces bleeding of water due to high surface area and also
improves the workability and finishing as their spherical shape.
It can change the dosage of some chemical admixtures like air-entrained
agents. Carbon can absorb air-entrained agents and thus if fly ash has some
carbon content, it affects the dosage of air-entrained agents (might require
more air-entrained agents to maintain same air voids system).
Strength gain of fly ash concrete is slower than normal concrete. However
fly ash concrete can gain more strength at the later age. Due to the slower

reaction than OPC hydration reaction, it releases less amount of heat. Creep
and shrinkage of fly ash concrete are slightly higher than normal concrete.
Fly ash concrete can mitigate the expansion induced by alkali silica reaction
due to the denser matrix, dilution of cement and also removal of alkalis from
pore solution. Fly ash also contributes to the reduction of permeability and
porosity.

2) GGBFS, ground granular blast furnace slag: Iron manufacturing

Blast Furnace slag is a by-product of the extraction of iron from iron ore.
Coke and limestone are added as fluxes inside the blast furnace. The
impurities in iron ore combine with the lime and rise up to the surface of the
blast furnace, which are slag. The molten iron which is heavier stays at the
bottom.
To make the slag reactive, the slag is usually quenched, i.e. the slag is
cooled down rapidly by spraying water. This slag is granulated and thus,
after grinding to the similar size of cement grain, it can be used as SCM.
This is called ground granular blast furnace slag, GGBFS.
Slag concrete seems to increase the set times (due to the latent hydraulic
property) but slag does not significantly alter the fresh concrete properties.
The workability of slag concrete is slightly better than OPC. The rate of
strength gain slow down considerably, thus it released much less heat during
the hydration. However, ultimate strength with slag is generally improved.
Durability is also improved with the replacement of cement by slag. This is
mainly due to the increased density of paste, improved bond, and reduced of
permeability.
3) Silica Fume: Induction arc furnace for silicon metal and ferrosilicon ally
Silica fume is very pure in terms of content of SiO2. The content of SiO2
varies from 90% to 99.9%. The particle size is extremely small which varies
within the range from 100 nm to 200 nm. Because of the small size, it has
extremely large surface area compared to other SCMs and Portland cement.
The typical replacement is around 5 to 15 % of cement but it is more
expensive than cement (generally four times expensive than the price of
cement).
Because of its high fineness, the use of silica fume increases the amount of
water in concrete. To maintain the same w/c, it requires more cement. To
prevent the increase in the amount of water, silica fume is generally used in
conjunction with a superplasticizer. Silica fume causes the mix to be sticky
and cohesive. Thus, it reduces the bleed and the segregation.
Silica fume reduces the permeability and the porosity. In addition, it also
increases the bonding between aggregate and paste. Most of all mechanical
strength (compressive strength, flexural strengths) are increased, while
chloride penetration is significantly reduced due to the denser matrix. In
most cases, silica fume concrete shows better resistance to chemical attack
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due to the decreased permeability as well as due to reduced CH in the paste.

Expansion due to ASR is also reduced in silica fume concrete.

4) Amorphous vs. Crystalline glass: Lecture 2b Slide 18

Both pozzolanic and hydraulics reactivity of SCMs are highly dependent on
the content of amorphous glasses. As shown in Figure 1, amorphous glass
has the structurally disordered nature and superficial location of atoms.
Therefore, generally, amorphous glass has more reactive than the structured
crystalline phase.

Figure 1. Structures of Quartz (crystalline silica, left) and amorphous glass (right)

Question 6
Please fill the correct cementitious materials in the blank and discuss about their
hydraulic and pozzolanic effects.
SiO2

CaO

SiO2

CaO

Al2O3

Al2O3

Solution: Lecture 2b slide 30-32.

Please, be familiar with how to interpret a ternary diagram. Also, increasing
CaO content in materials tend to increase its hydraulic reactivity.
SiO2
Silica Fume
Natural
pozzolans
CaO
Class F Fly ash

C-S-H

Class C Fly ash

SiO2

Slag
OPC

CaO

Al2O3

Al2O3

If we have more CaO content in the cementitious materials, it has higher potential to
have hydraulic reaction.
Question 7
Why is it difficult to obtain all benefits of water-reducing admixture at the same
time, particularly, higher compressive strength and higher workability?
Solutions: Lecture 2c: 6, 14
WRA is good for reducing the amount of water in mix water.
If we use WRA for reducing the water for a given slump, this can increase the
compressive strength and also produce denser matrix as we have lower w/c.
However, we keep the slump constant and thus there is no significant
improvement of workability.
If we use WRA for increasing the workability for a given w/c, we add WRA
while keeping the same w/c of system. Therefore, the system of paste would be
identical to the paste without WRA (assuming that that WRA does not affect the
cement hydration and microstructure.). We have better workability but do not
increase the compressive strength.
Therefore, WRA can affect either of ways to improve concrete properties.
However, it is hard to improve both properties simultaneously.

Question 8
Briefly discuss the effect of the chemical admixtures and when we can use them
for the construction?
a) Superplasticizer
b) Air-entrained agent
c) Accelerator and Retarder
Solutions: Lecture 2c: 15 to 47, Please discuss shortly about the role of these
admixtures.
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