Developed by the Japanese in 1983, self-consolidating concrete went through several phases until it was considered ready for use in buildings and in industrial artifact processes, which require a little more sophistication during execution.
This type of concrete is achieved through the action of superplasticizing additives, offering ease of pumping, excellent uniformity, resistance and durability.
One of the characteristics of this concrete self-densifying is to provide better fluidity to the process, having the ability to complete spaces without requiring mechanical vibration intervention.
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Another outstanding property is stability, with sufficient adhesion to fill gaps without separating the aggregates, small and coarse-grained, constituents.
In addition, because it is denser, it is a concrete that provides better acoustics between environments, reduces electrical energy consumption during its production and application, and makes the work more agile.
Another positive point is that it reduces labor costs, since it requires less effort for pumping and finishing.
This type of product can be applied to the concreting of reinforced parts, precast structures, cementitious coatings, high-relief formwork, beams, architectural panels, slabs and sidewalks.
Are you curious about the subject and want to know more? In this post, you will discover what materials can be used to make self-compacting concrete and how to use it. Check it out!
What are the materials used to produce self-compacting concrete?
The base is the same as conventional concrete: sand, crushed stone, cement, water and chemical additives. The difference is the measurement of each component.
The concrete self-compacting contains a larger volume of fine aggregates, such as sand, than coarse-grained aggregates, such as crushed stone. In addition, it consumes a greater amount of cement and mineral additives.
Washed natural sand is the most suitable for making this type of concrete because it has a smoother and more uniform texture, improving the fluidity of the mixture in water. Another important factor is the additives used.
For its production, you must use superplasticizing additives and viscosity modifiers. The first provides high fluidity in the mixture, without affecting strength, while the second increases cohesion, preventing phase separation of the concrete and the formation of a water film on the surface of the self-tightening concrete.
Some materials are specific to the production of self-tightening concrete, such as superplasticizing chemical additives and active silica. They basically serve to reduce the volume of water, provide fluidity and resistance, and add greater cohesion.
The benefit of active silica lies both physically and chemically. As it has smaller particles than cement, it provides adhesion by reducing its porosity. In addition, it contains chemical components that aid in the strength and durability of the concrete.
But this compound needs to be used with caution, so that there is no side effect that could impair the strength and finish of cured concrete.
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How to use self-compacting concrete?
Self-tightening concrete significantly reduces input costs and, in recent times, has been winning the construction market in the construction industry in the execution of structures.
With its own weight, the material does the job and there is no need to use immersion vibrators or any type of density to occupy the spaces. In addition, it is ecologically sustainable.
This type of product is very suitable for precast structures, with a high reinforcement rate, frames that require concrete finishing seeming, architectural works and walls.
On ramps and sidewalks, the material is able to level itself, ensuring a much more satisfactory finish than the conventional one.
O self-addensing concretel is used when concreting very large structures, such as foundation blocks and transition beams.
It can also be used in flat and large places, such as floors and parking lots. In these cases, the use of the material helps with the leveling process in a short application time.
In addition, it is recommended for works that have sound restrictions, in addition to requiring little labor and rapid concreting.
In slabs, for example, concrete levels itself and does not require the use of vibrators. In this way, noise pollution and the number of employees working in the structure are reduced.
In places with little space for equipment transit, self-tightening concrete is considered perfect. This procedure is seen in civil construction as one of the main technological innovations.
What are the standards for self-reinforcing concrete?
For the production and use of self-consolidating concrete, there are criteria that must be followed. The ABNT standard — NBR 15823 establishes the test method for evaluating the flowability of concrete, in free flow, with its own weight, by determining the spread and flow time, in addition to visual stability.
The standard assesses the state of concrete fresh analyzing some requirements, such as:
fluidity, viscosity and stability, through the study of scattering and visual stability indicator;
pumping control;
traceability condition of the material by means of mappings;
resistance to decay of the component components, which determines the homogeneity and quality of the concrete;
passing skill;
suitable container for preparation, which must be made of material that does not react to the elements of concrete;
identification of samples used for verification and classification of concrete, in the form of a report — must contain the date and time of the tests, the capacity to resist segregation, the changes found in the material and the necessary equipment.
Admittedly, the advantages of self-compacting outweigh the disadvantages. Technically, it is feasible because it is used in large buildings of reinforced concrete.
In addition, it is versatile, making the works more sustainable, reducing material waste and providing greater safety for the construction site.
What is the importance of using quality products?
As we have seen, the main characteristics of self-tightening concrete are fluidity and stability. In this way, this material is able to cross obstacles filling all the spaces in the mold, avoiding the separation and distillation of the product. Its fluidity completes all spaces, while its stability offers good grip and homogeneity.
For the result to be completely satisfactory, it is extremely important to use quality products for the production of self-consolidating concrete. To minimize possible problems when performing the service, we recommend the use of BlokGraute Pro+. This superplasticizing additive offers high performance for concrete and mortars.
BlokGraude Pro+ was developed to be applied to high-strength, high-performance, self-consolidating concrete.
The product has chemical characteristics to suit, mainly, precast and prestressed concrete industries. In addition, it will help your work to evolve faster and with quality.
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