Identifying Incompatible Combinations of Concrete Materials:
Volume I– Final Report

FHWAHRT-06-079, August 2006

PDF Version (1.30 mb)

FOREWORD

Unexpected interactions between otherwise acceptable ingredients in portland cement concrete are becoming increasingly common as cementitious systems become more and more complex and demands on the systems are more rigorous. Such incompatibilities are exhibited as early stiffening or excessive retardation, potential for uncontrolled early-age cracking, and unstable or unacceptable air void systems.

Based on the experimental work described in this volume, a protocol has been developed to allow product manufacturers, concrete producers, contractors and owners to monitor their materials and concrete systems. The protocol is phased to allow relatively simple field tests to provide early warnings of potential problems, and central laboratory tests to support and confirm the field work. Tests conducted before beginning construction allows users to plan for changes in materials and environment. By monitoring materials with relatively simple field tests during construction, the users can detect when significant changes have occurred, indicating potential construction problems.

Gary Henderson

Director, Office of Infrastructure

Research and Development

Notice

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation.

The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers' names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document.

Quality Assurance Statement

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement.

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized

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Table of Contents

• CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION
  • Overview
  • Background
  • Study Goals, Objectives, and Scope
• CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW
  • General
  • Need for Information Request Responses
  • Construction Materials and Practices
  • Findings on Rheology, Cracking, and Air void System
  • Summary
• CHAPTER 3. Project Tasks
  • TASK 2.1.1–EARLY SETTING OR EXCESSIVE RETARDATION
  • Test Matrix for Paste and Mortar Systems
  • Testing Concrete
  • Test Methods Discussion
  • Observations
  • Summary
  • TASK 2.1.2–CRACKING
  • Mix designs
  • TASK 2.1.3–AIR VOID SYSTEM
• CHAPTER 4. SUMMARY
  • Introduction
  • Early Setting and Excessive Retardation
  • Protocol
  • Implementation Plan
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
• REFERENCES

list of figures

• Figure 1. Example plot with a strong relationship between data sets
• Figure 2. Example plot of data sets with little or no relationship
• Figure 3. A plot comparing sets of initial setting time measurements determined by different methods
• Figure 4. Correlation between initial and final set for concrete tests
• Figure 5. Correlation between initial and final set for paste tests
• Figure 6. Device used at NIST to lift the mold for the minislump tests
• Figure 7. A plot of minislump data for mixtures tested in round 1
• Figure 8. A plot of minislump data for mixtures tested in round 2
• Figure 9. A plot of minislump data for mixtures tested in round 3
• Figure 10. A plot of minislump data for mixtures tested in round 4
• Figure 11. A plot of minislump data for mixtures tested in round 5
• Figure 12. A plot of minislump data for mixtures tested in round 6
• Figure 13. Stress growth measurement
• Figure 14. Typical plots of yield stress versus time for accelerated, untreated, and retarded cementitious systems
• Figure 15. A photograph of the rheometer used at NIST
• Figure 16. Die set for squeezing pore solution from hardened cement paste specimens
• Figure 17. Pore fluid being collected from die set
• Figure 18. Equation. Solubility product of gypsum
• Figure 19. Equation. Ion activity product of gypsum
• Figure 20. Equation. Pulse velocity
• Figure 21. Compressive strength development
• Figure 22. Modulus of elasticity development
• Figure 23. Splitting tensile strength development
• Figure 24. Early age properties for mix WRA1
• Figure 25. Early age properties for mix WRA2
• Figure 26. Long-term properties for mix WRA1
• Figure 27. Long-term properties for mix WRA2
• Figure 28. Early age properties for mix FA1
• Figure 29. Early age properties for mix FA2
• Figure 30. Long-term properties for mix FA1
• Figure 31. Long-term properties for mix FA2
• Figure 32. Early age properties for mix 25FA90
• Figure 33. Early age properties for mix 4FA90
• Figure 34. Long-term properties for mix 25FA90
• Figure 35. Long-term properties for mix 4FA90
• Figure 36. Conduction calorimetry plot of paste system for mixture 25FA90 conducted at 32 °C (90 °F)
• Figure 37. Early age properties for mix 25FA70
• Figure 38. Early age properties for mix 4FA70
• Figure 39. Long-term properties for mix 25FA70
• Figure 40. Long-term properties for mix 4FA70
• Figure 41. Foam drainage procedure
• Figure 42. Equation. Foam drainage
• Figure 43. Equation. Percent drained
• Figure 44. Rating 0-No clustering present. Visual rating guide for analysis of air void clustering severity (PCA R&D Serial No. 2789)
• Figure 45. Rating 1, Minor clustering Visual rating guide for analysis of air void clustering severity (PCA R&D Serial No. 2789)
• Figure 46. Rating 2, Moderate clustering. Visual rating guide for analysis of air void clustering severity (PCA R&D Serial No. 2789)
• Figure 47. Rating 3, severe clustering. Visual rating guide for analysis of air void clustering severity (PCA R&D Serial No. 2789)
• Figure 48. Example of clustering rating for a cylinder
• Figure 49. Correlation between pressure meter and AVA-generated fresh air contents
• Figure 50. Correlation of total air contents between pressure meter and ASTM C 457
• Figure 51. Correlation of total air contents between AVA and ASTM C 457
• Figure 52. Correlation between AVA and ASTM C 457 generated spacing factors
• Figure 53. Spacing factor versus air content relationship for ASTM C 457 and AVA
• Figure 54. Reactions in hydrating cement.

list of tables

• Table 1. Commercial portland cement characteristics used in Task 2.1.1
• Table 2. Oxide analyses of cements
• Table 3. Oxide analyses of supplementary cementing materials
• Table 4. Particle size distributions of cementitious materials
• Table 5. Tests conducted on paste systems in all rounds
• Table 6. Summary of paste and mortar data from round 1
• Table 7. Summary of data from round 2
• Table 8. Summary of data from rounds 3 and 4
• Table 9. Summary of all paste and mortar data
• Table 10. Test plan for early stiffening and normal concrete systems
• Table 11. Test plan for retarding and normal concrete systems
• Table 12. Physical properties of aggregates
• Table 13. Nominal concrete mix proportions (SSD)
• Table 14. Temperature, air content, unit weight, slump, and impedance results
• Table 15. Slump loss and mortar flow loss
• Table 16. Setting time, NDT, and semi-adiabatic cell results
• Table 17. Minislump test data for round 1
• Table 18. Minislump test data for round 2
• Table 19. Minislump test data for round 3 and 4
• Table 20. Minislump test data for investigating effect of w/cm
• Table 21. NIST test data for round 1
• Table 22. NIST test data for round 2
• Table 23. NIST Test Data For Round 3 and 4
• Table 24. Oxide analyses of cements
• Table 25. Oxide analyses of supplementary cementing materials
• Table 26. Physical properties of aggregates
• Table 27. Concrete mixtures
• Table 28. Concrete mix proportions
• Table 29. Fresh concrete properties
• Table 30. Setting time data
• Table 31. Results of ASTM ring tests
• Table 32. Hardened concrete properties for mix WRA1
• Table 33. Hardened concrete properties for mix WRA2
• Table 34. Hardened concrete properties for mix FA1
• Table 35. Hardened concrete properties for mix FA2
• Table 36. Hardened concrete properties for mix 25FA90
• Table 37. Hardened concrete properties for mix 4FA90
• Table 38. Hardened concrete properties for mix 25FA70
• Table 39. Hardened concrete properties for mix 4FA70
• Table 40. Results of minislump tests conducted on 25FA90 pastes
• Table 41. Air entraining admixtures and related properties
• Table 42. Cementitious materials composition and fineness
• Table 43. Coarse aggregate grading
• Table 44. Fine Aggregate Grading
• Table 45. Concrete test matrix used in stages 2 and 3 of subtask 2.1.3
• Table 46. Base concrete mixture
• Table 47. Corresponding calculations for average clustering rate
• Table 48. Foam drainage results
• Table 49. Fresh concrete properties
• Table 50. Hardened concrete properties
• Table 51. Compounds of calcium sulfate in cement

Events

• International Conference on Sustainable Concrete Pavements: Practices, Challenges, and Directions
  Sacramento, California
  September 15-17, 2010

• View all Upcoming Pavements Events

More Information

• Identifying Incompatible Combinations of Concrete Materials: Volume II-Test Protocol
• Pavement Publications

Contact

Peter Kopac
Turner Fairbank
202-493-3151
E-mail Peter