TY - CONF A1 - Schmidt, Wolfram A1 - Brouwers, H.J.H. A1 - Kühne, Hans-Carsten A1 - Meng, Birgit ED - Wang, K. ED - Shah, S.P. ED - Khayat, K. T1 - Casting process improvement by optimization of mixture composition and high range water reducing agent modification T2 - SCC 2013 - 5th North American conference on the design and use of self-consolidating concrete (Proceedings) N2 - Since its invention in the early 1990’s, self-consolidating concrete has never become well established in the ready-mix sectors worldwide. The reason for this can be mainly found in the fact that the sophisticated compositions are sensitive against changing environments. This lack of robustness can be attributed to the interaction between cement hydration reaction and high range water reducing agent (HRWRA). Understanding the relevant mechanisms that control the initial flow performance as well as the flow retention helps optimizing SCC mixtures that perform either steadily in one specific environment or that perform largely similarly at steadily changing environments. This paper depicts how HRWRAs interact with clinker and hydration phases and discusses the important role of the charge density of a polycarboxylic HRWRA in the way the rheology is affected. Based on rheometric results and observations of the Vicat setting times, it is shown that increasing charge densities of the HRWRA and decreasing water to powder ratios (w/p) reduce the flow retention and have lesser retarding effect on the setting. Based on the discussion, optimization procedures for the mixture composition and the HRWRA modification are suggested to achieve optimized performance for varying environmental situations or highest robustness for specific conditions. T2 - SCC 2013 - 5th North American conference on the design and use of self-consolidating concrete CY - Chicago, IL, USA DA - 12.05.2013 KW - Polycarboxylate KW - Cement hydration KW - Adsorption KW - Mixture composition KW - Environmental conditions PY - 2013 SP - 1 EP - 10 AN - OPUS4-28581 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Schmidt, Wolfram T1 - Challenges of the African environmental conditions for concrete mixture composition T2 - Workshop cement and concrete for Africa (Proceedings) N2 - Concrete technology was exposed to a rapid development during the last three decades. For the longest time in its history, concrete was considered as a three component System consisting of aggregates, which are bound by the hardened cement paste consisting of hydrated cement. Traditionally, the only way of adjusting the consistency of concrete was using well adjusted aggregates and grading curves and adding excess water to the concrete, accepting that the latter in return reduces strength and durability. During the last three decades, however, concrete has developed further from a three component System towards an (at least) five component system, since the use of mineral additions and Chemical admixtures has become state of the art. Both components are able to enhance the workability, the compactability, and the density of the microstructure with effects on strength, ductility and durability, while cement can be saved in parallel. Due to reasonable use of admixtures and additions, concrete can be designed to match mechanically high performance specifications. Traditionally, cement paste was considered the weakest component in concrete. Flowever, in modern concrete a good paste composition can yield highest performance, passing the role of the mechanical bottleneck towards the aggregates. T2 - Workshop cement and concrete for Africa CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 17.08.2011 KW - Cement KW - Concrete KW - Mixture composition KW - Africa KW - Climatic conditions PY - 2011 SN - 978-3-9814281-4-8 SP - 37 EP - 49 PB - Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) CY - Berlin AN - OPUS4-24780 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Werner, Steve A1 - Schmidt, Wolfram A1 - Pirskawetz, Stephan A1 - Rogge, Andreas ED - Khayat, Kamal Henry T1 - Fire spalling of self-compacting concrete mixtures with different limestone powder contents T2 - Proceedings of the 8th RILEM Symposium on Self-Compacting Concrete N2 - Self-compacting concrete typically contains a higher content of powder materials than normal concrete. Furthermore it is assumed that the use of superplasticizers yields a more homogenous microstructure in the hardened paste. Both aspects generate a very dense microstructure, which can be assumed to cause material behaviour that differs from than normal concrete when it is exposed to elevated temperatures. However, the paste volumes in SCC can vary significantly based on the mixture composition. At a low paste volumes SCC can be very similar to normal concrete at hardened state while it can vary greatly at higher paste volumes. Since the high temperature behaviour of concrete is strongly affected by the different physical behaviour of the paste and the aggregates, it is likely that the high temperature behaviour is consequently strongly affected by the ratio of these mixture components. In the present study different SCC mixtures were observed with similar mechanical properties, but with significantly differing paste to aggregate ratios. Based on observations of the heat evolution at the fire exposed surface and at different depths inside the specimens as well as based on photogrammetric observations of the spalled dimensions, the results indicate that with increasing paste volumes the heat conductivity is reduced and as a result concrete with higher paste to aggregate ratios shows less spalling. T2 - 8th RILEM Symposium on Self-Compacting Concrete CY - Washington, USA DA - 15.05.2016 KW - Spalling KW - High temperature behaviour KW - Fire exposure KW - Mixture composition KW - Photogrammetry PY - 2016 SN - 978-2-35158-157-5 SP - 353 EP - 363 PB - RILEM Publications S.A.R.L. CY - Paris, France AN - OPUS4-36873 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schmidt, Wolfram A1 - Brouwers, H.J.H. A1 - Kühne, Hans-Carsten A1 - Meng, Birgit T1 - Influences of superplasticizer modification and mixture composition on the performance of self-compacting concrete at varied ambient temperatures JF - Cement & concrete composites N2 - The fresh behaviour of self-compacting concrete (SCC) at varying temperatures differs from that of normal vibrated concrete. This is because the rheology of SCC depends not only on degree of cement hydration, but also on the adsorption of superplasticizers – mostly polycarboxylate based polymers (PCE) -, which is affected by the time and hydration progress. Due to the variety of PCEs and mixture compositions for SCC a prediction of the rheology at varying temperatures is complicated. The charge densities of PCEs as well as the water to solid ratio in the paste are identified to be the main decisive parameters for robust fresh concrete properties. Rheometric concrete investigations with different SCC mixture compositions and varied anionic charge densities of the PCE were conducted. SCC which is rich in powder components showed robust performance at low temperatures while SCC with low powder content was favourable at high temperatures. High charge density PCE pointed out to be very robust at low temperatures but at high temperatures it significantly reduced the flow retention. Low charge density PCE could not generate self-compacting properties at low temperatures but retained the flow performance over sufficiently long time. Based on considerations about particle interactions and adsorption mechanisms of PCEs, the relevant processes are explained and options for the development of robust mixture compositions for individual temperature ranges are itemised. KW - Polycarboxylate ether KW - Temperature KW - Rheology KW - Mixture composition KW - Self-compacting concrete PY - 2014 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2013.12.004 SN - 0958-9465 SN - 1873-393X VL - 49 SP - 111 EP - 126 PB - Elsevier CY - Barking, Essex AN - OPUS4-30552 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Schmidt, Wolfram A1 - Priebe, Nsesheye Susan A1 - Kühne, Hans-Carsten ED - Uzoegbo, H.C. ED - Schmidt, Wolfram T1 - Rheological optimisation for flowable mixture compositions specified for African boundary conditions T2 - ACCTA - International conference on advances in cement and concrete technology in Africa 2013 (Proceedings) N2 - To date concrete technology is not yet well established in sub-Saharan Africa but considering the construction technological challenges of the region, without doubt, concrete will play a major role in future. The social, economic, and geographic boundary conditions distinguish greatly from those that can be found in many other regions of the world, where concrete is considerably well established. Düring the last decades, concrete technology underwent a rapid evolution process, but in most countries, where concrete is already well established, innovations are difficult to be brought into practice, Africa, currently has the opportunity and potential, of directly establishing the best available practice in concrete technology. The conclusion is drawn that self-compacting concrete (SCC) or highly flowable concrete is a reasonable solution for African construction sites. Since on most African construction sites the disadvantageous concreting environment is the most crucial factor for the concrete quality, the outstanding workability properties outweigh any disadvantages of SCC. Based on this consideration, concepts are developed, how to bring about robust SCC cost-efficiently and reliably into practice as pre-mixed dry compound under consideration of local materials such as rice husk ashes, bagasse ashes, natural pozzolans, cassava starch and lignosulphonate. T2 - ACCTA - International conference on advances in cement and concrete technology in Africa 2013 CY - Johannesburg, South Africa DA - 28.01.2013 KW - Mixture composition KW - Rheology KW - Climatic conditions KW - Admixtures KW - Additions PY - 2013 SN - 978-3-9815360-3-4 N1 - Geburtsname von Priebe, Nsesheye Susan: Msinjili, N. S. - Birth name of Priebe, Nsesheye Susan: Msinjili, N. S. SP - 359 EP - 366 AN - OPUS4-27764 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -