Flexural behaviour of high-strength self-compacting concrete (HSSCC) RC beam with 12.5% metakaolin and variations of silica fume

Abstract

High-Strength Self-Compacting Concrete (HSSCC) is a type of concrete with superior mechanical material properties and the capacity to self-compact without using a vibrator. Many innovations have been performed to improve the characteristics of HSSCC. In the previous experimental work, the authors examined the mechanical properties of HSCC with 12.5% metakaolin and 0-15% silica fume as a partial substitute for cement. Since metakaolin and silica fume have smaller particle sizes than cement, they can fill voids between aggregate and increase the concrete density. Further research at the structural level is required to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the effect of partially replacing cement with metakaolin and silica fume. The present study analytically investigates the flexural behaviour of reinforced HSSCC beams using the Response 2000 program. As simulation input data, laboratory-determined mechanical properties of the material were utilized. In this study, five beam models constructed with different material mechanical properties were evaluated and compared to each other in terms of flexural cracking strength, ultimate strength, deflection, and crack patterns.