Mixture Proportioning of Steel Fibre Reinforced Self-compacting Concrete Based on the Compressible Packaging Method: Comparison with ACI 237R-07 and RILEM TC 174-SCC Recommendations

Abstract

This work evaluates the production of self-compacting concrete reinforced with steel fiber (SFRSCC). The mix designs concretes were obtained with the compressible packaging method (CPM), the concrete properties found were compared to parameters established for self-compacting concrete in ACI 237R-07 and RILEM TC 174-SCC. Using BetonLab Pro 3 software, 39 concrete mix design were produced. In this process, three classes of compressive strength were tested 20 MPa, 30 MPa and 40 MPa, each one were combined with 3 different types of steel fibers, in contents of 0.0%, 0.5%, 0.75%, 1.0% and 1.5%. Fourteen types of concrete were produced from those mixes, the concretes values of compressive strength where 20 MPa and 40 MPa, with three different types of steel fibers, in the contents of 0.5% and 1.0%. In addition, a reference concrete was produced for each compressive strength class, without fibers, a total of 14 mixtures. All the produced concrete presented the rheological characteristics of a self-compacting concrete, showing the effectiveness of CPM. When comparing all the compositions obtained and the limits cited by ACI and RILEM, the 20 MPa and 30 MPa concretes presented most of the values within the limits proposed by the standards, unlike the 40 MPa concrete compositions that in many parameters did not follow the proportions described in the concrete self-compacting standards. The results showed that, for the materials and conditions used in this research, the values proposed by the standards would serve as a reference for the experimental dosage of SFRSCC only for concretes with compressive strength range of 20 MPa and 30 MPa. In addition, a reference concrete was produced for each compressive strength class, without fibers, a total of 14 mixtures. All the produced concrete presented the rheological characteristics of a self-compacting concrete, showing the effectiveness of CPM. When comparing all the compositions obtained and the limits cited by ACI and RILEM, the 20 MPa and 30 MPa concretes presented most of the values ​​within the limits proposed by the standards, unlike the 40 MPa concrete compositions that in many parameters did not follow the proportions described in the concrete self-compacting standards. The results showed that, for the materials and conditions used in this research, the values ​​proposed by the standards would serve as a reference for the experimental dosage of SFRSCC only for concretes with compressive strength range of 20 MPa and 30 MPa.