Compressive strength properties of hyper-compacted concrete

The most important property of a concrete mix is concrete workability, i.e., the ability of the mixture to spread and take a given form while maintaining solidity and uniformity. The main influence on the workability of the concrete mixture is exerted by water consumption and, in part, cement consumption. Workability is determined by the mobility of the concrete mixture at the time of filling the mold and plasticity, i.e., the ability to deform without breaking the continuity. In the process of vibrating and pressing the concrete mixture placed in the mold, the total volume of the mixture changes until the pressure is balanced by the resistance forces. Deformation of concrete mix or, more precisely, freshly laid concrete with any compaction methods, including vibration compaction, is divided into elastic (reversible) and residual (irreversible). Residual deformations during vibration compaction occur as a result of water squeezing out and redistribution of aggregate fractions. Permanent deformation is part of the total. Its value at the same composition of the concrete mixture depends on the shape and size of the pressed sample. At the same time, it is noteworthy that after reaching a certain pressure, only elastic deformations will be characteristic of the freshly laid concrete mixture. So, A.D. Nikitin, in the course of the experiments, found that at a pressure of 2.2 MPa, the elastic moduli of the components of the concrete mixture have the following values: for cement paste - 0.16 · 104 MPa, aggregate - 4.5 · 104 MPa and air - 3 MPa ... After reaching a static pressure of 2.2 MPa, the compressible mixture showed only elastic deformation. This indicates that by the time the specified pressure was reached, the relative movement of the aggregates had ended, i.e., they are located most compactly.