To optimize the main components of reactive powder concrete (RPC) for various curing methods, based on the fluidity and compressive strength, an inclusive experimental research is conducted on 58 different mixture ratios. The results indicate that owing to the increase of the cement strength, the RPC fluidity decreases and the cement strength is not proportional to the compressive strength. The addition of the fly ash and the nano-microbead is an effective way to improve the fluidity, and it is required at the low W/B ratio. However, the influence of the SF grade on the strength and fluidity is almost negligible. By considering the fluidity, strength, and economy of RPC as crucial design factors, SF90 is suggested. The contribution of the steel fiber to the compressive strength cannot be ignored. The upper envelope value of the steel fibers is required for the structure to resist appropriately against the fire. According to the test results, the mixture ratio formula is proposed through considering the characters of different compositions and curing methods. The strength coefficient k1 is introduced to verify the influence of the steel fiber content, and the parameters fb, αa, and αb in the formula are reevaluated. A reasonably good agreement between the calculated strength and those obtained from the tests is reported, except for the case of W/B = 0.16 with P.O.52.5 cement. The basic steps for preparations of different RPC strengths are given, which provide a valuable reference to choose appropriate raw materials and mixture ratio design for different strength values.
A Study on Optimum Mixture Ratio of Reactive Powder Concrete