Investigating Early-Age Strength of High-Strength Concrete Made of High-Strength Cement Paste and High-Grade Aggregates
摘要
High-strength concrete (HSC) with a compressive strength of over 41 MPa improves concrete sustainability, and it is crucial for modern construction of skyscrapers. The strength of HSC depends on the water-to-binder (w/b) ratio, and the type and content of aggregate and admixture. While most studies have investigated the effects of these parameters individually, only a few have explored their combined effects. This study investigates the early-age strength of HSC using locally available high-grade rock-derived aggregates and high-strength cement paste (HSCP). The overall experimental program is divided into two phases: firstly, a HSCP with a w/c ratio of 0.25 was prepared using a triple blend concept with silica fume (SF), fly ash (FA), and high range water reducer (HRWR), and secondly, the optimum HSCP developed in the first phase was used to prepare high-strength cement mortar (HSCM) with the use of river sand (RS) and manufactured sand (MS). Based on the maximum compressive strength results, the optimal content was determined as 6% SF, 7.5% FA, 1% HRWR, 35% RS, and 65% MS. Finally, different grades of HSC such as C50, C60, C70, and C80 were prepared using these optimized constituents and high-grade aggregates from Hornblende-Gneiss rock. The developed HSCs achieved a strength ranging from 86% to 97% within the first 7 days, reaching the 28-day target strength which proved possibility of speed construction and time savings.