Self-compacting concrete Improvements

As the development of urban areas and the need for sustainable development increases, the use of durable, high quality and strength materials are needed; one of these materials is Self-compacting concrete (SCC). In order to turn normal concrete into SCC, the ratios of large aggregates, like gravel, are reduced in a concrete mix design and more chemical materials and powders are used instead. It is important that the viscosity and plasticity in the fresh concrete mix are balanced; otherwise, there is a probability of uneven distribution of aggregates in the concrete mix. As a result, the quality of the concrete will plunge sharply. To prevent this phenomenon, powders are used in the self-compacting concrete mix design. In this research, three kinds of powders which are the most abundant minerals in the industry are used. It has evaluated the mechanical properties of self-compacting concrete by adding Micro silica powder, Rice husk ash (RHA) and Limestone powder to its mix design and carried different tests both on fresh and hardened concrete to find out whether we can improve concrete¿s strength, durability, and use.