Properties of self-consolidating concrete made utilizing alternative mineral fillers

Self-consolidating concrete (SCC) is a concrete material possessing an ability to take formwork shapes and pass through congested reinforcement bars without being vibrated, making it a ‘smart concrete’ material. However, the high cost of SCC resulting from the use of mineral fillers and high cement content has been a main factor impeding the widespread use of this smart material. Consequently, there is a need to investigate the use of low cost materials in the production of SCC to ensure adoptability of SCC in concrete construction. This paper presents the results of a study conducted to develop and evaluate the performance of four SCC mixtures using different combinations of filler materials, such as silica fume, natural pozzolana and metakaolin, in conjunction with limestone powder. The developed SCC mixtures exhibited high strength (compressive, tensile, bond and elastic modulus), excellent shrinkage behavior and good durability characteristics (high corrosion resistance and related indices). The findings of this study indicated the possibility of producing cost-effective and high-performance SCC mixtures using the mineral fillers considered in this study.