The mini-conical slump flow test: Analysis and numerical study

This paper provides a general study on cement paste flow. Both mini-slump and Marsh cone tests are used to evaluate the workability of fresh paste mixtures derived from self compacting concretes. A numerical approach is used to reproduce global flow behavior and to check the accuracy of the obtained viscosity as well as the validity of expressions available in the literature giving yield stress from the final diameter of slumped paste. The computational modeling allows access to local information in order to analyze different regions and corresponding flow types, i.e. falling solid and flowing fresh cementing material mixtures. The limitation of some empirical models allowing the prediction of yield stress τ0 and plastic viscosity μ from mini-slump tests is underlined, conditions of validity are expressed and a new expression is proposed.