HOME ASSIGNMENT

Submitted By Submitted To

Name:-Sudarshan Upreti Siddartha Shankhar

Department Of Civil
Roll:-074MSStE020
Engineering
1.Why RCC is consider as a pioneer construction materials. explain in details ?
Reinforced concrete is a combination of traditional cement concrete with reinforcements
(steel bar). This combination is made to utilize the compressive strength of concrete and tensile
strength of steel simultaneously. In reinforced concrete, the components work together to resist
many types of loading. Concrete resists compression and steel reinforcement resists tension
forces. Reinforced concrete, as an economic building material, is very popular nowadays. It is
widely used in many types building around the world. Because of following advantages RCC is
considered as a pioneer construction material.

a. Reinforced concrete has a high compressive strength compared to other building

materials.
b. Due to the provided reinforcement, reinforced concrete can also withstand a good amount
of tensile stress.
c. Fire and weather resistance of reinforced concrete is fair.
d. The reinforced concrete building system is more durable than any other building system.
e. Reinforced concrete, as a fluid material, in the beginning, can be economically molded
into a nearly limitless range of shapes.
f. The maintenance cost of reinforced concrete is very low.
g. In structures like footings, dams, piers etc. reinforced concrete is the most economical
construction material.
h. It acts like a rigid member with minimum deflection.
i. As reinforced concrete can be molded to any shape required, it is widely used in precast
structural components. It yields rigid members with minimum apparent deflection.
j. Compared to the use of steel in structure, reinforced concrete requires less skilled labor
for the erection of the structure
k. Ingredients of concrete are cheap as it is a mixture of natural products and require
less production cost compared to structural steel or other. Materials
l. Ability to mold into Any shape
m. Efficient use of material (being good in compression only to carry tension steel
reinforcements are embeded)
n. Durable (good fire resistance when compared to structural steel)
o. connections are less complicated compared to structural steel
2. Write history of concrete with refrence to use in civil infrastructure.

Prehistory
Small-scale production of concrete-like materials dates to 6500 BC, pioneered by
the Nabataea traders or Bedouins, who occupied and controlled a series of oases and developed a
small empire in the regions of southern Syria and northern Jordan. They discovered the
advantages of hydraulic lime, with some self-cementing properties, by 700 BC. They
built kilns to supply mortar for the construction of rubble-wall houses, concrete floors, and
underground waterproof cisterns. They kept the cisterns secret as these enabled the Nabataea to
thrive in the desert. Some of these structures survive to this day.

Classical era
In the Ancient Egyptian and later Roman eras, builders re-discovered that adding volcanic ash to
the mix allowed it to set underwater.
German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann found concrete floors, which were made of lime and
pebbles, in the royal palace of Tiryns, Greece, which dates roughly to 1400–1200 BC. Lime
mortars were used in Greece, Crete, and Cyprus in 800 BC. The Assyrian Jerwan Aqueduct (688
BC) made use of waterproof concrete. Concrete was used for construction in many ancient
structures.
The Romans used concrete extensively from 300 BC to 476 AD, a span of more than seven
hundred years. During the Roman Empire, Roman concrete (or opus caementicium) was made
from quicklime, pozzolana and an aggregate of pumice. Its widespread use in many Roman
structures, a key event in the history of architecture termed the Roman Architectural Revolution,
freed Roman construction from the restrictions of stone and brick materials. It enabled
revolutionary new designs in terms of both structural complexity and dimension.
Concrete, as the Romans knew it, was a new and revolutionary material. Laid in the shape
of arches, vaults and domes, it quickly hardened into a rigid mass, free from many of the internal
thrusts and strains that troubled the builders of similar structures in stone or brick
Modern tests show that opus caementicium had as much compressive strength as modern
Portland-cement concrete (ca. 200 kg/cm2 [20 MPa; 2,800 psi]). However, due to the absence of
reinforcement, its tensile strength was far lower than modern reinforced concrete, and its mode
of application was also different:
Modern structural concrete differs from Roman concrete in two important details. First, its mix
consistency is fluid and homogeneous, allowing it to be poured into forms rather than requiring
hand-layering together with the placement of aggregate, which, in Roman practice, often
consisted of rubble. Second, integral reinforcing steel gives modern concrete assemblies great
strength in tension, whereas Roman concrete could depend only upon the strength of the concrete
bonding to resist tension.
The long-term durability of Roman concrete structures has been found to be due to its use
of pyroclastic (volcanic) rock and ash, whereby crystallization of strätlingite and the coalescence
of calcium–aluminum-silicate–hydrate cementing binder helped give the concrete a greater
degree of fracture resistance even in seismically active environments. Roman concrete is
significantly more resistant to erosion by seawater than modern concrete; it used pyroclastic
materials which react with seawater to form Al-tobermorite crystals over time.
The widespread use of concrete in many Roman structures ensured that many survive to the
present day. The Baths of Caracalla in Rome are just one example. Many Roman aqueducts and
bridges, such as the magnificent Pont du Gard in southern France, have masonry cladding on a
concrete core, as does the dome of the Pantheon.

Middle Ages
After the Roman Empire, the use of burned lime and pozzolana was greatly reduced until the
technique was all but forgotten between 500 and the 14th century. From the 14th century to the
mid-18th century, the use of cement gradually returned. The Canal du Midi was built using
concrete in 1670.

Industrial era
Perhaps the greatest step forward in the modern use of concrete was Smeaton's Tower, built by
British engineer John Smeaton in Devon, England, between 1756 and 1759. This third Eddystone
Lighthouse pioneered the use of hydraulic lime in concrete, using pebbles and powdered brick as
aggregate.
A method for producing Portland cement was developed in England and patented by Joseph
Aspdin in 1824. Aspdin chose the name for its similarity to Portland stone, which was quarried
on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. His son William continued developments into the
1840s, earning him recognition for the development of "modern" Portland cement.
Reinforced concrete was invented in 1849 by Joseph Monier and the first house was built
by François Coignet in 1853. The first concrete reinforced bridge was designed and built
by Joseph Monier in 1875.

3 Explain fibre reinforced concrete and self compacting concrete .

Fibre reinforced concrete

Fiber Reinforced Concrete can be defined as a composite material consisting of mixtures of
cement, mortar or concrete and discontinuous, discrete, uniformly dispersed suitable fibers. Fiber
reinforced concrete are of different types and properties with many advantages. Continuous
meshes, woven fabrics and long wires or rods are not considered to be discrete fibers.
Fiber is a small piece of reinforcing material possessing certain characteristics properties. They
can be circular or flat. The fiber is often described by a convenient parameter called “aspect ratio”.
The aspect ratio of the fiber is the ratio of its length to its diameter. Typical aspect ratio ranges
from 30 to 150.
Fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) is concrete containing fibrous material which increases its
structural integrity. It contains short discrete fibers that are uniformly distributed and randomly
oriented. Fibers include steel fibers, glass fibers, synthetic fibers and natural fibers. Within these
different fibers that character of fiber reinforced concrete changes with varying concretes, fiber
materials, geometries, distribution, orientation and densities.
Fibre-reinforcement is mainly used in shotcrete, but can also be used in normal concrete. Fibre-
reinforced normal concrete are mostly used for on-ground floors and pavements, but can be
considered for a wide range of construction parts (beams, pliers, foundations etc) either alone or
with hand-tied rebars
Concrete reinforced with fibres (which are usually steel, glass or “plastic” fibres) is less expensive
than hand-tied rebar, while still increasing the tensile strength many times. Shape, dimension and
length of fibre is important. A thin and short fibre, for example short hair-shaped glass fibre, will
only be effective the first hours after pouring the concrete (reduces cracking while the concrete is
stiffening) but will not increase the concrete tensile strength.

Necessity of Fiber Reinforced Concrete

1. It increases the tensile strength of the concrete.

2. It reduce the air voids and water voids the inherent porosity of gel.
3. It increases the durability of the concrete.
4. Fibres such as graphite and glass have excellent resistance to creep, while the same is
not true for most resins. Therefore, the orientation and volume of fibres have a
significant influence on the creep performance of rebars/tendons.
5. Reinforced concrete itself is a composite material, where the reinforcement acts as the
strengthening fibre and the concrete as the matrix. It is therefore imperative that the
behavior under thermal stresses for the two materials be similar so that the differential
deformations of concrete and the reinforcement are minimized.
6. It has been recognized that the addition of small, closely spaced and uniformly
dispersed fibers to concrete would act as crack arrester and would substantially
improve its static and dynamic properties.
 Self compacting concrete

Self-consolidating concrete is a highly flowable type of concrete that spreads into the form
without the need for mechanical vibration. Self-compacting concrete is a non-segregating
concrete that is placed by means of its own weight. The importance of self-compacting concrete
is that maintains all concrete’s durability and characteristics, meeting expected performance
requirements.

In certain instances the addition of superplasticizers and viscosity modifier are added to the mix,
reducing bleeding and segregation. Concrete that segregates loses strength and results in
honeycombed areas next to the formwork. A well designed SCC mix does not segregate, has
high deformability and excellent stability characteristics

Self-Compacting Concrete Properties

Self-compacting concrete produces resistance to segregation by using mineral fillers or fines and
using special admixtures. Self-consolidating concrete is required to flow and fill special forms
under its own weight, it shall be flowable enough to pass through highly reinforced areas, and
must be able to avoid aggregate segregation. This type of concrete must meet special project
requirements in terms of placement and flow.

Self-compacting concrete with a similar water cement or cement binder ratio will usually have a
slightly higher strength compared with traditional vibrated concrete, due to the lack of vibration
giving an improved interface between the aggregate and hardened paste. The concrete mix of
SCC must be placed at a relatively higher velocity than that of regular concrete. Self-compacting
concrete has been placed at heights taller than 5 meters without aggregate segregation. It can also
be used in areas with normal and congested reinforcement, with aggregates as large as 2 inches.

Self-Compacting Concrete Uses

Self-compacting concrete has been used in bridges and even on pre-cast sections. One of the
most remarkable projects built using self-compacting concrete is the Akashi-Kaikyo Suspension
Bridge. In this project, the SCC was mixed on-site and pumped through a piping system to the
specified point, located 200 meters away. On this particular project, the construction time was
reduced from 2.5 years to 2 years. This type of concrete is ideal to be used in the following
applications:

 Drilled shafts
 Columns
 Earth retaining systems
 Areas with high concentration of rebar and pipes/conduits

Self Compacting Concrete Benefits

Using self-compacting concrete produce several benefits and advantages over regular concrete.
Some of those benefits are:

 Improved constructability.
 Labor reduction.
 Bond to reinforcing steel.
 Improved structural Integrity.
 Accelerates project schedules.
 Reduces skilled labor.
 Flows into complex forms.
 Reduces equipment wear.
 Minimizes voids on highly reinforced areas.
 Produces superior surface finishes.
 Superior strength and durability.
 Allows for easier pumping procedure.
 Fast placement without vibration or mechanical consolidation.
 Lowering noise levels produced by mechanical vibrators.
 Produces a uniform surface.
 Allows for innovative architectural features.

 It is recommended for deep sections or long-span applications.

 Produces a wider variety of placement techniques.

Factors Affecting Self Compacting Concrete

Using self-compacting concrete must not be used indiscriminately. These factors can affect the
behavior and performance of self-compacting concrete:

 Hot weather.
 Long haul distances can reduce flowability of self-compacting concrete.
 Delays on job site could affect the concrete mix design performance.

 Job site water addition to Self-Compacting Concrete may not always yield the expected
increase in flowability and could cause stability problems.

Self-Compacting Concrete Special Considerations

Self-compacting concrete can have benefits and will shorten your construction time. However,
special attention should be focused on:

 A full capacity mixer of self-compacting concrete might not be feasible due to potential
spillage along the road, producing environmental and contamination hazards.
 Formwork should be designed to withstand the fluid concrete pressure that will be higher
than regular concrete.
 Self-Consolidating Concrete may have to be placed in lifts in taller elements.
  Production of SCC requires more experience and care than the conventional vibrated
concrete.

4.Explain the use of admixture in modern concrete.

Admixtures are classed according to function. There are five distinct classes of chemical
admixtures: air-entraining, water-reducing, retarding, accelerating, and plasticizers
(superplasticizers). All other varieties of admixtures fall into the specialty category whose
functions include corrosion inhibition, shrinkage reduction, alkali-silica reactivity reduction,
workability enhancement, bonding, damp proofing, and coloring. Air-entraining admixtures,
which are used to purposely place microscopic air bubbles into the concrete, are discussed more
fully in Air-Entrained Concrete.

Water-reducing admixtures usually reduce the required water content for a concrete mixture by
about 5 to 10 percent. Consequently, concrete containing a water-reducing admixture needs less
water to reach a required slump than untreated concrete. The treated concrete can have a lower
water-cement ratio. This usually indicates that a higher strength concrete can be produced
without increasing the amount of cement. Recent advancements in admixture technology have
led to the development of mid-range water reducers. These admixtures reduce water content by
at least 8 percent and tend to be more stable over a wider range of temperatures. Mid-range water
reducers provide more consistent setting times than standard water reducers.

Retarding admixtures, which slow the setting rate of concrete, are used to counteract the
accelerating effect of hot weather on concrete setting. High temperatures often cause an
increased rate of hardening which makes placing and finishing difficult. Retarders keep concrete
workable during placement and delay the initial set of concrete. Most retarders also function as
water reducers and may entrain some air in concrete.

Accelerating admixtures increase the rate of early strength development, reduce the time
required for proper curing and protection, and speed up the start of finishing operations.
Accelerating admixtures are especially useful for modifying the properties of concrete in cold
weather.

Superplasticizers, also known as plasticizers or high-range water reducers (HRWR), reduce

water content by 12 to 30 percent and can be added to concrete with a low-to-normal slump and
water-cement ratio to make high-slump flowing concrete. Flowing concrete is a highly fluid but
workable concrete that can be placed with little or no vibration or compaction. The effect of
superplasticizers lasts only 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the brand and dosage rate, and is
followed by a rapid loss in workability. As a result of the slump loss, superplasticizers are
usually added to concrete at the jobsite.

Corrosion-inhibiting admixtures fall into the specialty admixture category and are used to slow
corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete. Corrosion inhibitors can be used as a defensive
strategy for concrete structures, such as marine facilities, highway bridges, and parking garages,
that will be exposed to high concentrations of chloride. Other specialty admixtures include
shrinkage-reducing admixtures and alkali-silica reactivity inhibitors. The shrinkage reducers are
used to control drying shrinkage and minimize cracking, while ASR inhibitors control durability
problems associated with alkali-silica reactivity.

If concrete admixtures are used properly then these are very beneficial to concrete. Otherwise
there is no repair for poor quality of concrete mix ingredients.

5. What are the uses of prestress concrete in Nepal?

Dead loads, imposed loads, deformations and load-independent effects such as
temperature changes and shrinkage induces tensile forces in a RC beam. Since the tensile
strength of concrete is low steel reinforcement bars are embedded in the concrete to carry all
internal tensile forces. Prestressed concrete is an advanced form of reinforced concrete. For
practical design applications, reinforced concrete beams are assumed to be cracked during service loads. The
bending moments are resisted by concrete in compression above the cracking zone and reinforcing steel in
tension. This flexural steel cannot prevent the cracking of concrete around the tension region though the
required flexural strength is obtained.
The width of induced crack is proportional to the strain at the level of cracking which is dependent on strain in
the steel. Hence the stress in the steel has to be limited to control and avoid excessive cracking under service
conditions.
Correspondingly, high steel strain will result in large curvature, which will cause large deflection in the
member. The benefit of using higher strength steel or concrete cannot be justified or completely utilized. The
increased strain capacity offered by higher strength steel cannot satisfy serviceability criteria.
For prestressing concrete, steel which can be tensioned with large elastic strains is appropriate. This
necessitates the use of high-strength steel for prestressing.

Five Advantages of Prestressed Concrete are as follows

Controlled or Reduced Cracking
Prestressing process involves application of an initial compressive pre-stress on a structure to minimize or
eliminate the internal tensile forces this will help to control or eliminate cracking.

Stiffer Members
The prestressing force is transferred and sustained by highly tensioned steel reinforcement usually
referred as tendons, reacting on the concrete. This will reduce or eliminate cracking thus a prestressed
concrete section is significantly stiffer than the equivalent cracked reinforced section.

Controlled Deflections
Prestressing will impose internal forces which are of reverse in sign to the external loads and
therefore it will significantly reduce or even eliminate deflection in the member.

Structurally Efficient
Service load behavior of the members are improved with reduced cracking and deflection, thus
the use of high-strength steel reinforcement and concrete becomes economical and structurally
efficient.

Lighter and Longer Members

Compared to RC counterparts, Prestressing results in lighter members, longer spans and increase
in the economy of application of reinforced concrete. Pre stressing provides higher strength to
depth ratios.

Since Nepal lies in V seismic zone and it is also geographically challenged so prestressed
concrete is paramount in construction of prosperous Nepal.