SILICA F U M E CONCRETE STUDIES-

A PROGRESS REPORT

April 1985
Engineering and Research Center

\ L
U. S. Department of the Interior

\Concrete
Bureau of Reclamation
Division of Research and
Laboratory Services
and Structural Branch
LIBRA

Jlll29'f
April 1985
Bureau of Reclar on
Denver, Col~ri Silica Fume Concrete Studies - A Progress Report 6. PERFORMING O R G A N I Z A T I O N CODE

7. A U T H O R ( S I 8. P E R F O R M I N G O R G A N I Z A T I O N
R E P O R T NO.
Fred E. Causey
GR-85-3
I
9. P E R F O R M I N G O R G A N I Z A T I O N NAME AND ADDRESS 110. WORK U N I T NO.

Bureau of Reclamation
Engineering and Research Center
Denver, CO 80225

12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS

0 11. C O N T R A C T OR GRANT NO.

13. T Y P E O F R E P O R T AND P E R I O D
COVERED

I
I
14. SPONSORING AGENCY C O D E
DlBR
15. S U P P L E M E N T A R Y NOTES

Microfiche and/or hard copy available at the Engineering and Research Center, Denver,
Colorado
Editor: RNW (c)
Is.ABSTRACT
Research in the late 1960's showed that the use of silica fume (microsilica) as a partial
replacement for cement in concrete mixes produced a dense concrete with properties su-
perior to those of ordinary portland cement concrete. These properties indicated silica fume
concrete would have a number of advantages when used for the repair of concrete structures.
Tests were performed on some 40 mixes made using silica fume as a replacement for cement
in quantities of 15, 20, and 3 0 percent.
The results of this research program indicated that the following benefits might be achieved
with silica fume portland cement concrete: increased strength, increased freezing and thaw-
ing resistance, improved mix consistency, reduced bleeding, and increased abrasion resist-
ance.
Good concreting practices, especially during curing, must be maintained when using silica
fume or the following may result: increased plastic shrinkage, increased long-term shrinkage,
increased color variations, increased handling and finishing (workability) problems, increased
placing costs, and lower strength.

17. K E Y WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS

0. DESCRIPTORS-- "silica fume/ cements/ portland cement concrete/ 'concrete mixes/
concrete/ "concrete additives/ pozzolanic materials/ concrete tests/ compressive
strength/ tensile strength/ repair materials/ construction materials/ bleeding/ abrasion
resistance/ workability/ shrinkage

b. IDENTIFIERS-- Waterways Experiment Station

c . C O S A T l Field/Group 13C COWRR: 1303 SR IM:

18. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT 19. S E C U R I T Y CLASS kl. NO. O F P A G E
(THIS REPORT)
UNCLASSIFIED 19
20. S E C U R I T Y CLASS 2 2 . PRICE
(THIS PAGE)
UNCLASSIFIED
 SILICA FUME CONCRETE STUDIES -
A PROGRESS REPORT

by
Fred E. Causey

Concrete and Structural Branch

Division of Research and Laboratory Services
Engineering and Research Center
Denver, Colorado

April 1985

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR .k BUREAU OF RECLAMATION

As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the Department of the
Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally owned public
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resources and works to assure that their development is in the best
interests of all our people. The Department also has a major respon-
sibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people
who live in Island Territories under U.S. Administration.

The information contained in this report regarding commercial prod-

ucts or firms may not be used for advertising or promotional purposes
and is not to be construed as an endorsement of any product or firm
by the Bureau of Reclamation.
 CONTENTS

Page

Introduction ...............

Summary and conclusions............................................................................................................ 2

Mix design development.............................................................................................................. 2

Properties.. .. .. .. ...... . ..................... .. . . .... ... . ....... ........ . 5

Compressive strength testing, "" modulus of elasticity, """ and Poisson's ratio 5
"""'"''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Silica fume mix of 30 percent............................................................................................... 5
Silica fume mixes of 20 and 15 percent................................................................................. 5
Tensile tests ... 6
Shear bond tests..................................................................................................................... 6
Thermal tests . 6
Abrasion tests......................................................................................................................... 7
Shrinkage ........... 7
Durability tests........................................................................................................................ 7

Bibliography ,... 7

TABLES
Table

1 Silica fume composition.................................................................................................. 9

2 Silica fume concrete mix design....................................................................................... 10
3 Aggregate gradation....................................................................................................... 12
4 Compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, and Poisson' s ratio....................................... 12
5 Tensile strength tests..................................................................................................... 12
6 Shear bond tests on 15 percent silica fume, non-air-entrained concrete.............................. 13
7 Thermal tests on 15 percent silica fume, non-air-entrained concrete.................................. 13
8 Concrete mix design for conventional concrete abrasion test specimen.............................. 13
9 Abrasion tests............................................................................................................... 13
10 Freezing and thawing tests.............................................................................................. 14

FIGURES
Figure

Typical compressive stress-strain curve for a 20-percent silica fume, non-air-entrained

specimen . ... ..... .. . .,... . . . . .. .. .. . .... ..... 15
2 """'" stress-strain curve
Typical direct tensile "'" for a""'"30-percent """ silica fume, air-entrained ""
specimen. . . . . . . .....,... . . . . .. 16
3 The 20-percent silica "'" fume, non-air-entrained
"'" "'"
specimen "'"
after ""'" in the
72 hours
Waterways Experiment Station abrasion-erosion equipment........................................... 17
4 Cure shrinkage for a 30-percent silica fume mix................................................................ 18
5 Cure shrinkage for a 30-percent silica fume mix with curing compound.............................. 19

Hi
 INTRODUCTION

In recent years, there has been considerable interest in improving the properties of concrete by
incorporating various pozzolanic materials in the concrete mix. One of these materials, silica fume,
has been receiving much attention because of its favorable contributions to portland cement
concrete properties.

Silica fume is a byproduct from the production of ferrosilicon and silicon metal in an electric arc
furnace. This byproduct is usually composed of more than 90 percent silicon dioxide and may
contain traces of other oxides, depending on the furnace charge and the silicon metal being
produced.

Initial investigations ofthe use of silica fume in concrete were conducted in the 1-950's and 1960's,
but most of the actual mix design work and the use of silica fume in concrete were not started
until 1969. The Norwegians have been the most active in the development of silica fume concrete.

Silica fume particles are very small. Malhotra [1]* gives a fineness of 20 000 m2jkg. Chatterji [2]
points out: "From the specific gravities and specific surfaces of silica fumes and portland cement,
it can be shown that around each grain of portland cement there are about 100 000 grains of
silica-fume."

In much of the literature, test results of silica fume concrete have been compared as though silica
fume is of uniform composition. However, producers of silica fume and reports on silica fume
concrete state that the Si02 (silicon dioxide) content in silica fume varies from plant to plant
(table 1). It is important to work with a material that has a consistent chemical composition,
fineness, and reactivity because variations in compositions may cause problems that affect the
mix design, production process, and control procedures. Composition variations also can affect
the degree of compactibility, the amount of water required, the workability of the mix, and the
color of the concrete.

How silica fume reacts in portland cement concrete is still being studied, and the chemistry of the
reaction is still being debated. Nevertheless, it is safe to say that proper proportioning of silica
fume, portland cement, HRWRA (high range water-reducing admixture). and concrete aggregate
produces a concrete with excellent properties. Compressive strengths over 15 000 Ibjin2
(103 MPa) have been reported as well as excellent abrasion and freezing and thawing resistance.

.Numbers in brackets refer to the Bibliography.

1
Because of favorable reports on silica fume concrete, a study of its properties was started in July
1983. With the thought of using silica fume concrete as a repair material (overlays and patches),
a mix design was developed using 3j4-in (19.0-mm) MSA (maximum size aggregate). Some 40
mixes were made to develop suitable proportioning of the various ingredients. The silica fume
concrete mixes needed good workability and placement characteristics - near those of portland
cement concrete mixes. Several silica fume contents were selected to develop a highly abrasion-
resistant repair material.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

1. The addition of silica fume to portland cement concrete mixes yields high compressive
strengths, near 15 000 Ibjin2 (103 MPa); tensile strengths, over 600 Ibjin2 (4.14 MPa); and shear
bond strengths, over 990 Ibjin2 (6.83 MPa).

2. Freezing and thawing resistance appears to be improved by the addition of silica fume, with
a near zero mass loss after 1400 cycles. In the specimens tested, there were no significant
differences in weight loss between air-entrained and non-air-entrained silica fume concrete.

3. Silica fume, when added to portland cement concrete, provides the following benefits when
good concreting practices (especially during curing) are used:
Increased strength
Increased freezing and thawing resistance
Increased abrasion resistance

4. If good concreting practices are not observed, the following may result:
Increased drying shrinkage
Increased color variations
Increased handling (workability) problems
Increased placing cost
Lower strength gains

5. The use of an HRWRA is recommended to produce a workable mix and to control drying
shrinkage.

MIX DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

An important factor in the production of high quality concrete is a low water to cementitious
materials ratio. Concrete containing fairly large amounts of silica fume (15 to 30 percent by weight

2
of cement) requires a relatively high proportion of water to maintain adequate workability and
surface finishing characteristics, yet has a decided tendency to warp or crack from drying shrinkage
if large amounts of water are added to the mix. It, therefore, appears essential to use an HRWRA
to produce a high quality concrete having good workability and to control drying shrinkage. With
an HRWRA, the water to cementitious materials ratio can be held to below 0.4.

A standard 3j4-in (19.0-mm) MSA portland cement concrete repair mix was used as a starting
point. Silica fume was added to the concrete mix as a percent of the portland cement content.
Because a mix containing silica fume requires more water to develop a workable mix, an
HRWRA was added to reduce the water requirement. A small change in the ratio of HRWRA to
cement in a silica fume mix has significant impact on the slump. Silica fume also reduces the setting
time of the mix; therefore, a set-retarding admixture was used to increase the working time of
the mix. Concrete mixes were made with and without an AEA (air-entraining agent). Concrete
mixes with an AEA were designed to obtain the 6 percent entrained air which is recommended
for freeze-thaw resistant conventional portland cement concrete with a 3j4-in MSA.

The following materials were used:

silica fume Reynolds Metal

portland cement Type II (laboratory blend)
HRWRA W. R. Grace, D-19
water-reducing Sika Plastiment, type D
set-retarding
admixture
AEA 5 percent vinsol resin
aggregate local natural aggregate (Clear Creek)

Because saving time means saving money, efforts were made to minimize the mixing time. Several
mixes were made to develop a mixing sequence that would produce a workable mix with the
desired properties. The mix procedure developed is as follows:

1. Add set retardant and HRWRA to the mix water.

2. Add mix water containing set retarding admixture and HRWRA to the mixer.

3. Add prebatched aggregate, cement, and silica fume. Silica fume should be added early in
the mixing process to ensure proper wetting and good dispersion through the mix.

3
 4. Mix for 3 minutes.

5. Wait 2 minutes to avoid false set and to ensure good wetting of aggregate, cement, and
silica fume.

6. Add AEA if desired.

7. Mix for 2 minutes.

Three-quarter-inch (19.0-mm, table 3) MSA was used for mixes containing 15,20, and 30 percent
silica fume, with and without AEA. These mixes are shown in table 2. Six percent air in the 30-
percent silica fume mix was not achieved, and additional development work is planned using AEA
to see if this mix can be made. The use of AEA increases the workability and slump; thus, water
requirements may be reduced. Using AEA in conjunction with an HRWRA increases slump. This
can be seen when comparing the slumps measured for the mixes in table 2. Reducing the water
lowers the WIC (water-cement ratio), thus increasing the compressive strength. However, in-
creasing the air content reduces the compressive strength [3]; therefore, air entrainment of the
concrete results in a tradeoff.

In proportioning silica fume concrete mixes, the following points should be considered:

1. It may be desirable to increase the ratio of coarse aggregate to fine sand, depending on
the amount of silica fume used in the mix.

2. Silica fume reduces the workability of the mix. To achieve normal workability the slump
should be increased by 3/4 to 1-1/4 in (19 to 30 mm).

3. The use of silica fume increases the water requirement, and the use of an HRWRA is
beneficial.

Unless good concreting practices are used, the following detrimental effects may result when
silica fume is used.

1. Increased drying shrinkage which may lead to cracking problems.

2. Color variations

4
 3. Handling and finishing problems

4. Increased placement cost

PROPERTIES

When properly designed and placed, silica fume produces a high quality concrete. Silica fume
concrete is of interest as it has a high early strength development, high ultimate strength, good
abrasion resistance and good resistance to freeze-thaw action. In laboratory studies, 28-day com-
pressive strengths over 14 000 Ibjin2 (97 MPa) were easily obtained using silica fume with normal
amounts of portland cement (table 4).

A variety of tests were performed to evaluate silica fume concrete as a construction and repair
material. Data from these tests are shown in tables 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.

Compressive Strength Testing, Modulus of Elasticity, and Poisson's Ratio

Silica fume concrete shows good compressive strength properties. Specimens had compressive
strengths ranging from 10000 to over 14000 Ibjin2 (70 to 98 MPa) (table 4). Compressive
strength testing was performed in accordance with ASTM C 39-81, and elastic properties were
determined according to ASTM C 469-81 .

Silica fume mix of 30 percent. - Six percent air content was not achieved in the 30-percent silica
fume air-entrained mix; only 2.8 percent air content was attained. Seven-day compressive
strengths of 3- by 6-in (75- by 150-mm) cylinders were 10080 Ibjin2 (69.5 MPa) for the non-air-
entrained specimens and 8570 Ibjin2 (59.0 MPa) for the air-entrained specimens. The 28-day
compressive strengths of the 6- by 12-in (150- by 300-mm) cylinders (both the air-entrained and
the non-air-entrained specimens) exceeded the capacity of the 400 OOO-ib (1800-kN) testing ma-
chine. The static modulus of elasticity was about 5 X 1061bjin2 (34.5 GPa) for both the air-entrained
and the non-air-entrained 6- by 12-in specimens.

Silica fume mixes of 20 and 15 percent. - Air-entraining was successful with both the 20- and the
15-percent silica fume mixes. The 7-day compressive strength of a 15-percent silica fume, 3- by
6-in non-air-entrained specimen was 7940 Ibjin2 (54.7 MPa). No 7-day compressive strengths
were measured for 20 percent air-entrained or non-air-entrained, or 15 percent air-entrained spec-
imens. The 28-day compressive strength for the 20-percent silica fume, 6- by 12-in, non-air-

5
entrained specimen exceeded the capacity of the 400 OOO-ib (1800-kN) testing machine. The 28-
day compressive strength of the 15-percent silica fume, non-air-entrained specimen was 13 880
Ibjin2 (95.7 MPa). The 28-day compressive strengths for air-entrained specimens were 11 250
Ibjin2 (77.5 MPa) and 10570 Ibjin2 (72.8 MPa) for the 15 and 20 percent specimens, respectively.
The static moduli of elasticity for the 15 and the 20 percent silica fume specimens (air-entrained
and non-air-entrained) were all about 5 x 106 Ibjin2 (34.5 GPa).

A complete summary of 28-day compressive tests is shown in table 4. Figure 1 shows a typical
compressive stress-strain curve for a non-air-entrained, 20-percent, 6- by 12-in specimen. Pois-
son's ratio, the ratio of lateral to axial strain, is about 0.20 for this curve and was about this value
for each silica fume concrete mix tested.

Tensile Strength Tests

Tensile strength testing was performed on 3- by 6-in (75- by 150-mm) cylinders by both the
splitting tensile strength method (ASTM C 496-79) and the direct tensile strength method. Table
5 shows that the splitting tensile strengths were higher than the direct tensile strengths for all
silica fume contents tested, with little difference between the tensile strengths for the various
silica fume contents. Generally, the non-air-entrained specimens showed slightly higher strengths
than the air-entrained specimens. The static moduli of elasticity from the direct tensile tests were
about the same for all silica fume contents and about the same as the compressive static moduli
of elasticity. The Poisson's ratios varied considerably because the stresses were very low, and
the lateral strain does not show a smooth relationship to the stress in the low ranges. Figure 2
shows a typical direct tensile stress-strain to failure curve for an air-entrained, 30-percent silica
fume specimen.

Shear Bond Tests

Shear bond tests were made on 2-in (50-mm) diameter cores drilled from 1-ft (300-mm) square
concrete slabs, which were overlaid with 15 percent silica fume, non-air-entrained concrete. A
cement slurry was used for a bond coat. Specimens were tested at 56 days, and the average
shear bond strength was 990 Ibjin2 (6.83 MPa) (table 6).

Thermal Tests

Coefficient of thermal expansion tests were performed on 2- by 4-in (50- by 100-mm) cylinders
made from 15 percent silica fume, non-air-entrained concrete. These tests (table 7) showed the

6
coefficient of thermal expansion to be 4.73 X 10-6 in/in per of (8.51 X 10.6 m/m per °c). This is
near the average value for portland cement concrete, which varies from 3.80 to 5.50 X 10.6
in/in per of (6.84 to 9.90 X 10.6 m/m per °c).

Abrasion Tests

Silica fume concrete showed excellent abrasion resistance. Tests were performed using apparatus
and procedures similar to those of the Corps of Engineers, WES (Waterways Experiment Station)
[4]. The control mix shown in table 8 was used for comparison. The mixes that were non-air-
entrained showed better abrasion resistance than the air-entrained mixes, and all of the mixes
showed much better abrasion resistance than the control concrete. Complete abrasion-resistance
data are shown in table 9. Figure 3 shows the 30-percent silica fume, non-air-entrained specimen
after 72 hours of testing in the WES equipment. The wear pattern shown was typical for all
specimens.

Shrinkage

Silica fume concrete shows more drying shrinkage than conventional portland cement concrete
[5]. Tests were conducted using the DuPont shrinkage gauge for curing shrinkage of cementitious
materials [6J. Figure 4 shows the shrinkage of a 30-percent silica fume mix that was cured in a
laboratory at 73 OF(22.8 °c) and varying humidity. Figure 5 shows the shrinkage for a mix with a
curing compound to reduce drying shrinkage. These results show the importance of good curing.

Durability Tests

The durability tests for freezing and thawing were conducted according to USBR 4666-84 "Pro-
cedure for Resistance of Concrete to Rapid Freezing and Thawing." Data are not yet available on
the sulfate resistance testing. In the freezing and thawing tests, silica mixes with and without AEA
showed excellent durability (table 10).

BIBLIOGRAPHY

[1] Malhotra, V. M., and G. G. Carette, "Silica Fume," Concrete Construction, pp. 443-446, May 1982.

[2] Chatterji, S., N. Thaulow, and P. Christensen, "Pozzolanic Activity of By-Product Silica-Fume from Ferro-
Silicon Production," Cement and Concrete Research, vol. 12, pp. 781-784, 1982.

[3] Concrete Manual, 8th ed., rev., Bureau of Reclamation, p. 133, U. S. Government Printing Office, Wash-
ington, D.C., 1981.

7
 [4] "Test Method for Abrasion-Erosion Resistance of Concrete (Underwater)," CRD-C 63-80, Corps of
Engineers' Handbook for Concrete and Cement, December 1980.
[5] Jahren, P., "Use of Silica Fume in Concrete," Fly Ash, Silica Fume, Slag and Other Mineral By-Products
in Concrete, vol. II. ACI SP-79.

[6] Causey, F. E., "Electronic Gage to Measure Cure Shrinkage of Fast Setting Polymeric and Other Ce-
mentitious Materials," Bureau of Reclamation Report No. GR-83-10, Denver, CO, December 1983.

~.

8
 Table 1. - Silica fume composition.

Si02 in U.S. Silica Fume 1

Producer Percent Si02

Ohio Fern Alloys 93

Interlake, Inc.
Selma, Alabama Plant 96
Beverly, Ohio Plant 86 - 92
Hanna Mining 93
SKW Alloys 85 - 90
Reynolds Metals 98

Silica Fume Composition for Various Countries [5}

Components Australia U.S. and Canada Norway
percent percent percent

Si02 88.60 63.30 - 98.00 86 - 98

AI203 2.44 0.10 - 5.40 0.1 - 0.6
Fe203 2.56 0.10 - 12.20 0.02 - 1.0
C 3.00 1.75 - 10.00 0.8 - 3.0

, Based on unpublished data, Corps of Engineers.

9
 Table 2. - Silica fume concrete mix design.

15 Percent Silica Fume - No AEA 1

Quantitiesper 1 yd3 (0.76 m3)

Air HRWRA Water Cement Silica fume Sand Gravel Total

Wt (Ib) 1% 32.4 195 608 91 1352 1871 4149

Vol. (ft3) 0.27 0.43 3.12 3.09 0.66 8.24 11.19 27.00

Wt (kg) 1% 14.7 88.5 276 41.3 613 849 1882

Vol. (m3) 0.01 0.01 0.09 0.09 0.01 0.23 0.32 0.76

W/(C + S.F.) = 0.33

Measured values
Unit weight 154.2 Ib/ft3 (2467 kg/m3)
Air 0.3%
Slump 0.5 in (13 mm)

15 Percent Silica Fume - With AEA

Quantities per 1 yd3 (0.76 m3)

Air HRWRA Water Cement Silica fume Sand Gravel Total

Wt (Ib) 6% 30.7 185 575 86 1297 1767 3940

Vol. (ft3) 1.62 0.41 2.96 2.92 0.62 7.90 10.57 27.00

Wt (kg) 6% 13.9 83.9 261 39.0 588 801 1787

Vol. (m3) 0.05 0.01 0.08 0.08 0.01 0.22 0.30 0.76

W/(C + SF) = 0.33

Measured values
Unit weight 147.7 Ib/ft3 (2363 kg/m3)
Air 6%
Slump 6 in (150 mm)

20 Percent Silica Fume - No AEA

Quantities per 1 yd3 (0.76 m3)

Air HRWRA Water Cement Silica fume Sand Gravel Total

Wt (Ib) 1% 27.2 202 598 120 1351 1840 4154

Vol. (ft3) 0.27 0.36 3.24 3.04 0.86 8.23 11.00 27.00

Wt (kg) 1% 12.3 91.6 271 54 613 855 1884

Vol. (m3) 0.01 0.01 0.09 0.09 0.01 0.23 0.31 0.76

W/(C + SF) = 0.32

Measured values

Unit weight not measured

Air 0.5%
Slump 0.5 in (13 mm)

10
 Table 2. - Silicafume concrete mix design - Continued.

20 Percent Silica Fume With AEA

Quantities per 1 yd3 (0.76 m3)

Air HRWRA Water Cement Silica fume Sand Gravel Total

Wt (lb) 6% 30.9 193 566 113 1276 1740 3919

Vol. (ftJ) 1.62 0.41 3.09 2.88 0.82 778 10.40 27.00

Wt (kg) 6% 14.0 87 256 51 579 789 1777

Vol. (m3) 0.05 0.01 0.09 0.08 0.01 22.0 0.29 0.76

W/(C + S.F.) = 0.33

Measured values
Unit weight 145.0 Ib/h3 (2320 kg/m3)
Air 6.2%
Slump 9 in (230 mm)

30 Percent Silica Fume - No AEA

Quantities Per 1 yd3 (0. 76 m3)
Air HRWRA Water Cement Silica fume Sand Gravel Total

Wt (lb) 1% 30.8 209 580 174 1310 1803 4107

Vol. (h3) 0.27 0.41 3.35 2.95 1.26 7.98 10.78 27.00

Wt (kg) 1% 14.0 95 263 79 594 818 1862

Vol. (m3) 0.01 0.01 0.09 0.08 0.03 0.23 0.31 0.76

W/(C + S.F.) = 0.32

Measured values
Unit weight 154.8 Ib/h3 (2477 kg/m3)
Air 0.9%
Slump 0.75 in (19 mm)

30 Percent Silica Fume With AEA

Quantities Per 1 yd3 (0.76 m3)

Air HRWRA Water Cement Silica fume Sand Gravel Total

Wt (Ib) 6.0% 29.3 199 552 166 1249 1702 3897

Vol. (ftJ) 1.62 0.39 3.19 2.81 1.20 7.61 10.18 27.00

Wt (kg) 6.0% 13.2 90 250 75 566 772 1766

Vol. (m3) 0.04 0.01 0.09 0.07 0.03 0.22 0.28 0.76

W/(C + SF) = 0.32

Measured values
Unit weight 147.0 Ib/h3 (2352 kg/m3)
Air 2.8%
Slump 7.5 in (190 mm)
, Air was estimated at 1.0% for non-air-entrained mix design. HRWRA (high range water-reducing admixture) contains 41 % solids.
Sand contains 1% water and gravel contains 0.1 % water. AEA is air-entraining admixture. Each mix also contained a water-reducing
set-retarding admixture which was added in in increments corresponding to 697 cm3 1 yd3.

11
 Table 3. - Aggregate gradation

Sieve designations % by weight

3/8 to 3A inch 9.5 to 19 mm 32.0
No.4 to 3..11
inch 4.75 to 9.5 mm 26.0
No.8 to NO.4 2.36 to 4.75 n1m 6.3
No. 16 to No.8 1.18 to 2.36 mm 6.3
No. 30 to No. 16 600j.Jm to 1.18 mm 10.5
No. 50 to No. 30 300 to 500 j.Jm 10.5
No. 100 to No. 50 150 to 300 j.Jm 2.1

Table 4. - Compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, and Poisson's ratio.

Compressive strength Modulus

(28-day) of elasticity Poisson's
Mix ratio
Ib/in2 MPa Ib/in2 x 106 GPa

15 percent silica fume

No AEA 13 880 95.70 5.21 35.9 0.20
w/AEA 11 250 77.57 4.75 32.8 0.19

20 percent silica fume

No AEA *14330 98.80 5.38 37.1 0.20
w/AEA 10570 72.88 4.92 34.0 0.20

30 percent silica fume

No AEA * 14 330 92.80 5.00 34.5 0.19
w/AEA * 14 330 98.80 5.43 37.4 0.20

* Strength of specimen exceeded maximum capacity of the testing machine. Specimen did not fail.

Test results are for single, 6- by 12-in (150- by 300-mm) cylindrical specimens at 28 days' age.

Table5. - Tensilestrength tests.

Tensile Strength
Mix Modulus Poisson's
Splitting Direct of elasticity ratio
Ib/in2 MPa Ib/in2 MPa Ib/in2 x 106 GPa

15 percent silica fume

No AEA 625 4.31 535 3.69 5.25 36.2 0.16
w/AEA 541 3.73 452 3.12 5.53 38.1 0.25

20 percent silica fume

No AEA 634 4.37 503 3.47 5.47 37.7 0.12
w/AEA 628 4.33 617 4.25 5.20 35.8 0.22

30 percent silica fume

No AEA 623 4.30 519 3.58 4.68 32.3 0.10
w/AEA 632 4.38 494 3.41 4.72 32.5 0.11

All tests performed on 3- by 6-in (75- by 150-mm) cylindrical specimens at 28 days' age. Splitting strength results are
average of three specimens; direct strength results are for single specimens.

12
 Table 6. - Shear bond tests on 15 percent silica fume, non-air-entrained concrete.

Specimen No. Strength Age

Ib/in2 MPa days

052584-15-1 826 5.70 56

052584-15-2 1148 7.92 56
052584-15-3 998 6.88 56
-
Mean 991 6.83

Table 7. - Thermal tests on 15 percent silica fume, non-air-entrained concrete.

Specimen No. Temperature range Coefficient of thermal expansion

OF in/in per of m/m per °C
°C

2 x 4C-15 35 to 90 2 to 32 4.73 X 10-6 8.51 X 10-6

Table 8. - Concrete mix design, for conventional concrete abrasion test specimen.

Quantities per 1 yd3 (0.76 m3)

Air Water Cement Sand Gravel Total
Wt (lb) 6.5% 270 611 1236 1688 3805
Vol. (ft3) 1.76 4.33 3.08 7.49 10.34 27.00

Wt (kg) 6.5% 122 277 560 765 1726

Vol. (m3) 0.05 0.12 0.09 0.21 0.29 0.76

Table 9. - Abrasion tests (percent weight loss). 1

15 percent silica fume 20 percent silica fume 30 percent silica fume

Conventional
Time concrete no AEA w/AEA no AEA w/AEA no AEA w/AEA
h mix mix mix mix mix mix mix
12 2.81
24 5.58 0.84 1.33 0.79 1.52 0.53 0.79
36 7.37
48 9.07 1.35 2.55 1.57 3.04 1.15 1.52
60
72 2.04 3.68 2.10 4.27 1.64 2.25

1
The abrasion is performed in accordance with CRD-C 63-80, Corps of Engineers, and is percent weight loss.
2
Losses were so small for 12-hour intervals that specimens were tested for 24-hour intervals.
3
Test stopped after 48 hours.

13
 Table 10. - Freezing and thawing tests.

Specimen identification Cycles Percent weight change

15 percent silica fume

No AEA 1400 -0.10
w/AEA 1400 -0.32
20 percent silica fume
No AEA 1400 -0.01
w/AEA 1400 -0.10

30 percent silica fume

No AEA 1400 -0.11
w/AEA 1400 +0.05

14
 15

14 2000
.
/ Lateral strain
13

12 .
/ 1800

II
.
/ 1600

10
.
/ 1400

0
a..
9

8
/ 1200, C\oI
c:

......
01
(/)
(/)
w
a::
I-
7
~/ 1000
..0

en
(/)
lLI
en a::
6 I-
(/)
800
5 I
4 600

2
I 400

200

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
STRA IN. f'm/m, fLin/in
Figure 1. - Typical compressive stress-strain curve for a 20-percent silica fume, non-air-entrained specimen.
 3.5
500
Lateral strain

3.0

1 400

2.5
.;
,
c 2.0 300 N
a. c
::!: .......

en
~en J
I.LJ en
a:: en
......
I- 1.5 w
0') en a::
q 200 I-
en
/.
./
1.0 I.
./
\. 100

.5 II

n
I
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
STRA I N, fLm/m, fLin/in

Figure 2. - Typical direct tensile stress-strain curve for a 3D-percent silica fume, air-entrained specimen.
F~gure3. - The 20-percent s~licafume, non-air-entrained specimen after 72 hours in the Waterways Experiment Station abrasion-
erosion equipment.
 .50

.45

.40

.35

~ .30
w
~
<X
~ .25
z
a: . . .- Probe A
. "
/- --.--
......
00 I
(/)
.20
Probe B
/-
.15 .
/
-
.10
I
.
.05
/
.
0.00
0 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80
T I ME (HOURS)

Figure 4. - Cure shrinkage for a 30-percent silica fume mix.

 .250

.225

.200

.175

.150

~0
.125
w
<.=>
<t
::r:: .100
Z
...... -
a::
c.o
:I:
(/) .075

.050

.025
e.,.., e_e-
-.--- .-
~.~. -e- e
.000
e ,e
".--e-- e----
-.025

-.050
G1
1]
0
0>
0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150
.. TI ME (HOURS)
...
I
'"
Figure 5. - Cure shrinkage for a 3D-percent silica fume mix with curing compound.
'"
.
 Mission of the Bureau of Reclamation

The Bureau o f Reclamation of the US. Department of the Interior is

responsible for the development and conservation of the Nation's
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