REACTIVE POWDER CONCRETE

REACTIVE POWDER CONCRETE
INTRODUCTION:- Reactive powder concrete (RPC) is advanced cement based

material, which originally developed in the early 1990s by Bouygues’
Laboratory in France. RPC possess ultra-high static and dynamic strength, high
fracture capacity, low shrinkage and excellent durability under severe condition.
The microstructure of RPC is optimized by precise gradation of all particles in the
mix to yield maximum compactness. With these merits, RPC has a great potential
prospect in the protective shelter of military engineering and nuclear waste
treatment, which has received significant concerns from experts across the word.
However, the high cost, complex fabrication technique and high energy demand of
RPC severely limit its commercial development and application in the practical
engineering.
IS RPC A MORTAR OR CONCRETE AND WHY?:-In fact, it is not a

concretebecause there is no coarse aggregate in the cement mixture. The absence
ofcoarse aggregate was considered by the inventors to be a key-aspect for
themicrostructure and the performance of the RPC (in order to reduce
theheterogeneity between the cement matrix and the aggregate. However, due to
theuse of very fine sand instead of ordinary aggregate, the cement factor of the
RPCis as high as 900-1000 kg/m3. This unusual cement factor could increase
dryingshrinkageand creep strain of the RPC with respect to ordinary concrete
withcement factor usually in the range of 300-500 kg/m3.
WHY RPC IS CALLED REACTIVE POWDER CONCRETE ?:-

Owing to the fineness of silica fume and the increased quantity of hydraulically
active components, it has been called Reactive Powder Concrete.
BASIC PRINCIPLE:-RPC concept is based on the principle that a material with a

minimum of defects such as micro cracks and inside voids will be able to realize
greater load carrying capacity and greater durability. The reinforcement involved
in RPC technology makes it possible to create more homogeneous cement based
material by reducing the differences between cement and aggregate. This results in
a concrete product with properties which, in the past, have been reserved for the
metals and allows for the design of new products and structures using concrete.
NEED FOR PRESENT STUDY:-With growing populations in developing areas of

the world, such as Pakistan, India ,Bangladesh and with the decay of existing
infrastructure in developed nations, such as the United States (US) and in Europe
the need for new materials with improved properties, which can provide higher
performance, is as imperative now as ever. Advanced cementitious composites,
which include fibres and particulate matter along with advanced chemical
admixtures and complex binary, tertiary and even quaternary cement blends
represent a growing proportion of the concrete being used and possibly the future
norm.
 Very few investigations reported on stress-strain behaviour of UHPC,

Modelling has not been done.
 Effect of different parameters on stress-strain characteristics have not been

investigated in detail and toughness index in compression has not reported.
 Still RPC is costly as compared to other concretes .Research work is
required to investigate and decrease the cost.
COMPOSITION:- RPC is able to obtain its improved properties by using a very

dense mix, consisting of fine particles and fibers.
 Low w/cm ratio : 0.16 to 0.24 (as low as 0.13)
 Type 20M (like type II) Portland cement (no C3A )
 Silica fume (25% by weight)
 Water
 High dosages of super plasticizer
 Fine quartz sand (150-600μm)
 Steel fibers (2.5-10% by volume)
 No rebar needed!
 Cured in steam bath for 48 hrs @ 190ºF (88ºC) after initial set, placed under
pressure at the molding stage
PREVIOUS RESEARCH ON COMPOSITION:-The RPC previous research

program was conducted with the application of the following basic
Principles:
 Enhancement of homogeneity by elimination of coarse aggregates;

 Enhancement of compacted density by optimization of the granular mixture,
and application of pressure before and during setting.
 Enhancement of the microstructure by post-set heat-treating;
 Enhancement of ductility by incorporating small-sized steel fibers;
 Maintaining mixing and casting procedures as close as possible to existing
practice.
Application of the first three principles produces a matrix with very high
compressivestrength, but with ductility no better than that of conventional mortar.
The inclusion of fibresimproves tensile strength, and also makes it possible to
obtain the required level of ductility.Measures relating to composition
(homogeneity and granular compacted density) are thebasis of the RPC concept,
and are applied in all cases.
VARIOUS RPC MIX DESIGNES FROM PREVIOUS RESEARCH
1 Pierre Richard, Marcel Cheyrezy (Cement and Concrete Research,

Vol. 25. No. 7, pp. 1501-1511.1995 )
Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 25. No. 7, pp. 1501-1511.1995

Pierre Richard, Marcel Cheyrezy
Scientific Division BOUYGUES, 78061 St Quentin en Yvelines, France
2. Marios N. Soutsos , Stephen G. Millard , and Konstantinos Karaiskos
UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL
Ingredients Proportions
Cement 955Kg per cu meter
Silica Fume 240 Kg per cu meter
Water 210 lit per cu meter
SuperPlasticizers 61 Kg per cu meter
Steel Fibres 190 Kg per cu meter
Quartz Sand 1050 Kg per cu meter
Marios N. Soutsos (1), Stephen G. Millard (1), and Konstantinos Karaiskos (1)
Department of Civil Engineering
, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
3.UHPC mix compositions used in germany by CWIRZEN ET AL after

SCHMIDT/FEHLING
Mix Quan M1 M1Q M2Q B1 B1Q B2Q B3Q B4Q

Composition tity
Cement kg/ 900 733 832 800 630 723 580 650
m3
Sand 0/1 mm kg/ 1016 1008 975 440 433 425 354 354
m3
Basalt 2/8 kg/ … … … 870 867 850 711 597
m3
Quartz Powder kg/ … 183 207 … 158 181 325 325
Fine m3
Quartz Powder kg/ … … … … … … 131 131
Coarse m3
Water Content lit/m3 185 161 166 165 151 157 141 158
Microsilica kg/ 225 230 135 200 197 118 177 177
m3
Steel Fibers, 2,5 kg/ 192 192 192 192 192 192 194 194
Vol.-% m3
Superplasticizer kg/ 28,2 28,6 29,4 25,0 24,7 25,6 30,4 26,5
m3
w/b-Ratio 0,18 0,19 0.19 0,18 0,20 0,21 0,21 0.21
CWIRZEN ET AL IN GERMANY
4. Mahesh K Maroliya , Chetan D Modhera

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF REACTIVE POWDER
CONCRETE CONTAINING STEEL FIBERS AND
RECRON 3S FIBERS
Material and Plain RPC Steel fiber Recron fiber
specification reinforced reinforced
RPC RPC
Cement 1 1 1
Silica fume 0.32 0.32 0.30
Quartz sand -- 0.36 0.36
Sand (150 – 600 Cm) 1.50 1.50 1.50
Super plasticizers 0.032 0.035 0.03
Steel fibers -- 0.20 0.25
Water/Cement 0.20 0.22 0.079
Comp. strength (7 days) 96 138 77

(N/mm2)
Comp. strength (28 days) 106 151 84
(N/mm2)
Flexural strength N/mm2 13.5 29 18
JERS/Vol. I/Issue I/July-Sept. 2010/83-89

5.RMIT STUDIES DESIGN
Table 5.2 Mix design (based on the previous studies in RMIT)
Materials used in the study and their properties
Sl. Specific
Sample Particle size range
No. Gravity
Cement, OPC, 53-
1 grade 3.15 31 µm – 7.5 µm
[IS. 12269 – 1987]
Micro Silica
2 2.2 5.3 µm – 1.8 µm
[ASTM C1240 – 97b]
3 Quartz Powder 2.7 5.3 µm – 1.3 µm
Standard sand,
4 grade-1 2.65 2.36 mm – 0.6 mm
[IS. 650 – 1991]
Standard sand,
5 grade-2 2.65 0.6 mm – 0.3 mm
[IS. 650 – 1991]
Standard sand,
6 grade-3 2.65 0.5 mm – 0.15 mm
[IS. 650 – 1991]
Steel fibres (30 mm) length: 30 mm &dia: 0.4
7 7.1
[ASTM A 820 – 96] mm
Steel fibres (36 mm) length: 36 mm &dia: 0.5
8 7.1
[ASTM A 820 – 96] mm
20 mm Aggregate
9 2.78 25 mm – 10 mm
[IS. 383 – 1970]
10 mm Aggregate
10 2.78 12.5 mm – 4.75 mm
[IS. 383 – 1970]
River Sand
11 2.61 2.36 mm – 0.15 mm
[IS. 383 – 1970]
Cement:-
The selection of cement cannot be dissociated from that of the super plasticizer.
From thepoint of view of chemical composition, cements with low C3A content
give better results. As for particle size, we have observed that over-ground cements
with a high Blaine fineness arenot satisfactory, due to their high water demand.
The best cement in terms of rheologicalcharacteristics and mechanical performance
is high-silica-modulus cement. Howeverthis type of cement has the disadvantage
of a very slow setting rate, preventing its use forcertain applications. Conventional
quick-setting high performance cement offers very similarmechanical
performance, despite a higher water demand.
Silica fume:-Very fine non crystalline silica produced in electric arc furnances as
a by product of the production of elemental silicon or alloys containing silicon also
known as condensed silica fume or micro silica. (ACI 116R)
The silica fume used in RPC concretes has three main functions:
 Filling the voids between the next larger class particles (cement);
 Enhancement of rheological characteristics by the lubrication effect resulting
from theperfect sphericity of the basic particles
 Production of secondary hydrates by pozzolanic reaction with the lime
resulting fromprimary hydration.
The following parameters are used for silica fume characterization:

 Degree of particle aggregation;
 Nature and quantity of impurities;
 Basic particle size.
Crushed quartz:-
Crushed crystalline quartz powder is an essential ingredient for heat-treated RPC
Concretes. Maximum reactivity during heat-treating is obtained for a mean particle
size of between 5 and 25pm . The ratio by weight adopted corresponds to the
stoechiometric optimum for conversion ofamorphous hydrates into tobermorite
characterized by a C/S molar ratio of 516 = 0.83. This isachieved with a
silica/cement ratio of 0.62. This ratio is obtained by adding silica fume andcrushed
quartz as a complement (see Table 1).
(Quartz Gravel)

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INTRODUCTION:- Reactive powder concrete (RPC) is advanced cement based

IS RPC A MORTAR OR CONCRETE AND WHY?:-In fact, it is not a

WHY RPC IS CALLED REACTIVE POWDER CONCRETE ?:-

BASIC PRINCIPLE:-RPC concept is based on the principle that a material with a

NEED FOR PRESENT STUDY:-With growing populations in developing areas of

 Very few investigations reported on stress-strain behaviour of UHPC,

 Effect of different parameters on stress-strain characteristics have not been

COMPOSITION:- RPC is able to obtain its improved properties by using a very

PREVIOUS RESEARCH ON COMPOSITION:-The RPC previous research

 Enhancement of homogeneity by elimination of coarse aggregates;

VARIOUS RPC MIX DESIGNES FROM PREVIOUS RESEARCH

1 Pierre Richard, Marcel Cheyrezy (Cement and Concrete Research,

Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 25. No. 7, pp. 1501-1511.1995

3.UHPC mix compositions used in germany by CWIRZEN ET AL after

Mix Quan M1 M1Q M2Q B1 B1Q B2Q B3Q B4Q

4. Mahesh K Maroliya , Chetan D Modhera

Comp. strength (7 days) 96 138 77

Comp. strength (28 days) 106 151 84

JERS/Vol. I/Issue I/July-Sept. 2010/83-89

Table 5.2 Mix design (based on the previous studies in RMIT)

Materials used in the study and their properties

The following parameters are used for silica fume characterization:

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