Economical Robust Mix Proportioning of Self-Compacting Concrete Mixes - A Comparative Study

Concrete being the second largest consumed material after water needs attention towards sustainable construction with an increase in infrastructure. The world is moving towards innovative techniques and methodologies for sustainable and durable construction of concrete structures. The selection of suitable ingredients for making concrete and determining the relative amounts with an objective of producing a concrete of required strength and durability is the need of the hour. Standard mix proportioning of concrete should satisfy the workability requirements and also meet the requirement for mechanical properties, durability, economy, and even ecology of engineering applications. The study would focus on quality control aspects in mix proportioning the concrete as per the requirements of the industry. It includes mix proportioning of self-compacting concrete as per the standards prescribed in national construction community and Indian standards, plastic viscosity, and EFNARC based mix proportioning of self-compacting concrete. The mix proportioning would focus on utilizing various industrial and agro wastes as a suitable cement replacement material, locally available fine and coarse aggregate materials along with their alternates, appropriate dosage of admixtures, etc. The outcomes of the study include the formulation of handouts and readymade mix proportions of self-compacting concrete used in the construction of buildings and pavements along with their cost estimation. The study also provides information on some of the key points to be considered in making concrete using optimization concepts which would further reduce the cost of construction. The optimized mix proportions will be handy for the ready-mix plants especially in dealing with multiple large-scale construction activities. Mix proportioning using plastic viscosity approach was proven to be economical compared to other mix design methods.