<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Knowledge of the elastic properties of concrete at early age is often a pre-requisite for numerical calculations. This paper discusses the use of a laboratory technique for determining Poisson’s ratio at early concrete age. A non-destructive test set-up using the impact resonance method has been tested and evaluated. With the method, it has been possible to obtain results already at 7 hours of concrete age. Poisson’s ratio is found to decrease sharply during the first 24 hours to reach a value of 0.08 and then increase to approximately 0.15 after seven days.</abstract>

Dynamic Measurements for Determining Poisson’s Ratio of Young Concrete

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Air contents of concrete are necessary for concrete durability in freeze-thaw exposure. According to the Finnish concrete code, the target value for air content varies between 4% and 5.5% for XF - exposure classes. Lately in Finland, some cases showed an elevation of air contents up to 15% in fresh air-entrained concrete at construction site and in drilled concrete samples.The objectives of this study were to investigate the stability of air entrainment by measuring the air content elevation 30 minutes and 60 minutes after concrete mixing and investigating the concrete sensitivity to segregation. Composition of concretes used in this study include 7 different combination of PCE based superplasticizer and air-entraining agent admixtures, cement content of 425 kg/m3, two consistency classes S3 with water to cement ration of 0.33 and F5 with water to cement ration of 0.38. One cement type was used for all concrete mixes. The concretes were mixed for 2 minutes and 5 minutes mixing times.The results show that the elevation of the air content of fresh concrete depends on the consistency of the concrete and on the used combination of superplasticizer and air-entraining agents. The higher consistency classes concretes have more risk of air elevation with some combinations of PCE-based superplasticizers and air-entraining agents. The results also indicate that short mixing time would not be enough to achieve total effectivity of some air-entraining agents, especially for higher consistency classes concrete.</abstract>

Stability of Air Content in Fresh Concretes with PCE-Based Superplasticizers

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Rice Husk Ash (RHA) is a well-known supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) that can be used for concrete with reduced CO2 contributions. In 2016, only Nepal produced 5.2 million tonnes rice that gave about 1.14 million tonnes rice husk. The rice husk can also be used directly in a cement kiln as a fuel. This study analysis the potential CO2 reductions from three scenarios and emphasis strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and treats in the production systems for initiate a decision process with possibilities to get an industry project financed from the green climate found. The highest CO2 benefits were from rice husk used in a cement kiln were half of the yearly rice husk production in Nepal could reduce the climate impact with 808000 tonnes CO2.</abstract>

Rice Husk Resource for Energy and Cementitious Products with Low CO2 Contributions

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>In concrete beam bridges, the end diaphragm at the end of the bridge is a common structural component that connects the main beams and transfers the beam loads to the bridge bearings. In integral bridges the end diaphragm also retains the soil of embankments due to the absence of abutments. Cracking of the front surface on the end diaphragm has been detected in post-tensioned beam bridges in Finland and Sweden. Presumably the post-tensioning of the bridge and the shaping and detailing of the connection of the end diaphragm and main beam have an effect on cracking tendency. The aim of this study is to examine the structural behaviour and the cracking potential of end diaphragms using linear analysis of the post-tensioned bridge and to find measures to prevent the cracking.The observations collected through field surveys are compared to results of linear FE analysis to clarify the cause of the cracking. The verification of model is performed by comparison of patterns of cracking observed in field surveys and the distribution of maximum tensile stresses in the FE model. With model variations, the effectiveness of measures for the prevention of cracking are observed.</abstract>

Cracking of the End Diaphragm of a Post-tensioned Beam Bridge

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Current theoretical models for predicting the concrete cone breakout capacity of tension loaded headed anchors do not consider the influence of member thickness, size of anchor head, and orthogonal surface reinforcement. In the present study, the influence of the aforementioned parameters was studied both numerically and experimentally. Both the numerical and experimental results showed that the tensile resistance of headed anchors increases by increasing the member thickness or if orthogonal surface reinforcement is present. In addition, the anchorage capacity further increases with increase of the anchor head size.The current model for predicting the concrete cone failure load of tension loaded headed anchors were refined and extended by incorporating three modification factors to account for the influence of the member thickness, size of anchor head, and orthogonal surface reinforcement. The accuracy of the proposed model was verified based on the results of 124 tests on single headed anchors from literature.</abstract>

A Refined Model for Predicting Concrete-Related Failure Load of Tension Loaded Cast-in-Place Headed Anchors in Uncracked Concrete

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Hydrated Portland cement paste exposed to a NaCl solution was acidified by adding HCl in small steps, gradually lowering the pH. The chloride binding of the cement paste changed as a function of the pH. For the range of pH from 13.2 to 12.2, decreasing pH resulted in a considerable increase in the chloride binding. At a pH of 11, the cement paste showed almost no chloride binding. In order to explain the changes in chloride binding upon lowering the pH, the phase assemblage was investigated with SEM-EDS, TGA and XRD and compared to a thermodynamic modelling.</abstract>

Towards the Understanding of the pH Dependency of the Chloride Binding of Portland Cement Pastes

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
Pumping is the preferred placement method for concrete. The pumping process influences fresh properties of concrete. Competent producers handle these issues when composing the mix design. However, sudden changes in workability sometimes appear, both in the form of increased and decreased workability. Both changes might be handled on-site. However, even the situations that are sufficiently handled, cause delays and extra costs. Sometimes the final result’s quality is compromised, resulting in repairs and economic compensation claims. The extent and causes of incidents with sudden changes in workability are still to be investigated.
It is suggested that around 1 100 000 m3 or 30% of concrete experience sudden change in workability annually in Norway, and that 200 000 kg of chemical admixtures is used on-site. It appears that the most relevant cause is to find within variations in the fine aggregate. Increase in workability might also be caused by lack of compatibility between superplasticiser and binding materials in low-carbon concrete, enhanced by the extra mixing process caused by the pumping process.
To approach these questions, the Quality Assessment system of a medium-sized Norwegian concrete producer has been investigated. It comprises documentation of 1 500 000 m3 of concrete, over 10 years.
</abstract>

Sudden Changes in Workability during Concrete Pumping – An Industrial Approach

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
This study investigates the links between the non-steady-state chloride migration coefficient, the bulk electrical conductivity and the formation factor of blended cement paste specimens. 18 different binders were tested: two Portland cements (low- and high-alkali) in combination with limestone filler, fly ash, calcined clay, two biomass ashes, sewage sludge ash and crushed brick, as well as two Portland composite cements. In addition, the latter and the low-alkali Portland cement were tested in concrete as well for comparison.
Mixes with high-alkali cement showed better resistance to chloride transport, and the effect of supplementary cementitious materials was found to be strongly linked with their reactivity. Moreover, the results showed a clear correlation of the migration coefficient with the bulk electrical conductivity and, to a lesser extent, with the formation factor. However, these relationships are strongly influenced by the methods used to determine conductivities and they need to be validated for higher maturities. Finally, the results suggested a fairly good correspondence between the results obtained on paste and concrete.
</abstract>

Relationship between Chloride Migration, Bulk Electrical Conductivity and Formation Factor of Blended Cement Pastes

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
In concrete structures, material performance is typically determined at the level of the concrete mix (the microscale) and the overall shape and dimensions of a building element (the macroscale). However, recent developments in the field of 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) are demonstrating that the design of concrete now also can take place at a previously impossible intermediate scale involving the shaping and placement of the material at the level of the printing nozzle (the mesoscale). By focusing directly on the design of print paths, advanced surface effects and internal porous material distributions can be achieved that significantly affect the aesthetic experience and structural performance of 3DCP structures. This ability to design the distribution of concrete according to local architectural, structural, and functional design criteria is an especially interesting application of 3DCP that could be exploited to customise material performance while at the same time optimising material use and reducing the self-weight of building elements. This paper specifically examines how four different three-dimensional print patterns produce distinct material structures at the mesoscale (mesostructures) and presents an experimental procedure for evaluating their load-bearing capacity.
</abstract>

Towards the Application of Mesostructures in 3D Concrete Printing – Evaluating Load-bearing Performance

Preface

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
Concrete cover is the thickness of the concrete layer that protects the reinforcing steel bars (rebar) within a reinforced concrete structure. It acts as a barrier against external elements such as moisture, chemicals, and environmental factors, safeguarding the rebar from corrosion. Concrete cover measurement is performed by using various nondestructive tests such as GPS (Ground Penetrating Radar), electromagnetic test and ultrasonic. The main benefit of the concrete cover thickness measurement is to explain the causes of corrosion and identify areas that have the capability to corrode faster.
This paper discusses the possibilities to measure the concrete cover depth and determine the location of steel bars of a thick-walled concrete structure by using different nondestructive testing methods. The methods studied are a concrete cover meter, Ground Penetrating Radar, which is based on propagation radar waves in concrete, and Ultrasonic Pulse Echo tomography based on stress waves produced by ultrasonic pulses. The paper demonstrates the use of these methods for in-situ measurements on a thick-walled reinforced concrete structure. The concrete cover depth and the location for the reinforcement bars received by different methods are compared and the strong and weak points of the methods are discussed.
The results indicate that the concrete cover meter is suitable for measuring the thickness of concrete cover, while the Ground Penetrating Radar and the Ultrasonic Pulse Echo device were able to identify and locate the reinforcement bars position in the concrete structure.
</abstract>

Determining the Location of Steel Reinforcement in Thick Concrete Walls by Non-Destructive Inspection

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
Accelerated carbonation of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) could be an efficient way to reduce the carbon footprint. High CO2-concentration under optimal relative humidity could accelerate the CO2 binding capacity of the hydrated cement paste in the RCA. The latter is the topic of this paper. The study looks into the forced carbonation of crushed cement pastes as a basis to understand the CO2 uptake in relation to various binders containing supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) such as fly ash (FA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS). Samples include three cement pastes: ordinary Portland cement, substitution rate of 30 % FA and 50 % GGBS respectively at a water/binder ratio of 0.45. All binders were graded to 0/2, 2/4 and 4/8 mm fraction sizes and preconditioned before exposed to CO2 concentration of 10 % under controlled temperature at 20 °C and 65 % RH. All tested binders presented a high CO2 uptake within the first hours of exposure with clear differences concerning the fraction sizes and the composition. The phase content before and after carbonation was observed by X-ray diffraction and the portlandite and calcite were quantified by thermogravimetric analyses and their derivative curves for fraction size 4/8 mm.
</abstract>

Accelerated Carbonation of Binders Containing SCM at High CO2 Concentration

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
Marine sediments can be stabilized by ultra high-strength binders: cement, Cement Kiln Dust (CKD) and slag. The properties of the stabilized soil indicate potential to their reuse. This study investigated the performance of the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) in the marine sediments stabilized by binder (cement, CKD, slag), tested by ultrasonic P-waves. Materials include 194 specimens collected from the port of Gothenborg. The experiment was performed in Swedish Geotechnical Institute (SGI). The UCS of specimens stabilized by different ratio of binders (cement, CKD, slag) was tested by resonance frequencies of the elastic P-waves. The significant increase in the UCS (&gt;1500 kPa) was recorded for the highest values of CKD and cement, and low values of slag. The correlation profiles of low water/high binder (LW/HB) cement/slag (40/60%) were controlled by curing time. The slag–cement–CKD simplex tests demonstrated UCS of samples with low/high water content and various binder ratio of cement (kg/m3). The ratio of cement binder and curing time play a critical role in the increase of UCS followed by mechanical properties of specimens and intensity of stress. The highest values exceed 1000 m/s in P-waves. The results shown high accuracy (97%) and non-contacting approach for testing UCS of sediments. Seismic methods can be applied to test the UCS of the stabilized sediments, and also <italic>in-situ</italic> via seismic CPT, surface testing or cross hole seismic testing.
</abstract>

Resonant Frequency Ultrasonic P-Waves for Evaluating Uniaxial Compressive Strength of the Stabilized Slag–Cement Sediments

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Well-known frost destruction mechanisms applicable to concrete not exposed to salt are, (1) hydraulic pressure during freezing, (2) growth of ice-bodies in capillaries during freezing. Theories behind these mechanisms are presented. A third mechanism, ice expansion during heating of frozen concrete, is put forward. The validity of a certain mechanisms is discussed by analyzing its ability to explain experimental observations.</abstract>

Frost Destruction of Concrete – A Study of the Validity of Different Mechanisms

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>This study investigates the feasibility of using bauxite residue (BR) as supplementary cementitious material (SCM) for the cement and concrete industry. It is shown from pastes of BR and calcium hydroxide, that BR is highly pozzolanic in nature. The early hydration of cement pastes with BR is accelerated while long-term strength is reduced probably due to the alkaline nature of BR. To be used as cement replacement material in concrete, attempts have been made to reduce the alkali content of BR, in particular to reduce the chance of alkali-aggregate reactions. Co-calcination of BR with kaolin or washing and cooking of BR with calcium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide and gypsum resulted in considerable reduction of alkali content; up to 75%. At the same time the reactivity of the BR was reduced but still being higher compared to fly ash already used in the cement industry.</abstract>

Bauxite Residue as Supplementary Cementitious Material – Efforts to Reduce the Amount of Soluble Sodium

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Nordic Concrete Research

 The aim is to publish reviewed papers on research, recent experiences, and education within the broad concrete field. The scope covers all aspects of concrete and other...

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MNiSW

 The aim is to publish reviewed papers on research, recent experiences, and education within the broad concrete field. The scope covers all...