Advancement in the development of steel fiber reinforced, highstrength, lightweight self-compacted concrete mix design

Abstract

This document reviews recent advances in the development of the Steel Fiber Reinforced High Strength Self Compacting Lightweight Concrete Mix (HLAARFA) design. HLAARFA is defined as a new material, with unique properties (low density, self-compacting, good ductility and high compressive strength capacity with higher toughness) compared to conventional concrete. Knowledge of both material and mechanical properties is important to take full advantage of its excellent qualities for structural applications, such as performing repairs and reinforcement. However, since this is a new material, current design regulations should be reviewed before applying to HLAARFA. The methods for developing the design of mixtures of these concretes are reviewed, a crucial factor to achieve the desired properties in the fresh and hardened state. An observation from various works shows that the design of the HLAARFA mixture can be provided by the concept of packaging of aggregates and fibers. Methods are reviewed to develop the mix design that meets requirements such as satisfactory filling capacity, throughput, resistance to segregation, and resistance to compression. This work is part of a doctoral thesis project in progress that aims to study the mechanical behavior of HLAARFA, with the use of materials and manufacturing systems used in our region, as a technically and economically possible option.