Mechanical properties of two-stage concrete modified by silica fume
Two-stage concretes, despite the fact that they have proven themselves in various types of construction, have not been studied to the same extent as traditional heavy concretes. Therefore, the article developed the composition of frame concrete with various additives in the composition of the cement-sand mortar. A comparison of the mechanical characteristics of the developed compositions with the addition of silica fume (SF) and superplasticizer (SP) in various combinations. In addition, test specimens were prepared with combinations of water/cement ratios of 0.45, 0.55, and 0.85, and cement/sand ratios of 0.5, 1, and 1.5. A total of 36 mixtures were prepared, silica fume was introduced as a partial replacement of cement in the amount of 6 wt.%. And a superplasticizer equal to 1.2 % of the cement content was added to the water. Compressive strength tests on two-stage concrete cylinders were carried out in accordance with ASTM-C873 and ASTM-C943. Tensile strength was also tested on 3 samples of each composition in accordance with the procedure described in ASTM-C496/C496M. As a result, the development of the strength of two-stage concrete for 7, 28 and 120 days was studied. It was found that the overall compressive strength of the two-stage concrete based on SF, SP and SF + SP was higher than in concrete without any additives. At the same time, the modified concrete has higher strength properties, because it provides better contact due to expansion, as well as by reducing the water-cement ratio in grout. The results obtained allow to design a cement-sand mortar capable of filling all the voids between the coarse aggregate, thereby creating a dense structure of two-stage concrete.