Effect of fly ash on properties of self-compacting high strength lightweight concrete

As known, fillers directly affect the properties of self-compacting concrete. Fly ash is one of the common fillers used in production of SCC. Using lightweight concrete is extremely important for reducing the self-weight of structures, especially in heavy ones, like high rise buildings. It enables to decrease additional loads in case of renovation or/strengthening of existing structures. Moreover, self-compaction avoids using vibrations for compaction of concrete in existing structures. Therefore the present study is aimed at investigating the effect of change in fly ash content on the properties of self-compacting lightweight concrete (SCLWC). For this reason slump flow test, J-Ring test, L-Box test and V-funnel test were conducted to find workability of the fresh concrete mixture. Further compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, modulus of elasticity and flexural strength of the hardened concrete were obtained. Three concrete mixes of SCLWC with different fly ash contents were prepared to find the best workability and hardened concrete properties. The results of this study form a basis for proportioning of effective concrete mixtures suitable for repairing existing structures and elements.