03/04/2019
Based on existing concrete recipes for all type of Argos concrete types the target was to optimize costs of concrete recipes, to improve quality of hardened concret and to increase the concrete recipe in terms of sustainability.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
For every type of concrete placing the requirements vary regarding the fine fraction portion of the design mix. Along with this of course the larger components play a role, but this is of considerably lesser significance. The coarse grains form primarily the scaffolding and serve as filling material. On the basis of innumerable concrete mix designs over many decades, ranges of fines content and mortar quantities can be indicated for various types of installation which lead to a correct result also with differing aggregate components, or respectively take these fluctuations into consideration.
SIKA SOLUTIONS
By using the Sika paste volume optimization approach it is possible to improve hardened concrete properties in line with reducing costs of the recipe and improving life cycle aspects of the concept. Under this consideration, customer ends up with significant reduction of cement content.
Fresh concrete properties
As soon as the paste volume with constant w/c-ratio is re-duced in the meantime we reduce the fine content in the mix. This is possible as long the fresh concrete properties will not be influenced negatively.
Hardened concrete properties
The reduction of cement content with constant w/c-ratio will end in improved concrete durability behaviours as long as there the required workability behaviour will be achieved.
Placing method |
Fines content |
Fine mortar pasteFine mortar paste | Remarks |
| Crane & Bucket Concrete | - | 250 to 280 L/m | The fine mortar paste contains: cement, powder additives, fines from sand ≤ 0.125 mm + water |
| Pumped concrete | > 375 kg/m³ with max. grain 32 m | 280 to 320 L/m³ | |
| Self-compacting concrete (SCC) | > 500 kg/m³ with max. grain 16 m | 320 to 380 L/m³ |
LIFE CYCLE IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Life Cycle Impact Assessment of two concrete systems to compare the impact of the use of Sika® ViscoCrete®
| Concrete Systems | Components | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cement | Additive | Sand/Gravel | Water | Concrete Admixture |
||
| Cement pate Fine paste |
290 liter 321 liter |
Cement Type I 327 kg/m³ |
- | 798 kg/m³ 916 kg/m³ |
w/c-ratio = 0.57 187 liter |
0.56% traditional Plasticizer |
| Cement paste Fine paste |
242 liter 275 liter |
Cement Type I 273 kg/m³ |
. | 845 kg/m³ 952 kg/m³ |
w/c-ratio = 0.57 155 liter |
0.38% Plastiment 0.45% Sika ViscoCrete |
DEFINITION LIFE CYCLE IMPACT ASSESSMENT
- Cradle to Gate, including packaging of the Concrete Admixtures (IBC container)
- Functional Unit: 1 m³ concrete
- Modeled in the software GaBi, from Thinkstep accorfing to the ISO 14040 series and EN 1580
PASTE VOLUME OPTIMIZED CONCRETE
Concrete Volume per 10,000 m³
Energy savings equivalent to 31,000 liter oil
Carbon savings equivalent to 450,000 km (truck 15 ton)