Preparation of ultra-high-strength self-compacting concrete and its high-drop casting construction in a pier structure

Abstract

Ultra-high-strength grade self-compacting concrete used for steel-tube confined concrete bridge pier structure was designed and prepared. To enhance the performance of the hardened concrete and the cohesiveness of the fresh concrete, fly ash and silica fume combined with polycarboxylic super-plasticiser were used. The mechanical properties and workability of the concrete were investigated in experiments. With the selected mixture from the experimental mixture series, the ultra-high-strength grade concrete was produced at industrial scale and used in bridge pier structures. Self-compacting concrete was cast into the steel tube by the high-drop method. The experiment results and the practical application show that ultra-high-strength self-compacting concrete with excellent performance can be produced with common raw materials.