ISSN: 2348-0033 (Online) ISSN : 2249-4944 (Print) IJEAR Vol.

4, Issue Spl-2, Jan - June 2014

Modified Reactive Powder Concrete

1
T.Sujatha, 2D.Basanthi
1,2
V.R.Siddhartha Engineering College, Vijayawada, AP, India

Abstract A. Materials
Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC) is an ultra-high strength and high The materials are listed below in Table 1:
ductility composite material with advanced mechanical properties. Table 1:
It is developed in 1990s by the French Company Bouygues. It
is a special concrete wherein the microstructure is optimized by Cementicious Portland cement Used as
precise gradation of all particles in the mix to yield maximum Materials Undensified - silica Cementicious
density. Binders
RPC extensively uses the pozzolanic properties of highly refined Max size:4mm
Natural aggregates Fine ground quartz
silica fume and optimization of the Portland cement chemistry to (For RPC) sand
Specific gravity :
produce the highest strength hydrates. It represents a new class of 2.75
Portland cement based material with compressive strengths of Natural Max size: 8mm
range 200Mpa. The material exhibits high ductility with values aggregate(For Coarse Aggregate specific gravity:
of energy absorption approaching those that are reserved for only MRPC) 2.75
metals. Super plasticizer Acrylic polymer In required amount
The RPC concept is based on the principle that a material with
a minimum of defects such as micro-cracks and voids will be II. Experimental Procedure
able to achieve a greater load carrying capacity and greater In this study compressive and flexural strengths of Reactive
durability. Powder Concrete (RPC) with Modified Reactive Powder
And finally, the purpose of this investigation is to attribute to the Concrete (MRPC) are compared by taking different proportions
refinements in RPC with an introduction of graded aggregate of aggregates by varying w/c ratios. The strengths are tested by
(3-8mm) so as to make this RPC more economical and feasible using at 7, and 28 days by ordinary curing and accelerated curing
without much reduction in its mechanical properties. This of 48hrs at 75oC
modification makes the traditional RPC as an innovative MRPC
(Modified Reactive Powder Concrete). A. Casting
This study concerns Portland cement, active mineral powder,
Keywords including high-quality silica fume and super plasticizers that have
Compressive Strength, Flexural Strength, MRPC good compatibility with cement. Quartz sands whose grain size
are 0.16 to 0.315mm, 0.315 to 0.63mm, 063 to 1.0mm, are used
I. Introduction to make up the most closed grained preparation. It is detected
Reactive powder concrete is an ultra high strength and high that grain size of the two materials is very different, and they form
ductility composite material with advanced mechanical properties discontinuous preparation in the course of arranging cementicious
which is developed in 1990s by French company Bouygues. It is a property and aggregates. Therefore, higher mineral powder whose
special concrete wherein the microstructure is optimized by precise grain size is between cementicious properties and aggregates has
gradation of all particles in the mix to yield maximum density. been produced. When a super plasticizer is in a liquid form it is
Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC) consists of fiber -reinforced, a liquid super plasticizer should be mixed with water and then
super plasticizers, silica fume-cement mixture with very low added to the concrete. The specimens of sizes 100x100x100mm
water-cement ratio (w/c) and very fine quartz sand (0.15-0.40 mm) and 100x100x300mm are used .The cubes are casted according
instead of ordinary aggregate. In fact, it is not a concrete because to the compositions of mixtures shown in table 2.
there is no coarse aggregate in the cement mixture. The absence
of coarse aggregate was considered by the inventors to be a key Table 2:
aspect for the microstructure and the performance of the RPC in
COMPOSITION CORRESPONDS TO THE MIXTURE
order to reduce the heterogeneity between the cement based matrix
and the aggregate. RPC represents a new class of Portland cement 1 ORPC
based material with compressive strength in excess of 200mpa. By 2 MRPC(30% AGGREGATE)
introducing fine steel fibers, RPC can achieve remarkable flexural 3 MRPC(40%AGGREGATE)
strength up to 50mpa. The material exhibits high ductility with 4 MRPC(50%AGGREGATE)
typical values for energy absorption approaching those reserved
for metals. Original reactive powder concrete is casted using the following
The main purpose of the present study was to modify RPC by materials shown in Table3.
replacing a fraction of quartz sand by graded natural aggregate Table 3
(max size 8 mm) and to study the influence of the graded aggregate Materials Weights(Kg/m3)
on the properties of cement mixtures in terms of required water-
Cement 934
cement ratio, compressive and flexural strength. Though RPC
is economical compared to steel structures by itself and is Quartz sand 1030
replacement in such cases, it can be made still economical and Silica fume 234
feasible by modifying it by replacing Quartz powder by natural Super plasticizer 4.36lit/m3
graded aggregate. w/c ratio 0.28

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IJEAR Vol. 4, Issue Spl-2, Jan - June 2014 ISSN: 2348-0033 (Online) ISSN : 2249-4944 (Print)

Original reactive powder concrete is modified by altering its COMPRESSIVE AND FLEXURAL STRENGTHS for
constituents. The addition of aggregate is done by replacing quartz ACCLERATED CURING specimens for 48 HOURS 75oC
sand up to 30%, 40%, and 50% as shown in tables 4, 5 and 6. Table 8
No. of Compressive
Quartz is replaced up to 30 %: Flexural
S.No. Type cubes Strength
Table 4 Strength(Mpa)
tested (Mpa)
Materials Weights(Kg/m3) 1 ORPC 3 97 23
Cement 933 MRPC
Quartz sand 721 2 3 88 25
(30%)
Aggregates 309
MRPC
Silica fume 234 3 3 99 30
(40%)
Super plasticizer 4.36lit/m3
MRPC
w/c ratio 0.27 4 3 84 32
(50%)
Quartz is replaced up to 40 %:
Table 5
Materials Weights(Kg/m3)
Cement 933
Quartz sand 618
Aggregates 412
Silica fume 234
Super plasticizer 4.36lit/m3
w/c ratio 0.26

Quartz is replaced up to 50 %:
Table 6
Materials Weights(Kg/m3)
Fig. 1: Variations of Compressive Strengths for different
Cement 933
proportions
Quartz sand 515
Aggregates 515
Silica fume 234
Super plasticizer 4.36lit/m3
w/c ratio 0.245

3. Tests
The tests were carried out and compressive and flexural strengths
are been measured at an age of 7days and 28days for every
specimen.
COMPRESSIVE AND FLEXURAL STRENGTHS for
ORDINARY CURING specimens.
Table 7
Flexural Flexural
No. of Compressive Compressive
strength strength
Type samples strength at 7 strength at 28
at 7 days at 28 days Fig. 2: Variations of Flexural Strengths for different proportions
tested days (Mpa) days (Mpa)
(Mpa) (Mpa)
ORPC 6 63 78 13 21
IV. Results
MRPC
6 56 71 11 18 From the results obtained of compressive and flexural strengths
(30%)
of the Modified Reactive Powder Concrete mixtures of 30%, 40%
MRPC
(40%)
6 62 77 12 26 and 50% replacement on quartz sand by graded aggregate are
MRPC
compared to the Original Reactive Powder Concrete.
6 54 67 19 28 It was found through the study that optimum amount of the quartz
(50%)
sand to be replaced by the graded aggregate is around 40% for
compressive strength. And also it was observed that increase in
replacement of aggregates will increase the flexural strength

V. Conclusion
RPC is not a replacement for conventional concrete; it can create
innovative opportunities and provide innovative solutions in areas

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ISSN: 2348-0033 (Online) ISSN : 2249-4944 (Print) IJEAR Vol. 4, Issue Spl-2, Jan - June 2014

where normal concrete cannot be used, especially in earthquake

prone areas and for the structures which will have continuous
vibratory loads such as railway bridges with an optimum
replacement of quartz sand with graded aggregate by 40%. As
there is gradual increase in Flexural Strength and economical
when compared with steel, so steel can be replaced by MRPC
in few cases.

References
[1] Richard P, Cheyrezy M H,RPC with high ductility and
compressive strengths of 200Mpa order.
[2] THE INDIAN COCRETE JOURNAL, NOVEMBER 2007.
EDITORIAL,"Concrete without coarse aggregate".
[3] M.S.Shetty,"Concrete Technology".
[4] Indian Standard Code: IS10262:2009

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