The durability attributes of a self compacting concrete (SCC) mix have been compared with an otherwise similar conventional concrete (CC) mix. The properties investigated included the durability criteria established by three major road authorities in Australia, namely the NSW Roads and Maritime Services (RMS), QLD Department of Transport and Main Roads (QDTMR) and VicRoads. The testing was conducted on cores taken from wet-cast Reinforced Concrete Box Culverts (RCBCs) and concrete cylinders cast at the same time as the test RCBC elements. The cylinders were cured under low pressure steam followed by air curing as the RCBC units were or cured in water after initial steam curing. Compressive strength, drying shrinkage, water absorption, volume of permeable voids, capillary absorption or sorptivity, chloride migration and chloride diffusion tests were conducted following relevant Australian, American or Nordtest Standards. The data demonstrated that SCC exceeded specification requirements and achieved similar or better durability performance than the CC with intense vibration. In most cases, the variation between the specimens tested for SCC was less than for the CC specimens. This is believed to be due to consistent flow ability of SCC which is an intrinsic property of the concrete material and independent of external vibration. This study indicates that the use of SCC can reduce the risk of variable compaction, improving the consistency and durability of precast products.
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