My research areas and interests focus on application of self-compacting concrete, fibre-reinforced concrete, lightweight concrete and prestressed concrete.
Self-Compacting Concrete
Self-compacting concrete (SCC) is known as an innovative concrete which flows under its own weight in fresh state without any agitation or mechanical consolidation to fill the formwork and encapsulate the reinforcement. The development of SCC has led to substantial improvements in the environment and working conditions such as less energy consumption for easy concrete placement, avoid vibration, greater productivity, less noise, decreased manpower and high quality surface. Conversely, vibrated normal concrete (NC) need an external vibration in order to compact it. The quality of NC is affected when the compaction work is not properly done. Therefore, due to the major advantages of SCC compared to NC, it has been implemented extensively in bridge decks and piers, pavements, road surfaces and also precast structural elements.
SCC must achieve high workability and flow into the formwork under its own weight without compaction and no segregation. The fresh concrete has to fulfil an acceptable requirement of three key characteristics so as to maintain the deformability and viscosity properties in order to ensure consistent distribution on concrete compositions during transportation and placement. The mix design of concrete could be only considered as having self-compactability when these three characteristic is achieved; namely filling ability, passing ability and segregation to resistance.
- Filling ability – the ability of fresh SCC to completely fill the formwork under its own weight.
- Passing ability – the ability of fresh SCC to pass through obstacle such as congested reinforcement under its own weight without blocking.
- Resistance to segregation – the ability of fresh SCC to maintain its homogenous properties in order to retain the aggregates within the paste.
