• Computers and Concrete
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.203-210
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• 2017

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the settlement of lightweight coarse aggregate of self-compacting lightweight concrete (SCLC) after placement of concrete on its final position. To investigate this issue, sixteen samples of concrete mixes were made. The water to cementitious materials ratios of the mixes were 0.35 and 0.4. In addition to the workability tests of self-compacting concrete (SCC) such as slump flow, V-funnel and L-box tests, a laboratory experiment was made to examine the segregation of lightweight coarse aggregate in concrete. Because of the difficulties of this test, the image processing technique of MATLAB software was used to check the segregation above too. Moreover, the fuzzy logic technique of MATLAB software was utilized to improve the clarity of the borders between the coarse aggregate and the paste of the mixtures. At the end, the results of segregation tests and software analyses are given and the accuracy of the software analyses is evaluated. It is worth noting that the minimum and maximum differences between the results of laboratory tests and software analyses were 1.2% and 9.19% respectively. It means, the results of image processing technique looks exact enough for estimating the segregation of lightweight coarse aggregate in SCLC.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.409-419
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• 2019

In the present study, effect of size and placement of cubic specimens on compressive strength of self-compacting lightweight concrete (SCLC) were considered. To do so, 81 specimens of different sizes (50 mm, 75 mm, 100 mm, and 150 mm) were prepared by using three different mixes of SCLC. Results of the cured specimens were then used in regression analyses to find predictive equations with regard to both the placement direction and the size. Test results showed that the strength ratio in cases in which the direction of loading and placement were parallel, were higher than those specimens, whose configurations were normal between loading and placement. In addition, strength ratios in SCLC mixes were slightly higher than those are for self-compacting normal weight concrete. In order to analyze the effect of size on compressive strength the conventional size effect law as well as the modified size effect law (MSEL) were used. Besides, the convergence criterion of nonlinear regression process of size effect study has been discussed. Analyses of the results showed that the unconstraint nonlinear regression in size effect study of SCLC mixes could lead to erroneous results.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.199-207
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• 2018

With the development of concrete technology, producing concrete products that have the ability to flow under their own weights and do not need internal or external vibrations is an important achievement. In this study, assessments are made on using travertine, marble and limestone rock flours in self-compacting lightweight concrete (SCLC). In fact, the effects of these powders on plastic and hardened phases of SCLC are studied. To address this issue, concrete mixtures with water to cementitious materials ratios of 0.42 and 0.45 were used. These mixtures were made with 0 and 10% silica fume (SF) replacement levels by cement weight. To achieve lightweight concrete, lightweight expanded clay aggregate (Leca) with the bulk density of about $520kg/m^3 $was utilized. Also two kinds of water were consumed involving tap water and magnetic water (MW) for investigating the possible interaction of MW and rock flour type. In this study, 12 mixtures were studied, and their specific weights were in the range of $1660-1692kg/m^3$. To study the mixtures in plastic phase, tests such as slump flow, J-ring, V-funnel and U-box were performed. By using marble and travertine powders instead of limestone flour, the plastic viscosities and rheology were not changed considerably and they remained in the range of regulations. Moreover, SCLC showed better compressive strength with travertine, and then with marble rock flours compared to limestone powders. According to the results of the conducted study, MW showed better performance in both fresh and hardened phases in all the mixes, and there was no interaction between MW and rock flour type.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.587-611
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• 2017

This study focused on the influences regarding the use of polyepoxide-based polymer and silica fume (SF) on the fresh and hardened state properties of self-compacting lightweight concrete (SCLC) along with their impacts on electrical resistance and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV). To do so, two series of compositions each of which consists of twelve mixes, with water to binder (W/B) ratios of 0.35 and 0.4 were cast. Three different silica fume/binder ratios of 0, 5%, and 10% were considered along with four different polymer/binder ratios of 0, 5%, 10%, and 15%. Afterwards, the rupture modulus, tensile strength, 14-day, 28-day, and 90-day compressive strength, the UPV and the electrical resistance of the mixes were tested. The results indicated that although the use of polymer could enhance the passing and filling abilities, it could lead to a decrease of segregation resistance. In addition, the interaction of the SF and the polymeric contents enhanced the workability. However, the impacts regarding the use of polymeric contents on fresh state properties of SCLC were more prevalent than those regarding the use of SF. Besides the fresh state properties, the durability and mechanical properties of the mixes were affected due to the use of polymeric and SF contents. In other words, the use of the SF and the polymer enhanced the durability and mechanical properties of SCLC specimens.