Self-Compacting Concrete and Concreting Technology for Foundation Block Using 9000 Cubic Meters of Concrete

The paper presents the results of the development and implementation of the technology of self-compacting heavy structural concrete and the technology of concreting with its use of the largest foundation slab in Belarus (concrete volume ~9100 m3) of a high-rise building at the facility “Construction of a multifunctional complex in Minsk within the boundaries of Filimonova Street – Avenue Nezavisimosty – Makayonka Street”. The results of research are shown, which ensured the production of self-compacting concrete of class C35/45 with water resistance up to W20 (with the required W12 according to the project) from concrete mixtures of the maximum cone expansion of the PK6 (RK6) grade for three zones of the foundation slab different in degree of reinforcement: lower, middle and upper, with a total structure height of 3.5 m and plan dimensions ~(83´34) m. The technology of continuous (seamless) concreting has been developed and implemented, which made it possible to lay ~9100 m3 of concrete into the structure without defects within 42 hours of continuous operation, and a system of technological measures that prevented temperature cracking in concrete. The homogeneity of the physical and mechanical properties of concrete, confirmed by control tests, is ensured due to the uniform supply of the concrete mixture (from six concrete pumps at the same time) in layers 200–300 mm high with a distance between the supply points of about 5–6 m and the vertical arrangement of the “trunks” of the concrete pipes during delivery of concrete to each point, as well as the fact that the time for feeding the next volume of concrete was significantly less than the setting time of the previously laid concrete (with a total concreting speed £0.1 m/h). Standardized and original test methods for concrete mixtures, hardening kinetics and properties of hardened concrete have been used during the development, research and implementation of the project. Control tests of physical and mechanical properties and characteristics of concrete, carried out at BNTU together with authorized organizations controlling the progress of construction, as well as in independent (third-party) organizations, have confirmed their compliance with the design requirements.