The recent introduction of self-compacting concrete (SCC) also known as "Self-Concrete Concrete" has been one of the most important developments in the construction industry. The advantage of SCC is that it is installed in deeply deep sections and deeply reinforced by its own weight and can be consolidated without the need for internal or external vibrations. At the same time, it can also maintain its stability without leading to segregation and bleeding. However, the SCC requires a large amount of powder content compared to conventional vibrated concrete to produce a homogeneous and cohesive mixture.
The common practice to achieve self-compactability in SCC is to limit coarse aggregate content and maximum size and use lower water and powder ratios together with next-generation super plasticizer. During transport and placement of SCC, increased flowability can lead to segregation and bleeding that can be overcome by providing the required viscosity, which is normally supplied by increasing the fine aggregate content, limiting the maximum aggregate size, increasing the content in Powder or by the use of viscosity modifying additives.
The disadvantage of SCC is its cost associated with the use of chemical mixtures and the use of high volumes of portland cement. An alternative to reduce the cost of SCC is the use of mineral additives such as limestone powder, natural pozzolans, fly ash and slags which are finely divided materials added to the concrete as separate ingredients before or during mixing.
As these mineral additives replace part of the portland cement, the cost of SCC will be reduced especially if the mineral additive is an industrial byproduct or waste. It is well established that mineral additives, such as fly ash and slag, can increase the workability, durability and long-term properties of concrete. Therefore, the use of these types of mineral additives in SCC will not only lower the cost of SCC, but also increase its long-term performance.