An experimental study on the workability of self-compacting lightweight concrete

Abstract Numerous investigations have been conducted on self-compacting concrete (SCC) and lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC), but there are relatively very few studies on self-compacting lightweight concrete (SCLC). This paper deals mainly with the mix proportion design for SCLC and its workability. By considering the water absorption of lightweight aggregate (LWA), two mix proportions for SCLC are designed by the overall calculation method with fixed fine and coarse aggregate contents. The workability of the two types of fresh SCLCs is quantitatively evaluated by the slump flow, V-funnel, L-box, U-box, wet sieve segregation, and surface settlement tests. The uniformity of distribution of LWAs along the specimen is also evaluated by the column segregation test and the cross-section images. Based on the experimental results, a detailed analysis is conducted. It is found that the two types of fresh SCLCs have good fluidity, deformability, filling ability, uniform aggregate distribution and minimum resistance to segregation. It can be concluded that the two mix proportions for SCLC presented in this paper satisfy various requirements for workability and can be used for the design of practical concrete structures.