HIGH-PERFORMANCE CONCRETE - AN OVERVIEW

It is suggested that high performance concrete is not fundamentally di fferent from the concrete used in the past, although it usually contai ns fly ash, ground granulated blastfurnace slag and silica fume, as we ll as superplasticizer. The cost aspects of the use of silica fume are considered. The content of cementitious material is high and the wate r/cement ratio is low; the maximum size of aggregate is small. Althoug h ordinary Portland cement is used, it must be compatible with a given superplasticizer; the causes of incompatibility are discussed. The di stinct shrinkage behaviour of high performance concrete is considered and the reasons for an absolute necessity of wet curing are given. Som e uses of high performance concrete are mentioned. A 'prediction' of t he future of high performance concrete and of concrete in general is o ffered.