Quarterly Management Report on Research Progress - Illinois ...

<strong>Quarterly</strong> Progress <strong>Report</strong>
Paul Tennis ptennis@cement.org
Meeting Dates - Minutes Available?
Progress & Significant Results This Quarter:
Brief Summary of the Project Status
1. Many meetings were held with John Huang (Chairman of TRP) and John Melander (PCA) at IDOT District 1, UIC, and at PCA facilities to
discuss the progress of the project including the problems encountered and test results.
2. Several individual and group meetings were held at UIC with John Huang, John Melander, Ready mix concrete representatives, admixture
representatives, and cement representatives to witness the mixing operation and other testing procedures.
3. Most of these meetings were held to find a solution to the difficulties that are encountered in achieving stable air system using the concrete mix
designs specified for the project by only using WRDA 82 and DARAVAIR 1400 except the mix with fly ash and natural sand.
4. The mixes that include combined sand and/or slag produce very harsh mix. If adding only WRDA 82, a large amount of WRDA 82 (much more
than the limit of 3.5-5.0 fl.oz/CWT) is needed to achieve the required slump. However, the air entraining admixture WRDA 82 dosage required is
greater than what is recommended by the manufacturer. Adding this large amount of WRDA 82 will yield a large amount of faked fresh air in the
mix that was not reflected in the hardened air as revealed lately in the hardened air void system.
Other Activities:
• In the second week of December 2011, I invited Jim Kolakowski and Jeff from Grace and Scott from Ozinga to witness and find a way to
stabilize the air content in the fresh state for the problems encountered for this harsh mix for the concrete mixtures using the aggregates and
cementitious materials specified in the test program. They identified and introduce combinations of a HRWR (ADVA CAST 575) and air entraining
admixture (Darex II). With their presence several trials were made using these combinations.
• On December 20, 2011, I met with John Melander at UIC to follow up and to discuss the suggested combinations of HRWR (ADVA CAST
575) and air entraining admixture (Darex II) that were introduced by Jim Kolakowski and Jeff from Grace and Scott from Ozinga. The
combinations ADVA CAST 575 and Darex II did work and provide stable fresh air content at 30 and 45 minutes in concrete mixtures using the
aggregates and cementitious materials specified in the test program in the fresh state.
• John Melander indicated and suggested to make concrete specimens from trial batches and check the hardened air at 14 days to confirm that
they are achieving the desired hardened air parameters prior to mixing full-size batches for durability testing.
• We made some of these trial mixtures using Darex II and ADVA CAST 575 to evaluate effect on air content stability in the fresh and hardened
state.
• The testing for the air void system is in progress. After all these trials I will plan to schedule a project review meeting with the TRP to review
the information from these trial batches before proceeding to cast more durability test specimens.
Anticipated Work Next Quarter:
On January 5, I met with John Huang (chairman of TRP) to brief him on the latest development in the project. As a result of this meeting, John
Huang recommended the use of natural admixtures WRDA 82 and Daravair 1400 in the concrete mixtures in the following format:
1. Use WRDA 82 as the base water reducer to its limit of 3.5-5.0 fl.oz/CWT and if additional slump is needed use other additional HRWR such as
ADVA CAST 575 or Daracem 19.
2. Use DARAVAIR 1400 air entrainment.
3. WRDA 82 and DARAVAIR 1400 are natural admixtures that are likely to be used.
4. ADVA CAST 575 and Darex II are synthetic admixtures that might be used if needed.
5. Make your best using natural admixtures.
John Huang also suggested to do the following mixes for the following ingredients:
1. Cement + fly ash + natural sand, add either:
a. WRDA 82 + DARAVAIR 1400 (natural admixtures) or
b. ADVA CAST 575 + Darex II (synthetic admixtures)
2. Cement + fly ash + combined sand, add either:
a. WRDA 82 (3.5-5.0 fl.oz/CWT) + ADVA CAST 575 to achieve required slump + DARAVAIR 1400 or
b. ADVA CAST 575 + Darex II (synthetic admixtures)
3. Cement + slag + natural sand, add either:
a. WRDA 82 (3.5-5.0 fl.oz/CWT) + ADVA CAST 575 to achieve required slump + DARAVAIR 1400 or
b. ADVA CAST 575 + Darex II (synthetic admixtures)
4. Cement + slag + combined sand, add either:
a. WRDA 82 (3.5-5.0 fl.oz/CWT) + ADVA CAST 575 to achieve required slump + DARAVAIR 1400 or
b. ADVA CAST 575 + Darex II (synthetic admixtures)
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