A Comparative Study between Special Concrete and Conventional Cement Concrete in Bridges and Precast Structures

Abstract

India is growing fast, especially in construction. Transportation is key for the country\'s progress. Bridges and elevated roads are crucial for smooth traffic. They need strong concrete to bear heavy loads for years. Regular concrete isn\'t always strong or long-lasting enough. This paper aims to make bridges and precast structures stronger, last longer, cost less, and be more eco-friendly. It compares normal concrete with special concrete. Special concrete has extra stuff like micro silica, polypropylene fiber, and bacillus subtilis. These boost concrete\'s strength and durability. The paper looks at how adding these things affects concrete\'s strength, how much water gets through it, and its tensile strength. Tests on different types of concrete show that special concrete is much better than regular concrete. This study looks closely at these special ingredients and how they make concrete better. It shows how each one helps concrete become stronger, last longer, and improve overall quality.

Introduction

I. INTRODUCTION

India is growing fast, especially in construction. Bridges and elevated viaducts are super important for keeping traffic flowing smoothly in any country's transportation system. When it comes to building bridges, the precast method using concrete is the top choice. Bridges have to handle big loads for a long time, so they need really strong, durable concrete. Nowadays, there's a big demand for high-strength concrete, especially for making bridges and viaducts that can handle a lot of weight.

One big problem with bridges is that they often develop cracks over time. These cracks let water and salts seep in, which causes corrosion and makes the concrete weaker. Regular concrete isn't strong enough for these heavy bridges and can't keep them strong for long. That's why there's a need to develop a special kind of concrete just for bridges. This special concrete has to be tough enough to handle heavy loads and make sure the structures last a long time without getting weak.

II. MATERIAL AND METHODS

A. Special Concrete

Special ingredient concrete combines high-quality materials to enhance standard concrete, ensuring it meets the strength and durability needs of heavy structures like bridges and precast components. It's specially engineered for these purposes to ensure smooth functionality. One remarkable feature is its ability to self-heal, where cracks are filled with calcite in moist conditions. Additionally, micro silica boosts compressive strength and reduces water permeability due to its fine particles. Polypropylene fiber integration enhances concrete integrity, improving flexural strength and reducing micro-cracks.

III. METHODOLOGY

In our experiment, we made two types of concrete: regular M30 grade and a special one with added ingredients. We followed specific guidelines for both. We mixed them together and let them harden. After 28 days, we tested cubes made from each type to see how strong they were. This helped us decide if the special concrete could be used for building bridges. By comparing the results of the tests, we could tell which type of concrete would be better for building sturdy bridges that can handle heavy loads and last a long time.

VII. DISCUSSION

In this study, we improved the engineering properties of regular concrete by adding special ingredients, enhancing strength, durability, and structure integrity. Our main goal was to create a special concrete suitable for bridges and precast structures, comparing it to regular concrete. Testing cubes from both types showed the special concrete had significantly higher compressive strength than regular concrete of the same grade. Tensile strength and water permeability tests also favored the special concrete. However, the special ingredients are more expensive, raising the initial cost of the structure. Despite the higher cost, the improved properties make the special concrete a promising choice for long-lasting and robust structures like bridges.

Conclusion

Adding special ingredients to regular concrete greatly boosts its strength and durability. Experimental studies confirm these ingredients significantly enhance concrete properties, making it ideal for heavy structures like bridges and precast units. This enhanced concrete shows improved compressive strength and structural durability, crucial for supporting heavy loads and ensuring long-term stability in such constructions. It was found that addition of combination of these ingredients increases the compressive strength by 20%, increases tensile strength by 28% and decreases water permeability by 34% as compared with conventional concrete of M30 grade. From complete comparative study it can be said that the special concrete found feasible for heavy bridge and precast concrete structure.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2024 Priyanka Sinha, Apeksha Chaudhari. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.