Pumping of air-entrained concrete can result in a variable of air content, which leads to possibly rejected concrete. This research used air volume, SAM Number (AASHTO T395), Bulk Freeze-Thaw (ASTM C666), and Hardened Air Void Analysis (ASTM C457) to investigate the air void quality and freeze-thaw durability performance of concrete before and after pumping. The laboratory results show the fresh air testing measurements after pumping fresh concrete are not accurate indicators of the freeze-thaw resistance based on the hardened air void analysis. However, testing fresh concrete prior to pumping is a better indicator of the freeze-thaw performance.

Determining the in-place properties of mass concrete placements is elusive, and currently there are minimal to no test methods available that are both predictive and a direct measurement of mechanical properties. This paper presents a three-stage testing framework that uses common laboratory equipment and laboratory scale specimens to quantify thermal and mechanical properties of mass high-strength concrete placements. To evaluate this framework, four mass placements of varying sizes and insulations were cast, and temperature histories were measured at several locations within each placement, where maximum temperatures of 107 to 119°C (225 to 246°F) were recorded. The laboratory curing protocols were then developed using this mass placement temperature data and the three-stage testing framework to cure laboratory specimens to represent each mass placement. Laboratory curing protocols developed for center and intermediate regions of the mass placements reasonably replicated thermal histories of the mass placements, while the first stage of the three-stage framework reasonably replicated temperatures near the edge of the mass placements. Additionally, there were statistically significant relationships detected between calibration variables used to develop laboratory curing protocols and measured compressive strength. Overall, the proposed three-stage testing framework is a measurable step toward creating a predictive laboratory curing protocol by accounting for the mixture characteristics of thermomechanical properties of high-strength concretes.

The use of construction waste to prepare recycled micro powder can improve the use of construction waste resources and effectively reduce carbon emissions. In this paper, researchers used waste concrete processing micro powder to prepare foam concrete (FC) and quantitatively characterized the performance and pore structure of FC by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), pore and fissure image recognition and analysis system (PCAS), and mechanical property testing methods with different mixing ratios of micro powder. The results showed that the effect of single mixing of micro powder or fly ash is better than the composite mixing test, and the optimal proportion of compressive strength of single mixing of micro powder is higher than that of single mixing of fly ash. The optimum mixing ratio is 6:4 between cement and micro powder, and the best effect is achieved when the micro powder mixing amount is 40%. Single or double mixing can fill the pores between the foam and strengthen the performance of the substrate. The tests of single-mixed or compound-mixed micro powder showed that the fractal dimension decreased with the increase of porosity; when the fractal dimension of the specimen increased, the average shape factor became smaller, the compressive strength decreased, and the water absorption rate increased.

Time-zero is of considerable significance for determining both deformational and mechanical properties of high-performance concrete from very early ages. In this paper, four methods for determining the time-zero are investigated comparably, including stress evolution measurement, autogenous strain method, ultrasonic testing, and temperature rate method. A critical review of the theoretical basis behind each method is presented, with emphasis on the applicability and limitations of each method. Based on a case study, the practical capabilities of all four methods for determining the time-zero of high-performance concrete with a waterbinder ratio (w/b) of 0.25 are experimentally assessed. It is found that the ultrasonic testing and temperature rate methods are better suited due to their simplicity and availability compared to the other two methods. Besides, the temperature of cement-based composites at very early ages can affect the determined values of time-zero, which needs further research.

A comprehensive laboratory testing program, field-testing program, numerical analysis, and life-cycle cost analysis were conducted to evaluate the beneficial effects of incorporating shrinkage-reducing admixture (SRA), polymeric microfibers (PMFs), and optimized aggregate gradation (OAG) into internally cured concrete (ICC) mixtures for rigid pavement applications. Results from the laboratory program indicate that all the ICC mixtures outperformed the standard concrete (SC) mixture. All the ICC mixtures showed a decrease in drying shrinkage compared to the SC mixture. Based on the laboratory program, three ICC mixtures and one SC mixture were selected for the full-scale test and subjected to a heavy vehicle simulator for accelerated fatigue testing. Extensive testing and analysis have shown that ICC mixtures incorporating SRA, PMFs, and OAG can be beneficially used in pavement applications to achieve increased pavement life.