An Investigation of Coarse Aggregate, Water-Cement Ratio, and Silika Fume on Frost Resistance of HS Concrete

It is well known that the characteristics of concrete components greatly affect the durability of high strength/high performance (HS/HP) concrete against frost action. Undoubtedly, precise recognition of this relationship leads to appropriate selection of the type and proportions of concrete components in any particular project. In the current study, the aim is to investigate the possibility of developing some mathematical-experimental models to explain the frost resistance of high-performance concrete, regarding the role of some of its main components. To do so, the effects of four key elements, i.e. water, silica fume, coarse aggregate, and number of freeze-thawing cycles, were studied on the frost resistance of HS/HP concrete were studied. 24 concrete mix designs including 3 ratios of water to cementitious materials, i. e. 0.4, 0.3, and 0.25 4 ratios of silica fume to cementitious materials, i.e. 0, 5, 10, and 15 percent and 2 types of coarse aggregates, i. e. Limestone and Quartzite were utilized for HS/HP concrete. Overall, about 432 concrete cubes were cast, cured and tested under freeeze-thaw cycles. Finally, some models were proposed for describing the frost resistance of high strength concrete.