Title:
Australian Experience with High-Performance Concrete Floors and Pavements
Author(s):
R. L. Munn, I. I. Dumitru, G. Smorchevsky and
A. J. Zdrilic
Publication:
Symposium Paper
Volume:
172
Issue:
Appears on pages(s):
465-484
Keywords:
Construction; high-performance concretes; performance; quality control
DOI:
10.14359/6147
Date:
12/1/1999
Abstract:
This paper provides details on five projects where high-performance concrete was used for construction of concrete floors and pavements. Four of these projects are located in Australia and one in Malaysia. Emphasis is placed on strict quality assurance in accordance with AS/NZS 9002 Quality Systems for Production and Installation. Assessment of the concrete quality was made in accordance with the inspection and test plan proposed by the concrete manufacturer and the project specification. The main assessment criteria for each of the following projects were performance based. Chullora printing facility used 80-MPa and lOO-MPa concrete to achieve a very high abrasion resistance, very flat floor to accommodate the continuous turning actions of computer guided vehicles transporting full rolls of newsprint. lOO-MPa textured road pavement was constructed at Wilton Road, Maldon to facilitate frequent turning of heavy vehicles on a public road adjacent to the cement works. National Rail Corporation freight terminal crane roadway was constructed at Chullora using lOO-MPa concrete with a 10-MPa flexural strength. The roadway was subjected to road loadings 24 hours after concrete placing. A distribution centre at Bukit Raja in Malaysia, for which a 40-MPa concrete was specified for the construction of a very flat floor with a high abrasion resistance. An 80-MPa concrete was specified for the construction of a trial pavement for the network of roads within the North Parkes underground gold mine in western New South Wales. The performance criteria was consistently achieved on each project, due to a very well co-ordinated team effort. Because normal concrete is not suitable for this type of construction, high-performance concrete must be specially designed in conjunction with specific methods of floor or pavement construction to yield significantly reduced overall maintenance and life cycle cost savings.