ABSTRACT
In this chapter the various physical aspects of viscosity and fluidity in terms of the effects of particle packing, granular distribution, and the effect of the paste layers on fluidity are discussed initially. A detailed review on the mechanical strength–related characteristics of self-compacting concretes (SCCs) available in the literature is presented. The wide variety of compositions and the various possibilities of utilizing different types of pozzolanic materials was recognized. In spite of such a wide variety of these material combinations in the production of SCCs, it was observed that most researchers found that in general the available relationships between the mechanical strength parameters for normal concretes appear to predict the behavior of SCC compositions reasonably well. Some of these parameters are discussed to understand the present status. However, it is obvious that there is a definite need for a better understanding of the effects of bond with reinforcement and the sheer characteristics of structural members. More information is required on the shrinkage, creep, and relaxation characteristics, particularly with concretes containing higher powder content. A few attempts reported in literature on their use in prestressed concrete applications and anchorage stresses are also discussed. The possible use of NDT limited to only rebound and UPV studies appears to be acceptable to SCCs also.
