THE PRODUCTION AND DELIVERY OF HIGH-STRENGTH CONCRETE

Testing laboratories and consultants in the Greater Seattle area note that because of the high quality of aggregate available, concretes with a strength of 20,000 psi should not be difficult to produce. However, it is noted, the ready-mixed concrete supplier is very important to the team effort that is necessary to produce high-strength concrete, and therefore, must be involved in all aspects of the job. The article cites examples of how alternative column designs have been used in high rise buildings by specifying high-strength concrete. Quality control procedures to investigate the materials are discussed. The selection of materials, i.e. cement, aggregate, chemical admixtures, and mineral admixtures, are also discussed. The need for a comprehensive quality assurance program is noted. Data collected from mock-ups were combined into a manual. The manual defined a quality team consisting of representatives of each of the participating companies to provide a forum to reconcile any quality related disputes.