Medida de las principales propiedades en el estado fresco, y de la resistencia a la segregación, en un hormigón autocompactante de alta densidad fabricado con barita

Heavyweight concrete is used for shielding in structures requiring protection against radiation. The addition of superplasticizers to mixes yields workable, high density materials with low water/cement ratios. This paper discusses the results of adding a polycarboxylate-based superplasticizer to heavyweight barite concrete to obtain a self-compacting mix. The fresh properties were characterized with trials suitable for self-compacting concrete. Since the large differences in constituent densities make segregation a key issue in this type of concrete, a specific trial was designed to check for homogeneity. The flowability, passing ability and resistance to segregation findings showed that the product obtained was a self-compacting concrete.