Self-compacting concrete

Self-compacting concrete was first developed 1988 in order to achieve durable concrete structures. Since then, various investigations have been carried out, and the concrete has been used in practical structures in Japan, mainly by large construction companies. Investigations for establishing a rational mix design method and self-compactability testing methods have been carried out from the viewpoint of making it a standard concrete. In addition to Japan, investigations have been started in many countries, and it has been applied to practical structures especially in Canada, Sweden, The Netherlands, Thailand and Taiwan. Recommendations and manuals for self-compacting concrete have also been published in Japan. In this article, the current condition of self-compacting concrete is summarized based on reports given at the International Workshop on Self-compacting Concrete, Kochi, Japan, in 1998.