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Reduced Cementitious Material in Optimized Concrete Mixture

Status: Complete
Project Start Date: December 18, 2017
Project End Date: December 31, 2020

Project summary

Mixture proportioning generally uses a recipe based on a previously produced concrete, rather than adjusting the proportions based on the needs of the mixture and the locally available materials. As budgets grow tighter and environmental regulations increase, an emphasis on lowering the carbon footprint, is focusing attention on making mixtures that are more efficient in their usage of materials yet do not compromise engineering performance. A means of reducing environmental impact is to reduce the amount of binder in the mixture. MnROAD is planning to construct several cells using reduced cementitious content mixtures, with the aim of monitoring the constructability and longevity of the concrete. The proposed work has been designed to identify the behavior and performance of concrete paving mixes with low cementitious content, i.e., between 475 to 500 lb/CY, and lower cementitious content, i.e., 430 to 470 lb/CY. The objectives of this study include:

  1. Investigate the early-age characteristics (i.e. placement issues, slow strength gain) of concrete paving mixes containing low and lower cementitious content
  2. Assess causes of, or potential for, durability issues with very low cementitious content
  3. Identify effect of reduced cementitious content on long tern serviceability and economics of concrete pavements (i.e. benefits of reduced shrinkage)
  4. Develop recommended specifications, mixing and placement practices for the use of very low cementitious content concrete paving mixes.

Project tasks

Original Need Statement: Optimizing the Mix Components for Contractors (DOC) - June 14, 2017

Task 1: Literature search

Task 2A/2B/2C: Annual cell performance report (at cell ages of 1, 2 and 3 years)

Task 3: Analysis to determine the early-age characteristics of concrete paving mixes with lower cementitious content

Task 4: Analysis to determine causes of/potential for durability issues with very low cementitious content pavement mixes

Task 5: Analysis to determine effect of reduced cementitious content on long-term serviceability and economics of concrete pavements

Task 6: Develop recommended specifications, mixing and pavement practices for the use of very low cementitious content concrete pavement mixes

Task 7: Draft final report

Project team

Email the Project Team
Principal Investigator:
Peter C Taylor, Iowa State University
Technical Liaison: Bernard Izevbekhai, Minnesota DOT
Project Technical Advisory Panel (TAP)

  • Bernard Izevbekhai, MnDOT
  • Tumer Akakin, ARM
  • Brett Trautman, MoDOT
  • Curt Turgeon, MnDOT
  • Maria Masten, MnDOT

Related materials

Final report

Final published report