Heavyweight Concrete

Heavyweight Concrete

Heavyweight concrete is mainly used for radiation protection. The critical properties of a heavyweight concrete are:

·     Homogeneous density and spatial closeness of the concrete

·     Free from cracks and honeycombing

·     Compressive strength is often only a secondary criterion due to the large size of the structure

·     As free from air voids as possible

·     Keep shrinkage low

Composition

·     Aggregate

-       Use of barytes, iron ore, heavy metal slags, ferrosilicon, steel granules or shot

·    Cement

-       Allow for hydration heat development when selecting the cement type and content

·    Water content

-       Aim for a low water/cement ratio

·    Workability

-       To ensure a fully closed concrete matrix, careful consideration should be given to the placing (compaction).

·    Curing

-       Allowance must be made in the curing method for the high heat develop-ment due to the likely large mass of the structure.