| SCC is a flowing or continually deforming concrete which consolidates under its own weight, completely filling the formwork, even in the presence of reinforcement without the need for vibrators to form a product free of honeycombs and bug holes. Since its development in 1988, SCC has been used in different countries for various types of concrete structures. However, its use has been limited in Saudi Arabia due to the lack of research data in the region and also the increased cost due to high cement content and use of imported fillers, such as silica fume and fly ash.;The objective of this study was to explore the feasibility of using SCC made with local materials such as natural pozzolan (NP) and limestone powder (LSP).;Twenty trial mixtures were prepared with different proportions of NP and LSP. From these 20 trial mixtures, 15 meeting the flow criteria were selected for further analysis. Five of these mixtures contained 10 to 30% NP; eight of them contained LSP varying between 10 to 40%, first as a replacement of coarse aggregate and second as a replacement of cement. Two ternary mixtures, NP10/LSP10 and NP20/LSP10 and a control mixture containing fly ash FA20/LSP10 was also prepared.;The compressive strength of LSP SCC specimens replacing aggregates was better than that of NP SCC. The SCC with LSP replacing cement recorded the least strength. In terms of the drying shrinkage, sulfate resistance, resistance to corrosion and chloride permeability, the NP SCC specimens proved to be the best with 20% replacement as the optimum, followed by those prepared with LSP. The ternary mixture, NP10/LSP10 also performed excellently in both mechanical and durability properties. Considerable savings could be accrued by the use of these locally available materials. As such, it is recommended to use NP (10 to 30%), LSP (10 to 20%), LSPC (10 to 20%) or NP10/LSP10 in Saudi Arabia, where strength and durability is paramount. Consequently this will lead to a reduction in the consumption of cement and resulting greenhouse gases. |
