Silica fume plays
a vital role in improving the performance characteristics of
concrete/shotcrete and is, therefore, used worldwide as mineral
additive. Silica fume available in the form of ultrafine powder
obtained as a byproduct from ferro- silicon industries is a
mineral additive that makes the concrete/shotcrete no only durable
but also improves a number of properties such as cohesiveness
and flowability, compressive strength, abrasion resistance,
impact resistance, chloride resistance, frost resistance, sulphate
resistance, water impermeability, resistance to alkali silica
reaction, resistance to acids and resistance to corrosion.
Very high
compressive strength of concrete for use in stilling basins,
plunge pools of dams for protection against erosion/cavitation
of concrete and also for use in multi-storeyed buildings, long
span bridges etc., can be obtained by using Silica Fume/blended
with other pozzolanic materials and super plasticizers.
Water resources
sector is one of the bulk consumers of cement, coarse and fine
aggregates and mineral additives exposed to variety of typical
problems requiring high performance and durable concrete to
be used in adverse environmental exposures, under water repairs
and shotcreting including fibre reinforced shotcreting in mines,
tunnels, underground power houses etc. About 6-7 million cubic
metres of concrete are prepared worldwide using Silica Fume,
which is in increasing trend. However, due to lack of awareness
about its potential benefits in concrete, the use of silica
fume is limited in India.
The workshop
jointly organised by the Indian Society for Construction Materials
and Structures, Central Soil & Materials Research Station
and Central Water Commission will provide a forum for useful
interaction among designers, consultants, manufacturers and
users of silica fume in water resources sector. The faculty
of the above interaction comprises of eminent exports from USA,
Bhutan, Norway etc., who are expected to discuss the problems
vis-à-vis solutions for achieving more durable and high
performance concrete with the use of silica fume in hydraulic
and other civil engineering structures.
Participants
from all over the country which include top-level designers
from Central & State design organisations, premier Central
& State Irrigation Research institutions, representatives
from leading manufacturers, consultants and also policy makers
and experts from Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will take
part in the Workshop. The Chairman, Central Water Commission,
Shri Jayaseelan will grace the occasion and inaugurate the Workshop
here tomorrow.
