Prediction of concrete pumping based on correlation between slump and rheological properties

This study collected the results of material tests and full-scale pumping tests using 127 types of concrete mixtures with compressive strength ranging from 24 to 200 MPa. The results of 242 material tests showed high correlations between the viscosity of the lubricating layer and concrete, between the slump and the yield stress of concrete, between the water-binder ratio and the viscosity of lubricating layer, and between the time required to reach 500 mm of slump flow and concrete viscosity. Based on these correlations, pumpability was predicted using 101 pumping test conditions, and their accuracy was compared to the actual test results. When the rheological properties of concrete and the lubricating layer were directly measured, the prediction result showed the highest accuracy. A high accuracy can be achieved when the measured viscosity of the lubricating layer, a key determinant of concrete pumpability, is reflected in the prediction of pumpability. When measuring rheological properties is difficult, the slump test can be used to quantitatively predict the pumpability despite the lower accuracy than those of other prediction methods.