USE OF HIGH FINES CONCRETE (HFC) IN INSULATED CONCRETE FORM (ICF) CONSTRUCTION RESEARCH REPORT ICAR –103 Sponsored by the Aggregates Foundation for Technology, Research and Education Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. ICAR 103 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date USE OF HIGH FINES CONCRETE (HFC) IN INSULATED September 2001 CONCRETE FORM (ICF) CONSTRUCTION 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Dan G. Zollinger Research Report ICAR 103 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) Texas Transportation Institute Texas Texas A&M University System 11. Contract or Grant No. Project No. ICAR 103 College Station, Texas 77843-3135 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered Aggregates Foundation for Technology, Research and Education Research: August 20 1998 - 2101 Wilson Blvd, Ste 100 October 31 1999 Arlington, Virginia 22201-3062 14. Sponsoring Agency Code 15. Supplementary Notes Research performed in cooperation with the International Center for Aggregate Research and Aggregates Foundation for Technology, Research and Education Research Project Title: Development of a Controlled Low Strength Material for Use in Residential Concrete Building Systems 16. Abstract This project work consisted of developing technical data to justify, from the standpoint of material properties (of aggregate fines and HFC), construction efficiency, cost competitiveness, and energy performance, a basis for the use of high-fines concrete (HFC) inside ICF wall systems. Although several aspects of the study are listed above, the report primarily concentrates on the material aspects of a limited number of aggregate fines sources and their use in HFC relative to strength development and placeability. Originally, emphasis was planned to be placed upon the use of a controlled low strength material (CLSM) but due to strength requirements currently in force for ICF construction, it was determined that greater benefit would be derived from highlighting the advantages of using aggregate fines in ICF concrete. A framework for developing suitable HFC mixture designs for different ICF wall systems relative to placement and strength characteristics is discussed. These guidelines were based upon results from the construction to two residential structures using HFC and the placement of 4 trial wall systems. One of the structures consisted of a Atest model@ that was used to investigate methods of construction and the energy efficiency of an ICF wall system. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement Concrete, Fines, Sand, Aggregate, Workability, No restrictions. This document is available to the Pumping, Mixture Design, Insulated Concrete Form public through NTIS: National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, Virginia 22161 19. Security Classif.(of this report) 20. Security Classif.(of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price Unclassified Unclassified 126 Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized Use of High Fines Concrete (HFC) in Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) Construction: by Dan G. Zollinger Associate Research Engineer Texas Transportation Institute Report ICAR 103 Project Number 103 Research Project Title: Development of a Controlled Low Strength Material for Use in Residential Concrete Building Systems Sponsored by the The International Center for Aggregate Research September 2001 TEXAS TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE The Texas A&M University System College Station, Texas 77843-3135 DISCLAIMER The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official view or policies of the International Center for Aggregate Research or AAB Building Systems. The report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation, nor is it intended for construction, bidding, or permit purposes. The engineer in charge of this project was Dan G. Zollinger, P.E. #67129. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Research findings presented in this report are a result of a project carried out at the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI), Texas A&M University. The authors would like to thank the staff of the International Center for Aggregate Research or AAB Building Systems for their support throughout this research project. The authors would also like to recognize significant contributions made by the following organizations and individuals: Texas Transportation Institute _Texas Industries _Pioneer Concrete _Dr. Roger Gold _Chemlink _Tenneco Building Products _Flexible Products _Thermothru Doors _Holnam Cement _ACME Brick vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page List of Figures........................................................................................................................ix List of Tables .......................................................................................................................xiii Chapter 1 Use of Concrete in Residential Construction...................................................... 1.1 Scope of Work ............................................................................................................... 1.4 Objectives ................................................................................................................ 1.4 Beneficial Aspects of ICF Construction ........................................................................ 1.5 Economical Considerations of ICF Construction ........................................................ 1.11 ICF Construction Practices .......................................................................................... 1.13 Chapter 2 Considerations for the Use of Fines in Concrete ............................................... 2.1 Research on Fines in Concrete....................................................................................... 2.1 Use of Fines in Concrete................................................................................................ 2.1 Implications of the Literature Review ........................................................................... 2.6 Testing Protocol Considerations.............................................................................. 2.7 Protocol for Testing Relevant to HFC ........................................................................... 2.7 Fines Classification for Use in HFC.............................................................................. 2.9 HFC Performance Considerations ......................................................................... 2.14 Application of Classification System .................................................................... 2.19 Conclusions.................................................................................................................. 2.29 Chapter 3 Properties of HFC Relative to ICF Construction ............................................... 3.1 Laboratory Test Program............................................................................................... 3.1 Module Construction ............................................................................................... 3.7 Chapter 4 Case Study in ICF Construction.......................................................................... 4.1 Introduction.................................................................................................................... 4.1 General Features ............................................................................................................ 4.1 Specific Construction Details ........................................................................................ 4.3 Concrete Factors ...................................................................................................... 4.4 Interior Finishing ..................................................................................................... 4.5 Construction Costs......................................................................................................... 4.9 vii TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Chapter 5 ICF Construction and Energy Test Module ........................................................ 5.1 Test Module Temperature Instrumentation ................................................................... 5.2 Heat Transfer Considerations ........................................................................................ 5.3 Boundary Conditions of Heat Transfer.................................................................... 5.6 Heat Transfer Analysis ............................................................................................ 5.7 Chapter 6 Summary and Conclusions.................................................................................. 6.1 References........................................................................................................................... R.1 Appendix A ICF Wall Configurations................................................................................ A.1 Appendix B Micrographs of Aggregate Fines.................................................................... B.1 Appendix C X-Ray Diffraction Patterns of Aggregate Fines ............................................. C.1 Appendix D Laboratory Test Results ................................................................................. D.1 Appendix E Laboratory Cracking Results...........................................................................E.1