Concrete Mixes that Meet the Specs of Each Project

At The Conco Companies, our portfolio includes a wide variety of projects that have required the use of various concrete mixes to meet their unique specifications.  For projects that require extremely durable and/or high-strength concrete, High-performance Concrete (HPC) is used.  

HPC is defined by the American Concrete Institute (ACI) as “meeting special combinations of performance and uniformity requirements that cannot always be achieved routinely using conventional constituents and normal mixing, placing, and curing practices.”  The design mix of HPC basically contains the same materials as conventional concrete with the difference being the proportion of the materials added to provide the needed strength and durability.    

The ACI explains that HPC has a specified compressive strength of 8000 psi (55 MPa) or greater.  They add that, “The value of 8000 psi (55 MPa) was selected because it represented a strength level at which special care is required for production and testing of the concrete and at which special structural design requirements may be needed.” In addition to strength requirements, HPC is used in projects that face tough environmental conditions.   To achieve a project’s specifications, HPC uses other materials along with the cement such as flyash, ground blast furnace slag or microsilica fume.   

The characteristics of HPC include low shrinkage, low permeability, a high modulus of elasticity, and high strength.   However not all high-strength concrete is high-performance.  The HPC used in the construction of bridge decks and highways must contain properties such as high density, low permeability and resistance to environmental conditions.  Other projects that benefit from HPC are the columns used in high-rises, especially the ones on the lower floors that will bear the greatest load, shear walls and foundations.   

Please visit Conco’s website to see some of our impressive projects we have had the honor to be a part of.  Also while you are there, take a look at the wide range of premium concrete services we offer.     

The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western U.S. We got our start in the Bay Area in 1959 by offering clients the best value on a wide range of concrete services and products.  Since that time, we have taken a leading role as one of the top concrete contractors in the region. We have four regional offices serving California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon and Colorado.

Sources:concrete.org/topicsinconcrete/topicdetail/high%20performance%20concrete