Article 6

Self- compacting concrete benefits Leeds Echo 2 project

- The benefits of using self compacting concrete (SCC) have been widely known for many years yet it only counts for 5-6% in today’s construction projects. Rather a large percentage is taken by the pre-cast concrete sector.

- Reasons for SCC not being used: Cost – considerably higher than conventional concrete due to the increased volume of raw materials used. Production and investment costs are also higher. Lack of knowledge and awareness of this construction method. Issues with product consistency. Has been regarded as a niche product for reputable architectural designs.

- The difference in cost, however, has reduced substantially making it more feasible for contractors to consider.

- A case study was taken in 2007 in the UK. Echo 1 building was to be built solely using conventional concrete construction, and Echo 2 using SCC.

- Results from case study: due to the fluidity of SCC the quality of formwork needed to be of a high standard to ensure a clean finish. The overall standard was extremely high reducing the need for ‘bagging.’ Here savings were made of Echo 1. Concrete pours for SCC do not need to start early morning so that the finishing team could come in later afternoon. As a result SCC was a more efficient use of time.

- ‘Another significant benefit of SCC is the ability to tweak the mix to suit specific site requirements.’

- SCC requires careful scheduling and a detailed understanding of the on-site processes to ensure continuity of supply.