Innovative Mix Design Methodologies for Self-Compacting Lime Concrete Toward Sustainable Construction

This study presents innovative methodologies for designing self-compacting lime concrete to address the current gap in tailored mix design approaches for this type of concrete. The primary objective was to develop self-compacting lime concrete with compressive strengths exceeding 10 MPa, aiming for target strengths above 20 MPa and approaching 25 MPa for structural use. Natural hydraulic lime (NHL-5) was used as the primary binder, with limestone powder as a mineral addition and a superplasticizer to ensure self-compactability. River sand served as the fine aggregate, while different types of coarse aggregates with varied size, nature, and morphology were incorporated. Fresh state properties of the self-compacting lime concrete mixes were evaluated immediately after mixing, while mechanical properties were tested after 28 days of curing in a humid chamber, including compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, Poisson’s ratio, flexural strength, and specific fracture energy. Results demonstrated high performance in both self-compactability and mechanical strength, exceeding initial expectations due to an optimized mix design methodology and a comprehensive understanding of raw material properties. This methodology offers a promising pathway for producing self-compacting lime concrete, providing a sustainable alternative in construction applications.