RCC Mix Design and Trial Embankment for the Sg. Kinta Dam Project in Malaysia

Abstract

For the Sg. Kinta dam, which was the first RCC (roller compacted concrete) dam to be constructed in Malaysia, the RCC mix design was designed following RCD (roller compacted dam-concrete) method at the laboratory to arrive at the optimum mix proportions. The RCC design practice developed by USBR (US Bureau of Reclamation) and USCE (US Army Corps of Engineers) also reviewed. The trial mixing resulted in that RCC mix with a maximum aggregate size of 63 mm, was required less water when the proportion of fine aggregates in the mix was 36% and the fines content which was the percentage of the aggregate less than 75 μm size was 1.6%. The optimum mix were selected at the trial mixing and used in the construction of trial embankment to check on the in-situ properties and performance of the mixes. These field trials revealed that the fines content in the mix had to be increased to minimize tendency of the mix to segregate, to improve the compacted density of the RCC and impermeability of lift joint surface. We found that to minimize segregation, the proportion of fine aggregates and fines content needs to be increased to approximately 41% and 5.0% respectively.