The development of self-compacting concrete has become possible thanks to the use of surfactants that increase the wettability of water and help disperse cement particles. These are superplasticizers and stabilizers which in combination with an appropriate formulation, increase the mobility and homogeneity of the concrete while preserving its quality. At the end of the 1980s, the first self - compacting concrete was designed in Japan.

At present, self-compacting concrete is mainly used in highly reinforced structures, elements with impossibility of vibration, thick foundation slabs, etc. Generally, it has the same properties as ordinary concrete, but with additional requirements for its technology.

The self-compacting concrete has the following advantages:

• Reduced application time and effort
• Improved surface of the structure
• Limited application noise
• Facilitated filling of formwork in difficult-to-reach areas
• Concreting thin, dense reinforced elements
• Excellent surfaces of exterior and interior architectural solutions made of concrete

Thanks to these advantages and properties, self-compacting concrete has the potential not only to cover special applications, such as high strength concrete, but to supplement conventional concrete as a massive building material.

Applications

• Constructions requiring an ideal visible surface
• Structures with impossibility of vibration
• High walls and columns
• Thin elements with many reinforcements