Abstract

The use of high-performance shotcrete lining is indispensable to improve long-term durability of a tunnel and to apply the single-shell tunnelling method. Among a lot of shotcrete admixtures, pozzolan materials such as silica fume have positive effects on increasing the strength and the durability of shotcrete. It is also well known that a cement-based accelerator is much faster in setting time and more eco-friendly than conventional accelerators. This study aimed to improve the properties of wet-mix shotcrete by incorporating with Metakaolin and the calcium aluminate based accelerator. To compare Metakaolin with silica fume, mixing ratios of each material were varied as 4% and 8% of cement weight. Moreover, Metakaolin was blended with silica fume, and their binder was also set to 4% and 8% of cement weight. At each mixing condition, setting time, compressive strength, flexural strength, permeability and freezing-thawing resistance were measured. From the experiments, it was revealed Metakaolin could be a substituting material for silica fume.