Development of self-compacting concrete using contrast constant factorial design

The objective of this study is to determine if adjustment of the four factors viz. cement content (c), water to powder (w/p) ratio, fly ash (fa) content, and superplasticizer (sp) will increase the compressive strength of self-compacting concrete (scc) by using contrast constant factorial design and response surface methodology. the method of the analyzing 2k factorial design that is a design with k factors each at two levels was used with 16 factorial points. it is concluded that the interactions of the parameters of a couple effect of c with sp, w/p with sp, fa with sp, and c with fa and sp in a full quadratic model are the only significant effects and the underlying assumptions of the analysis are satisfied. in maximizing compressive strength, variables such as cement content a or x1, water to powder ratio b or x2, fly ash content c or x3, and super plasticizer dosage d or x4 should be at a high level of significance and the process is relatively robust (exhibiting strength) to superplasticizer d.