Influence of Ice Content and Water-to-Binder Ratio on the Uniaxial Mechanical Characteristics of Iced RCC

This study evaluated how the ice dosage and water-to-binder (W/B) ratio affect the uniaxial response of roller-compacted concrete (RCC). Three levels of W/B, 0.40, 0.45, and 0.50, were examined. For every W/B level, five proportions of ice substitution, namely 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%, were adopted in the mixing process, producing 15 distinct mixture categories. In each group, three prismatic specimens and three cubic specimens were fabricated for compression testing. Uniaxial compression experiments were conducted to determine the failure characteristics and full stress–strain behavior, whereas scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze the internal microstructure. Based on the test data, a constitutive expression describing RCC under uniaxial compression was established. The experimental results showed that, within the investigated range, compressive strength displayed a rise-then-fall trend as the W/B ratio increased from 0.40 to 0.50, and the best overall performance was obtained at W/B = 0.45. Microscopic examination further confirmed that this ratio produced a denser and more integrated internal structure. In addition, the role of ice dosage in governing the mechanical response of RCC varied significantly with the W/B level. The outcomes of this study provide useful support for RCC mix proportion optimization and practical engineering design.