Recent remarkable changes in the construction environment are demanding improved technology for the production of high performance concrete with far greater workability, high strength and long durability. A self-compacting concrete, which has excellent deformability and resistance to segregation and can be filled in heavily reinforced formwork without vibrators, was developed in 10 years ago. The motive for development of self-compacting concrete was the social problem on durability of concrete structures that arose around 1983.

The concept of self-compacting concrete was proposed by Okamura in 1986 and the prototype was first completed in the word in 1988. Since then, various investigations have been carried out and the concrete has been used in pratical structures, mainly by large scale construction companies. The required workability for casting depends on several factors, such as the type of construction, the selected placement and consolidation methods, the shape of formwork, and the congestion nature of the reinforcement. With the increasing use of congested reinforcements in mat foundations and moment-resisting reinforced concrete structures, there is a growing interest in specifying highly flowable concrete.

SCC often incorporates several mineral and chemical admixtures, in particular a SP and a viscosity-modifying admixture (VMA). The SP is used to insure high fluidity and reduce the water-powder ratio (W/P). The VMA is incorporated to enhance the yield value and viscosity of fluid mixture, hence reducing bleeding, segregation, and settlement.

More recently, much greater volumes of SCC have been used in major Japanese civil engineering structures, such as a massive LPG storage tank or huge anchorages for the 2km-span Akashi-Kaikyo suspension bridge. The anchorgaes contain a complex mixture of dense reinforcement and cabling that had to be encased in 512,000m3 and 250,000m3 of SCC each.