RHEOLOGY AND VISCOSITY

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RHEOLOGY AND

VISCOSITY
• Rheology is the study of the flow of matter,
whereas
Viscosity is a measure of its resistance to
deformation.

• Rheology is a branch of physics or physical

chemistry,
while
Viscosity is a quantitative measurement that is
useful in chemistry
WHAT IS RHEOLOGY?

Rheology is the study of the flow of matter primarily in liquid and gas state. However,
this term can be used regarding soft solids or solids that are under conditions where the
solids respond to the plastic flow rather than deformation that occurs elastically as a
response to an applied force. This study area is a branch of physics that deals with the
deformation and flow of materials regarding both solids and liquids.
Generally, rheology accounts for the behaviour of non-Newtonian fluids by
characterizing the lowest number of functions required to relate stresses with the rate of
change of strain or strain rates. The opposite phenomenon or rheology is rheopecty.
Some non-Newtonian fluids show rheopecty where viscosity increases with relative
deformation, and this is named shear thickening or dilatant materials.
RHEOLOGY BEHAVIOUR
• We can give the rheological behaviour as an
experimental characterization that is named
rheometry.
• The term rheology is interchangeably used along
with rheometry by experimentalists.
• Practically, rheology involves extending continuum
mechanics in order to characterize the flow of
materials that can exhibit a combination of elastic,
viscous, and plastic behaviour through properly
combining elasticity and fluid mechanics.
WHAT IS VISCOSITY?
Viscosity of a fluid is the measure of its resistance towards
deformation at a given rate. When considering liquids, it
corresponds to the informal concept of thickness, e.g. the
viscosity of syrup is higher than that of water.
We can show viscosity by quantifying the internal
frictional force which arises between adjacent layers of
fluid that occurs in a relative motion. For example, when
we are forcing a viscous fluid through a tube, it tends to
flow more quickly near the axis of the tube compared to
the flow near walls. Experimentally, in this type of
situations, the fluid requires some stress in order to sustain
the flow through the tube.
MATERIAL OF CONCRETE

- SAND
- CEMENT
- GRAVEL
- WATER
- ADMIXTURE
SOME THINGS AFFECTING
CONCRETE RHEOLOGY

The rheological properties of concrete

are dependent on the factors like
- mix proportions,
- consistency,
- the properties of each ingredient
present in the mix,
- the mixing amount and the
admixture amount,
- the time elapsed after mixing
 MIX PROPORTION
• The concrete mix is proportioned to provide workability needed during
placement and compaction to assure the stipulated performance
characteristics of the hardened concrete.
• In case there is an excess amount of coarse aggregate in a concrete mix,
it will be deficient in mortar to fill the void system, resulting in a loss of
mobility and cohesion. Such a mix is known as a harsh mix and requires
more efforts to place and compact it. The harshness in the mix may also
be developed by low air content. An increased air entrainment may
reduce the excessive use of fine aggregate.
• On the other hand an excessive amount of entrained air or fine aggregate
in concrete will increase the cohesion to such an extent that will make
the concrete difficult to move i.e. its mobility will decrease. The more
amount of fine aggregate in a concrete mix increases the surface area of
the particles which requires more amount of paste to coat the surface of
the particles to have the same mobility. This high amount of cement
paste results in higher drying shrinkage and cracking.
 1. Aggregate Shape and Texture
AGREGATE 2. Aggregate Grading:
3. Maximum Size of Aggregate
• In practice usually concrete mixes are
proportioned with an excess amount of fine
aggregate and higher cement content than
needed for a concrete of optimum fine
aggregate content.
• The higher cement content makes the concrete
slow moving and sticky, especially in the
normal range of slump for cast in-situ concrete.
Further the higher cement content and lower
water-cement ratio reduces the workability of
rich mixes from that measured immediately
after mixing.
AGREGATE SHAPE AND TEXTURE
- The rough and highly angular aggregate particles
produce higher percentage of voids which need
more paste to fill these voids.
- There is need for more fine aggregate and water
content in the mix.
- Similarly angular fine aggregate will increase
the internal friction in the concrete mix requiring
more water content than needed when
well-rounded natural sand is used.
 AGREGATE GRADING
- A well graded aggregate gives a good • The size of fine aggregate particles
workability. increases i.e. fine aggregate becomes
- Gap grading or a change in the size coarser, the cohesion of the concrete
distribution of aggregate may cause reduces resulting in harsh concrete mix
appreciable effect on the workability and and the tendency of bleeding increases.
void system of the concrete mix. • Thus to maintain the workability of the
- These effects have been found more in the concrete mix adjustments in the grading
fine aggregate than coarse aggregate. of fine aggregate becomes necessary due
- The water requirement in the mix increases to the above noted changes.
with the decrease in the size of fine
aggregate particles, resulting in
MAXIMUM SIZE OF AGREGATE

- An increase in the maximum size of aggregate will

reduce the surface area of the aggregate particles
to be wetted resulting in the reduction in the
cement content necessary for a constant
water-cement ratio.
CONSISTENCY

- The consistency of concrete is an indicator of the

relative water content in the concrete mix. It is mea
sured with the help of the’ slump test. The increase in
slump or water content above that required to get a
workable mix produces greater fluidity and decreased
internal friction. The decrease in cohesion of the mix
increases the potential for segregation and increased
bleeding. Thus more amount of water content, than
that needed to produce a workable mix will not
improve the rheological properties of concrete.
WATER CONTENT
Contrary to this, too low of water content or slump will reduce the
mobility and compatibility of concrete which will cause difficulties in
placing and compacting the concrete.
It has been observed that as far as rheological properties of concrete
are concerned an increase of one percent of air entrainment is
equivalent to an increase of water content by 3% or 1% of fine
aggregate.
On the other hand an excessively dry mix may result loss of cohesion
and may cause an increased dry segregation.
HARDENING AND STIFENING
- The rate of hardening of concrete increases with the use of
rapid hardening cement, cement deficient in gypsum and
the accelerating admixtures, the increased rate of hardening
of concrete reduces its mobility. The porous and dry
aggregate reduce the workability of the concrete by
absorbing water from the concrete mix. The workability
also reduces if the surface area of aggregate particles to be
wetted is increased.
ADMIXTURE
- The rheology of concrete has been found to be effected by the following admixtures:
(a) Plasticizers and super plasticizers.
(b)Air entraining agents.
(c) Accelerators and retarders.

These admixtures are used in the following three ways:

(i) To give the same workability with less water content, resulting in higher strength.
(ii) To give the same workability and strength with reduced cement content. However the
cement content should be sufficient from workability considerations.
(iii) To give increased workability with the same long term strength and durability.
 AIR ENTRANCE AGENT
The air entraining agents produce spherical bubbles of 10 to 250 micron in diameter by modifying the
surface tension of the aqueous phase in the mix. Most commonly materials used as air entraining
agents are sodium olerate, sodium caprate, alkyle sulphate and pemric acid salts etc. The air bubbles
are produced by these compounds which have negatively charged head group as (-COO–, SO2–3,
SO2–4) which is hydrophilic (water attracting) and a non-polar tail which is hydrophobic (water
repelling).
Thus the air bubbles generated have an apparent negative charge which forms bridges between cement
particles resulting in increased yield value. These air bubbles act as ball bearings allowing large
particles to slide over each other more easily, decreasing the plastic viscosity. The rheological
properties of the concrete are changed very significantly by the air entrained agents.
The air entrainment increases the cohesion and reduces the tendency of bleeding in the mix. It has
been observed that 4 to 6% air entrainment by volume increases the cohesion of the mix and sand
content may be reduced by about 5%.
ACCELERATOR
The accelerators will reduce and the retarders will extend the workability time for a given mix. The time of
retention of improved workability is critical for the concrete where it is to be transported before placement.
The reduction in workability is similar to the stiffening of concrete due to slow chemical reaction during the
induction period.
The addition of admixtures change the nature of membrane formed around the cement particles and the
composition of aqueous solution resulting the change in the rate of stiffening. This effect especially has been
observed when super plasticizers are used.
A retarder plasticizer reduces the workability loss and increases the retention time due to slowing down the
setting of cement. Super Plasticizers have been found to effect much improvement in workability without
using retarders which are essential with conventional plasticizers.
FOLLOWING ARE THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE
SETTING OF CONCRETE.
• Water Cement ratio.
• Suitable Temperature.
• Cement content.
• Type of Cement.
• Fineness of Cement.
• Relative Humidity.
• Admixtures.
• Type and amount of Aggregate.
FACTORS AFFECTING STRENGTH OF CONCRETE

•Quality of Raw Materials.

•Water / Cement Ratio.
•Coarse / fine aggregate ratio.
•Aggregate / Cement Ratio.
•Age of concrete.
•Compaction of concrete.
•Temperature.
•Relative humidity.
RHEOLOGI PROPERTIES
- The study of rheology of concrete
- Rheology is the branch of physics in
provides information on properties of
which we study the way in which
fresh concrete such as deformation,
materials deform or flowin response to
behavior of mix, and placement of mixed
applied forces or stresses. The material
concrete. ... The term rheology may be
properties that govern the specific
defined as the study of the science of
way in which these deformation or
the flow and deformation of
flow behaviors occur are called
materials..
rheological properties.
WHAT ARE EXAMPLES OF RHEOLOGICAL
PROPERTIES?
Example of such properties includes
elasticity, poisson ratio and relaxation time and shear modulus.
...
There are three types of moduli may be calculated for a Hookean
solids depending upon the method of applying the force:
•Modulus of elasticity (E)
•Modulus of rigidity (G)
•Modulus of bulkiness (K)
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