Conmatest 4

Admixtures
Admixtures
Admixtures are chemicals that are added to concrete during mixing and
significantly change its fresh, early age or hardened state to economic or physical
advantage.
They are usually defined as being added at rates of less than 5% by weight of the
cement, but the typical range for most types is only 0.3–1.5%.
Action and classification of admixtures
An extremely large number of commercial products are available, which work by one or more of
the following mechanisms:
• interference with the hydration

reactions to accelerate or retard the • increasing the viscosity of the mix water resulting
rate of hydration of one or more of in an increased plastic viscosity or cohesion of the
the cement phases fresh concrete
• physical absorption onto the
surface of cement particles causing • incorporating chemicals into the hardened cement
increased particle dispersion paste to enhance particular properties such as
increased protection to embedded steel or water
• altering the surface tension of the repellence.
mix water causing air entrainment
These result in admixtures usually being classified or grouped according to their
mode of action rather than by their chemical constituents. For example the
European standard (BS EN 934) includes requirements for:
• water-reducing/plasticising admixtures • water-retaining admixtures
• high-range water-reducing/superplasticising • set-retarding/water-reducing/plasticising
admixtures admixtures
• set and hardening accelerating admixtures • set-retarding/high-range water-reducing/
• set retarding admixtures superplasticising admixtures
• air-entraining admixtures • set-accelerating/water-reducing/plasticising
• water-resisting admixtures admixtures.
We shall consider the five distinct types which together
make up more than 80% of the total quantities used in
concrete – plasticisers, superplasticisers, accelerators,
retarders and air-entraining agents – and briefly mention
others.
Plasticisers
Plasticisers, also called workability aids, increase the fluidity or workability of a
cement paste or concrete.
They are long-chain polymers, the main types being based on either
lignosulphonates, which are derived in the processing of wood for paper pulp, or
polycarboxylate ether.
They are relatively inexpensive but lignosulphonates in particular can contain
significant levels of impurities depending on the amount of processing.
Plasticisers
Plasticisers
If a constant consistence or fluidity is required then the water
content can now be reduced, thus leading to a lower water/cement
ratio and increased strength; this is why plasticisers are often known
as water-reducers
BS EN 934 requires that the water reduction for constant consistence
should be greater than 5%. Values are normally between 5 and 12%.
The use of plasticisers has been increasingly widespread since their
first appearance in the 1930s
Superplasticisers
As the name implies superplasticisers are more powerful than plasticisers and
they are used to achieve increases in fluidity and workability of a much greater
magnitude than those obtainable with plasticisers. They are also known as high-
range water-reducers.
BS EN 934 requires that the water reduction for constant consistence should be
greater than 12%. Values vary between 12 and about 30%, depending on the
types and efficiency of the constituent chemicals.
Superplasticisers
Some of the more important features of the behaviour of
superplasticisers, which directly effect their use in concrete, can be
summarised as follows.
• The behaviour of any particular combination of • Substantially increased performance can be obtained
superplasticiser and binder will depend on several if the superplasticiser is added a short time
factors other than the admixture type, including (1–2 minutes) after the first contact of the mix
the binder constituents, the cement composition, water with the cement.
the cement fineness and the water:binder ratio
• The superplasticising action occurs for only a • For any particular binder/superplasticiser
limited time, which may be less than that required Combination there is a ‘saturation point’ or
if, for example, the concrete has to be transported Optimum dosage beyond which no further
by road from mixing plant to site. Methods of increases in fluidity occur
overcoming this include:
a. Blending a retarder with the superplasticiser

b. Addition of the superplasticiser on site just
before discharge from the mixer truck
c. Repeated additions of small extra doses of the
mixture
Accelerators
An accelerator is used to increase the rate of hardening of the cement paste,
thus enhancing the early strength, particularly in the period of 24–48 hours after
placing, perhaps thereby allowing early removal of formwork, or reducing the
curing time for concrete placed in cold weather. They may also reduce the
setting time.
Calcium chloride (CaCl2) was historically very popular as it is readily available
and very effective.
Accelerators
Accelerators
Of great significance is the increased vulnerability of embedded steel
to corrosion owing to the presence of the chloride ions. This has led
to the use of calcium chloride being prohibited in reinforced and pre-
stressed concrete, and to the development of a number of
alternative chloride–free accelerators, most commonly based on
either calcium formate, sodium aluminate or triethanolamine.
Retarders
Retarders delay the setting time of a mix, and examples of their use include:
• counteracting the accelerating effect of hot weather, particularly if the
concrete has to be transported over a long distance
• controlling the set in large pours, where concreting may take several hours, to
achieve concurrent setting of all the concrete, hence avoiding cold joints and
discontinuities, and achieving uniform strength development.
Retarders
The retardations resulting from
varying doses of three different
retarding chemicals are shown
Sucrose and citric acid are very
effective retarders, but it is difficult
to control their effects, and
lignosulphonates, often with a
significant sugar content, are
preferred.
Air-entraining agents
Air-entraining agents (AEAs) are organic materials which, when added to the mix
water, entrain a controlled quantity of air in the form of microscopic bubbles in
the cement paste component of the concrete.
The bubble diameters are generally in the range 0.02–1 mm, with an average
distance between them of about 0.2 mm.
The major reason for entraining air is to provide freeze–thaw resistance to the
concrete. Moist concrete contains free water in entrapped and capillary voids,
which expands on freezing, setting up disruptive internal bursting stresses.
Other types of admixture
Other admixtures include pumping aids, water-resisting of
waterproofing admixtures, anti-bacterial agents, bonding agents,
viscosity agents or thickeners, anti-washout admixtures for
underwater concrete, shrinkage-reducing admixtures, foaming
agents, corrosion inhibitors, wash-water systems and pigments for
producing coloured concrete.
Activity: Library work
Group yourself into 5 and select 5 other types of admixtures
and explain their uses and cite 3 examples of their
application.
To be submitted today until end of the period

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Admixtures

• interference with the hydration

a. Blending a retarder with the superplasticiser

To be submitted today until end of the period

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