IJSTE - International Journal of Science Technology & Engineering | Volume 3 | Issue 11 | May 2017

ISSN (online): 2349-784X

Compatibility of Cement and Water Reducers

with Mineral Admixtures - A Review
Leny Thomas Dr. Elson John
PG Scholar Assistant Professor
Department of Civil Engineering Department of Civil Engineering
Mar Athanasius College of Engineering, Kothamangalam, Mar Athanasius College of Engineering, Kothamangalam,
Kerala, India Kerala, India

Abstract
The use of various chemical and mineral admixtures in Portland cement concrete alters the hydration process and chemical
interaction and leads to unexpected concrete behaviour. Complex chemical interaction between different compositions in
cements, chemical and mineral admixtures creates poor cement-admixture compatibility and leads to premature loss of
workability. Cement-admixture incompatibility is a major problem in the concrete industry that affects the quality of concrete
and construction schedules. A review regarding the need for studying the cement admixture compatibility is summarized in this
paper.
Keywords: Compatibility, Superplasticizers, Silica fume
________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I. INTRODUCTION

Cement-admixture incompatibility is a major problem in the concrete industry that affects the efficiency of concrete placing, the
quality of concrete, and construction schedules. This may leads to rapid loss of workability, excessive quickening / retardation of
setting, and low rates of strength gain. Moreover, high performance concretes, which are in wide use today, almost always
incorporate a mineral admixture or filler such as silica fume, fly ash and limestone powder. Compatibility of these mineral
additions to admixtures needs to be studied.

II. LITERATURE REVIEW

Researches on the influence of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) on the engineering properties of high strength
concrete (HSC) revealed that workability decreases at higher replacement levels of silica fume and metakaolin whereas it
increases with increasing levels of fly ash and GGBS. Use of silica fume as partial replacement of OPC provides greater
compressive strength than other supplemementary cementitious materials[9].
Montes et al. explored the effect of limestone, fly ash and silica fume on Portland cement and the interaction of these
additions with naphthalene, melamine, lignosulphonate and polycarboxylate based admixtures. The adsorption isotherms, zeta
potentials and rheological behaviour of blended cements were found and compared to the non-blended cements. It was found out
that the rheological behaviour of blended cements depends on the physical (specific surface) and chemical (surface charge and
reactivity) characteristics of the mineral addition used and the characteristics are affected by the presence of
superplasticizers[11].
Prados et al. investigated the interaction between a solid and liquid polycarboxylate superplasticizer and cement with a large
amount of high porosity fly ash. Setting time , minislump and compressive strength tests on cement pastes showed that use of
these superplasticizers improves cement behaviour and fluidity and reduces water demand of cement products.SPC performs
better when compressive strength is taken into account where as LPC provides better results when workability alone is
considered[10].
John and Gettu studied the effect of temperature on fluidity, water demand, and setting time of cement paste with and without
superplasticizer. Marsh cone and mini-slump test results indicates that the saturation dosage of superplasticizer increases with an
increase in temperature, with the polycarboxylate based superplasticizer giving the least variation. It was also observed that the
loss in fluidity of the cement paste generally increases with an increase in the ambient temperature and the setting time of cement
paste decreases with increase in temperature[4].
Bayasi and Zhou investigated on the properties of silica fume concrete, including slump, air-content, compressive strength,
flexural strength, permeability, and permeable void volume and the effect of the silica fume replacement ratio of cement. Results
showed that increasing superplasticizer content increases the compressive strength of concrete but reduces the workability.
Superplasticizer may cause an increase of silica fume concrete permeability. However, this effect of superplasticizer seems to
diminish with high silica fume content[13].
Puertas et.al investigated on the effect of a polycarboxylate (PC) admixture on the mechanical, mineralogical, microstructural
and rheological behaviour of Portland cement pastes. Results showed that polycarboxylate admixture retards initial cement

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 Compatibility of Cement and Water Reducers with Mineral Admixtures - A Review
(IJSTE/ Volume 3 / Issue 11 / 020)

hydration and this effect are more pronounced at higher dosages of superplasticizer. The delay in hydration reaction is expressed
as a very substantial lengthening of initial and final setting times. The presence of admixtures does not affect paste mechanical
strength at either 2 or 28 days of hydration[6].
A. Elahi et.al conducted studies to evaluate the mechanical and durability properties of high performance concretes containing
supplementary cementitious materials. The mechanical properties were assessed from the compressive strength and the durability
characteristics were investigated in terms of chloride diffusion, electrical resistivity, air permeability and water absorption.
Portland cement was replaced with fly ash up to 40%, silica fume up to 15% and GGBS up to a level of 70%.The results
confirmed that silica fume performs better than other supplementary cementitious materials for the strength development and
bulk resistivity. The ternary mixes containing ground granulated blast-furnace slag/fly ash and silica fume performed the best
amongst all the mixes to resist the chloride diffusion. The mix containing fly ash showed favourable permeation results. All the
ternary combinations can be considered to have resulted in high performance concretes with excellent durability properties[1].
A.K. Shrivastava and Munendra Kumar evaluated the compatibility issues of PPC with two brands of sulphonated naphthalene
formaldehyde based water reducing admixtures. Test results showed that saturation dosage varies with different brands of
sulphonated naphthalene formaldehyde superplasticizers and it remains same for all slump retention period for same brand.
Determination of optimum dosage using Marsh cone test will lead to the production of better quality concrete[2].

III. CONCLUSIONS

 Admixture - cement compatibility and admixture- admixture compatibility must be studied in order to determine the
optimum dosage of ingredients of concrete.
 Silica fume provides greater compressive strength than other supplementary cementitious materials.
 Increase in superplasticizer increases compressive strength but reduces workability.
 Effect of superplasticizer seems to diminish with high silica fume content.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

It is my privilege to express sincere thanks to my project guide, Dr. Elson John, Assistant Professor, Civil Department, MACE
for the valuable guidance and encouragement throughout my humble endeavour. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to
all my friends and classmates for their help.

REFERENCES
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[3] Elson John and Ravindra Gettu , “Effect of temperature on flow properties of superplasticized cement paste”, ACI Materials Journal, Vol 111, 67-76,2014
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[9] Mar Toledano-Prados , Miriam Lorenzo-Pesqueira , Belén González-Fonteboa , Sindy Seara-Paz (2013) Effect of polycarboxylate superplasticizers on
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[10] Olga Burgos-Montes, Marta Palacios, Patricia Rivilla , Francisca Puertas , “Compatibility between superplasticizer admixtures and cements with mineral
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[12] Ziad Bayasi and Jing Zhou , “Properties of Silica Fume Concrete and Mortar”, ACI Materials Journal, Vol 90,1993
[13] IS 456: 2000, Indian Standard, Plane and reinforced concrete- Code of practice, Bureau of Indian Standard, New Delhi
[14] Shetty M S, Concrete Technology, Theory and Practice, S.Chand & Company Ltd., New Delhi

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