ADMIXTURE

CHAPTER 2
AT THE END OF THIS SESSION, THE STUDENTS
SHOULD BE ABLE TO:

Explain the basic science and engineering

fundamentals pertaining to types of admixture and
properties of admixture.
INTRODUCTION
Chemical admixtures are the ingredients in concrete
other than Portland cement, water, and aggregate
that are added to the mix immediately before or
during mixing.
Added to concrete mix in order to modify/improve
the specific properties of concrete.
Successful use of admixtures depends on the use of
appropriate methods of batching and concreting.
INTRODUCTION (cont)

Most admixtures are supplied in ready-to-use

liquid form and are added to the concrete at
plant or at the jobsite.
Certain admixtures, such as pigment, expansive
agents, and pumping aids are used only in
extremely small amounts and are usually
batched by hand from premeasured containers.
INTRODUCTION (cont)
The effectiveness of an admixture depends on several factors
including :
type and amount of cement,
water content,
mixing time,
slump,
temperatures of the concrete and
Temperature of the air.
Some time, effects similar to choose achieved through the addition of
admixtures, can also be achieved by:
altering the concrete mixturereducing the water-cement ratio,
adding additional cement, using a different type of cement or
changing the aggregate and aggregate gradation.
COMMONLY USED ADMIXTURE

Accelerators

Water-reducing admixture

Air entraining admixture

Retarder

Superplasticizer
All other varieties of admixtures fall into the
specialty category whose functions include:
corrosion inhibition,
shrinkage reduction,
alkali-silica reactivity reduction,
workability enhancement,
bonding,
damp proofing and
coloring.
PURPOSE OF ADMIXTURE
To reduce the cost of concrete

To modify the properties of hardened concrete

To ensure the quality of concrete during mixing, transporting,

placing, and curing.

To overcome certain emergencies during concrete operation.

Improve workability of fresh concrete.

Improve durability

Reduction water required

PURPOSE OF ADMIXTURE (cont)

Accelerate setting time & hardening – obtain high early strength

Aid curing
Having water proofing properties
Cause dispersion of cement particles – can be pumped easily
Retard setting
Reduce shrinkage
Reduce bleeding
Reduce evolution of heat
 Accelerator

Retarding
Superplasticizer
Admixture

TYPES OF
ADMIXTURE

Water Reducing Air Entrainment

Admixture Admixture
Accelerator

Accelerating admixtures increase the rate of early

strength development.

Accelerating admixtures are especially useful for

modifying the properties of concrete in cold
weather.
Accelerator (cont)
Addition of this accelerator will:-

a) Increase the rate of hydration – increase

the rate of early strength development and
heat evolution.
b) Reduce the time required for proper curing and
protection (shorter the setting time)
c) Speed up the start of finishing operations
Accelerator (cont)
Increase in rate of early strength development will
result:-

a) Early removal of form work.

b) Reduce curing period.
c) Early placement of structure to carry load at early
age.
Accelerator (cont)
Salt used as accelerator admixture are;

a) Chloride of calcium, sodium and aluminium.

b) Sulphates of sodium and potassium.
c) Caustic soda and Caustic potash.

Common salt used as accelerator is calcium chloride

(CaCl2)
Water Reducing Admixture
Is used to reduce the amount of water but still obtain
the same workability, consistency, slump and
strength.

Water-reducing admixture usually reduce the required

water content for a concrete mixture by about 5% -
10%.

Consequently, concrete containing a water-reducing

admixture needs less water to reach a required slump
than untreated concrete.
Water Reducing Admixture (cont)
The treated concrete can have a lower water- cement
ratio. This usually indicates that a higher strength
concrete can be produced without increasing the
amount of cement.

Recent advancement in admixture technology have

led to the development of mid-range water reducers.

These admixture reduce water content by at least 8%

and tend to be more stable over a wider range of
temperatures.
Water Reducing Admixture (cont)

Mid-range water reducers provide more consistent

setting times than standard water reducers.

Surface active agent/ chemical in water reducing

admixture – having property of inducing repelling
forces between cement particles & act as dispersing
agent in fresh concrete.

Dispersed particles require less water to lubricate

them – increase the cohesiveness & allow the required
workability at reduced water – cement ratio.
Water Reducing Admixture (cont)

Some reducing admixture will show significant

increase in drying shrinkage.

Typical salt use for water reducing:

Metallic salts such as calcium chloride
Lignosulphonic acids such as calcium lignosulphate
(sodium)
Superplasticizer
Imparts very high workability & allow large decrease
in water content but very workable concrete.

Reduce water content by 12-30 % and can be added to

concrete with a low-to-normal slump and water-
cement ratio to make high-slump flowing concrete.

Flowing concrete is a highly fluid without segregation

but workable concrete that can be placed with little or
no vibration or compaction.
Superplasticizer (cont)
Is a powerful deflocculating agent & act by dispersing
effect.

Cement particles becomes negatively charge & hence

repulsive to each other.

The effect of super plasticizers lasts only 30-90

minutes, depending on the brand and dosage rate, and
is followed by a rapid loss in workability. As a result of
the slump loss, super plasticizers are usually added to
concrete at the jobsite.
Superplasticizer (cont)

Useful when placing concrete in difficult location e.g.

where reinforcement is heavily congested.

Also suitable such as floor slab, where concrete flow to

self leveling position – reduces effort required for
placing and finishing.
Air Entrainment Admixture
To improve resistance to freezing when exposed to
water and deicing chemicals.

However, there are other important benefits of

entrained air in both freshly mixed and hardened
concrete.

Air-entrained concrete contains billions of

microscopic air cells.

These relieve internal pressure on the concrete by

providing tiny chambers for the expansion of water
when it freezes.
Air Entrainment Admixture (cont)

Causing small % of air in the form of very minute

bubbles are trapped in concrete and are uniformly
distributed throughout the concrete. Bubble size
~0.02 mm to 0.2mm.

The amount of entrained air is usually between 5%

and 8% of the volume of the concrete, but may be
varied as required by special conditions.
Air Entrainment Admixture (cont)

The use of air-entrained agent result in concrete that is highly

resistant to severe frost action and cycles of wetting and drying
or freezing and thawing and has a high degree of workability,
increase durability, improve flow in concrete pump lines and
reduction in bleeding.

Well distributed air bubbles Non uniform distributes air bubbles

(using air entrainment admixture) (undue compaction concrete)
Air Entrainment Admixture (cont)

Common type of agent / chemical used for air

entrainment are:

a) Natural wood resins

b) Various sulfonated compounds
c) Some animal & vegetable fats & oils
d) Synthetic detergents or gas generated e.g. sink
powder.
Retarding Admixture

Slow the setting rate of concrete

Generally used when:

a) In hot weather
b) High temperature, low humidity and windy.

High temperature often cause an increased rate of

hardening which makes placing and finishing difficult.
Retarding Admixture (cont)

Retarders keep concrete workable during placement

and delay the initial set of concrete.

Most retarder also function as water reducers and

may entrain some air in concrete.

Will cause premature stiffening, rapid evaporated of

water leading to loss of workability & cracking to
concrete surface.
Retarding Admixture (cont)

It hold back the hydration process, leaving more water

for workability

Retard settling time and allow concrete to be hauled

long distance from mixer truck to site – ensure it reach
its destination in a plastic and placeable conditions.
Retarding Admixture (cont)

Common retarders agent are:

a) Carbohydrate derivatives
b) Calcium lignosulphonic
c) 0.2% sugarretard setting to 3 days.
SUMMARIZATION OF….

COMMON TYPES OF CONCRETE ADMIXTURES

 ADMIXTURES FUNCTIONS TYPICAL COMPOUNDS APPLICATIONS DISADVANTAGES
ACCELERATORS  More rapid gain of  Calcium chloride Normal rate of strength Possible cracking due to heat
strength  Sodium nitrite development at low evolution
 More rapid  Sodium sulphate temperature Possibility of corrosion of
setting  Sodium aluminate Shorter stripping times embedded reinforcement
Plugging of pressure leaks
Sprayed concrete
RETARDERS  Delay setting  Hydroxycarbonxylic acids, Maintain workability at high May promote bleeding
 sugar temperature
Reduce rate of heat
evolution
Extend placing times
ACCELERATORS WATER-  Increase  Mixtures of calcium Water reducers with faster Risk of corrosion
REDUCING workability chloride and strength development
with faster gain lignosulphonate
of strength
RETARDING WATER-  Increase  Mixture of sugars or Water reducers with slower
REDUCING workability Hydroxycarbonxylic acids the loss of workability
and delay and lignosulphonate
setting
PLASTICIZERS (WATER-  Increase  Calcium and sodium Higher workability with Retardation at high dosages
REDUCERS) workability lignosulphonate strength unchanged Tendency to segregate
Higher strength with Premature stiffening under
workability unchanged certain conditions
Less cement for same
strength and workability
SUPERPLASTICIZERS (WATER-  Greatly  Sulphonate melamine Water- reducers but over a Tendency to segregate
REDUCERS) increase formaldehyde resin wider range May increase rate of loss of
workability  Sulphonated Facilitate production of workability
naphthalene- flowing concrete
formaldehyde resin
AIR ENTRAINING ADMIXTURE  Entrainments  Wood resins, fats, Increase durability to frost Careful control of air content
of air into lignosulphonates without increasing cement and mixing time necessary
concrete content