Arriving the optimum retarder dosage level of
sugar on the setting time, compressive strength,
International Review of
Applied Sciences and
Engineering
DOI:
10.1556/1848.2024.00753
© 2024 The Author(s)
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
PAPER
p
Corresponding author.
E-mail: meyyappan@klu.ac.in
pp
Corresponding author.
E-mail: m.karthiga@klu.ac.in
and microstructure property of Portland
pozzolana cement
Meyyappan Palaniappanp , Karthiga Muruganpp ,
Aravind Gurusamy, Aarthi Koppayaraj and
Keerthickbalaji Sivasubramanian
Center for Building Materials, Department of Civil Engineering, Kalasalingam Academy of Research
and Education, Krishnankoil, Tamil Nadu, 626126, India
Received: October 6, 2023 • Accepted: January 8, 2024
ABSTRACT
Cement and concrete are the most crucial and dominating engineering materials in the construction
sector. Cement serves as an excellent binder for concrete and when it is treated under unusual con-
ditions either to satisfy accelerating or retarding requirements by the construction industries, admix-
tures role comes into the effect. The construction industry has been searching for retarding admixtures
and the optimal dosage level, particularly for ready mix concrete applications. Generally the retarding
admixtures such as organic retarders (lignosulphonates, hydroxycarboxylic acids and their salts,
phosphonates, sugars) or inorganic retarders (phosphonates, borates) were generally used to reduce the
speed of the reaction between cement and water by altering the growth of the hydration products and/or
limiting the rate of water penetration to the cement particles. The research was still in its infancy stage
in terms of determining not just the appropriate dosage amount, but also the ideal retarder materials for
the aforementioned uses. In considering this industrial need, an attempt was made on utilizing the usage
of sugar in the concrete to study the retarding effect without affecting the strength properties of cement.
The sugars usage levels were at 5, 10, 15, and 20% of the usage of cement to investigate consistency,
setting time, compressive strength and micro structure properties at the curing age of 7, 14 and 28 days
on the mortar specimens. The conclusions of the study reported that setting time was extended with
increase of the dosage levels of sugar. However in considering the strength property, less than 5% of
sugar dosage level can be better for the application as retarding agent in the industry applications.
KEYWORDS
admixture, retarder, accelerator, sugar, initial setting time, final setting time, compressive strength
1. INTRODUCTION
Concrete ranks among the most extensively employed construction materials worldwide. It is
produced by combining cement, aggregates, and water, which collectively give rise to a robust
and long-lasting substance. Nevertheless, the ease of handling and the rate of hardening of
concrete may fluctuate subject to the mix design and surrounding environmental conditions
[1]. To optimize its properties and performance, concrete often undergoes the addition of
admixtures. The main goals of adding admixtures to concrete are to make it easier to work
with, make it stronger and more durable, contribute to sustainability efforts by reducing
water use and carbon emissions, speed up construction and lower labour costs, and meet
project-specific requirements based on environmental considerations [2]. Water-reducing,
air-entraining, retarding and accelerating, corrosion-inhibiting, and fiber-reinforcing
admixtures are the several types of admixtures used in concrete. Retarding and accelerating
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2 International Review of Applied Sciences and Engineering
admixtures are specialised additives used in concrete to
regulate the material’s setting time [3]. Accelerators quicken
the setting and early strength growth of concrete whereas
retarding admixtures delay the time it takes for cement to set
[4]. Some of the retarders and accelerators used in con-
struction sector are lignosulfonates [5], gypsum [6], citric acid
[7, 8], tartaric acid [9], sugars [10], starches [11, 12], calcium
chloride [13], calcium nitrate [14], triethanolamine (TEA)
[10, 15, 16], sodium and potassium silicate [17].
Sugar, also known as the glucose retarder, is a substance
that is suitable for being added to concrete mixes to decel-
erate the setting time of the concrete. Sugar acts as a retarder
because it interferes with the chemical reaction between
water and cement that causes the concrete to set. Specif-
ically, sugar slows down the rate of the reaction by coating
the cement particles and preventing them from coming into
contact with the water. This delay in the reaction allows the
concrete to have more time to harden and develop its
strength. The application of sugar as an additive in concrete
has sparked a discourse among experts in the field. In one
study, Thomas et al. [18] examine into the retarding con-
sequences of various types of sugar on the cement hydration
process of ordinary Portland cement. Similarly, Usman et al.
[19] introduce sugar to concrete in varying concentrations,
ranging from 0 to 1% by mass of cement, and assess its
impact on the setting time of ordinary Portland cement
(OPC) paste, as well as the compressive strength of concrete
at three, seven, and twenty one days. The findings indicate
that adding 0.06% of sugar to the mass of cement content
delays the cement hardening time, but increases compressive
strength when 0.06% of sugar is added to the concrete.
Al Khafaji et al. [20] conducted an investigation into the
effects of adding four distinct types of sugar, namely, beet,
caster, granular and brown, on the cement hardening time
prediction and hydration temperatures of cement paste. The
various sugar concentrations used were 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, and 5%
by mass of cement, appropriately. The findings reveal that
caster, brown and granular sugar, when added at pro-
portions of 0.5 and 1.5%, function as a retarder, while at
2.5 and 5%, they act as an accelerator in concrete. On the
other hand, beet sugar acts as a concrete retarder at all
concentrations. Additionally, the hydration temperature
increases at 1.5% sugar content, which is deemed to be the
optimal concentration for retarding the hardening of cement
paste. The addition of higher sugar concentrations leads to a
reduction in the final setting time of cement. An investiga-
tion done by Azad et al. [21] investigated the impact of sugar
at varying proportions (ranging from 0 to 0.3 percent by
mass of cement) on the setting time of cement paste. They
utilized a mix proportion of 1:1.24:2.39 with a water cement
ratio of 0.56 and casted cylindrical concrete specimens with
dimensions of 200 mm in height and 100 mm in diameter to
determine the compressive strength of concrete at different
curing ages (7, 14, and 28 days). The results showed that the
retarding effect on the commencement of setting (initial)
and hardening time (final) of cement paste gradually
increased up to a 0.1% concentration of sugar, which
remained within acceptable limits. Furthermore, the
compressive strength of concrete at all ages (7, 14, and 28
days) was found to be optimal at a 0.08% concentration of
sugar content. In a similar study, Giridhar. V et al. [22],
examined the effects of sugar and jaggery at three different
concentrations (0, 0.05, and 0.1 percentage by mass of
cement) on the strength attributes of concrete. The addition
of admixtures like sugar and jaggery into the concrete
composition improved its workability and compressive
strength. However, the addition of jaggery was found to
yield better strength results than sugar.
Bhalerao et al. [23] suggested the impact of sugar on
hardening time of cement paste and compressive strength
characteristics of concrete samples at 1:1.5:3 ratio with two
different concentrations of sugar 1 and 1.2 percent by mass
of cement. This study reveals that with an increase in sugar
percentage, cement paste becomes more workable and takes
longer time to set and at a sugar content of 1.2%, concrete
gains the compressive strength. Suvash Chandra Paul et al.
[24] conducted a study to evaluate the influence of sugar-
cane juice as an additive on the attributes of concrete.
The researchers assessed the commencement of setting time
(initial) and hardening time (final), flow ability, compressive,
and split tensile strength of concrete, utilizing various con-
centrations of sugarcane juice. The study revealed that
adding sugarcane juice to the mortar mix significantly re-
duces the setting time, as examined in the Vicat’s instru-
ment, up to a certain proportion. The initial setting time of
mortar was declined from 79 to 10 percentage by incorpo-
rating 20% sugarcane juice into the mixture. The inclusion
of 10% sugarcane juice in the mix caused an increase in the
hardened characteristics of the concrete, exceeding 29%
higher than the control mix, and a greater than 4% increase
in the splitting strength.
According to Khan & Baradan [25], the study’s various
cement grades and curing processes were found to cause a
delay in cement setting. Although retardation occurred at
sugar contents as high as 0.25%, the increase in setting time
was quite moderate. Beyond this point, the cement set more
quickly when the sugar percentage was 0.3–0.8%. Similarly,
the addition of retarder (sugar) at 0.125, 0.25, 0.375 and
0.5% in three types of cement caused a significant retarda-
tion under three curing regimes which resulted in the
decreased hydration rate and strength development, ac-
cording to Khan & Ullah [26]. Most of the studies suggest
that sugar as an additive in concrete can improve the
properties of concrete, while others suggest that it can have
negative effects. The previous research studies focused on
the impact of sugar on the characteristics of concrete, which
has both positive and negative feedback, and used sugar as a
set retarder with concentrations ranging from 0 to 5%. An
initial attempt is made to determine the effects of adding
sugar at higher concentrations (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%) by
mass of cement in setting time of cement and compressive
strength of mortar at the curing ages of 7, 14 and 28 days
due to the absence of information on the effects of adding
higher concentrations of sugar in concrete. In the meantime,
the impact of a higher sugar concentration on the micro-
structure was investigated using the mortar mixtures.
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International Review of Applied Sciences and Engineering
2. MATERIAL AND METHOD
In Tamil Nadu, the readily available Portland pozzolana
cement (PPC) conforms to IS 1489 Part 1-1991 [27], and for
this study, ultra tech PPC cement blended with fly ash was
utilized to create paste and mortar samples. The PPC un-
derwent a sieve analysis, wherein 90% of the cement parti-
cles were retained on a 90 μm sieve, and the specific gravity
of the cement was 3.12, as per IS 4031 (Part 11) 1996 [28].
The primary chemical constituents of Portland pozzolana
cement comprise a complex amalgamation of calcium sili-
cates, aluminates, and ferrites, and commonly used pozzo-
lanic materials include fly ash, silica fume, and natural
pozzolans like volcanic ash, along with gypsum. The
chemical compounds present in Portland pozzolana cement
is illustrated in Table 1. In place of river sand, M-sand, a
sustainable and effective substitute, was utilized as the fine
aggregate, which was retained on a 4.75 mm sieve and met
the IS 383 (1970) [29] requirements. The specific gravity of
manufacturing sand was 2.7, and it had a water absorption
capacity of 2.2%. The study employed commercially avail-
able sugar, finely powdered and utilized as a replacement for
cement, with potable water meeting the standard drinking
water requirements being utilized for the mixing and curing
process.
2.1. Cement paste and mortar mixture preparation
In order to measure the commencement of setting (initial)
and hardening time (final) of Portland pozzolana cement
(PPC), the consistency of cement should be determined in
accordance with IS 5513 (1996) [30]. For the nominal
sample mix preparation of consistency test, take 400 g of
cement and mix it with a known amount of water (usually
0.78 times the mass of cement) to form a paste. Similarly,
sugar is added as an additive in various concentrations
(5, 10, 15 and 20%) by mass of 400 gms of cement and
mixed with a known amount of water (usually 0.78 times the
mass of cement) for the sugar added sample mix. The water
should be added gradually while mixing the cement to
ensure that a homogeneous mixture is obtained. Using a
non-porous plate or glass sheet, level the cement paste in the
Vicat mould after filling it with the prepared paste. Gently
place the Vicat plunger (10 mm diameter) on top of the
cement paste matrix, then immediately release it. Measure
the distance of penetration of the plunger in millimeters
(mm) from the top of the mould. This measurement is the
Table 1. Chemical compounds of Portland pozzolana cement
Name of element Proportion PPC (%)
SiO2 (Silica) 31.40
Al2O3 (Alumina) 9.04
Fe2O3 (Iron Oxide) 4.58
CaO (Calcium Oxide) 41.29
MgO (Magnesium Oxide) 1.2
SO3 (Sulphur Trioxide) 2.20
Loss on Ignition 3.66
3
initial setting point. Now, add a small amount of water to the
remaining cement paste and remix it. Continue adding
water in small increments and remixing until the Vicat
plunger (10 mm dia) penetrates to a depth of 5–7 mm from
the top of the mould. This point is known as the standard
consistency. Normal standard consistency of the cement
paste matrix is determined using the expression (mass of
water/mass of cement) 3 100.
In accordance with the standards specified by IS 4031
(part 5)1988 [31], commencement of setting (initial) and
hardening time (final) of five cement paste matrix specimens
were examined using Vicat’s needle. To determine the initial
setting time, the duration between the addition of water to
the cement paste matrix and the moment when a one
millimeter needle penetrated to a depth of 5–7 mm was
measured. This was achieved by placing the paste and ring in
Vicat’s apparatus and gauging the needle penetration after a
thirty second delay. After that, the process was repeated
every 15 min or so until the bottom of the Vicat apparatus
recorded a reading of 5–7 mm. The time period between
adding water to cement and the point at which a needle
leaves a circular cutting edge that was 5 mm in circumfer-
ence and placed 0.5 mm beneath the tip of needle formed an
indentation but missed to mark an impression was used to
determine the cement hardening time (final). The process of
making of sugar-blend cement paste and testing of standard
consistency, commencement of setting time (initial) and
hardening time (final) are shown in Fig. 1.
Cement and sand were weighed separately to create the
mortar mixture (200 g cement, 600 g sand), resulting in an
800 g total mass with a 1:3 ratio. The amount of water
required was calculated using an expression based on the
consistency level of the cement paste ((P/4þ3) p percentage
of total mass of PPC cement and sand. “P” represents the
standard consistency of cement paste. The proportioning of
cement, sand and water content with additive percentage of
sugar are mentioned in Table 2. First, the measured quantity
of cement and sand was mixed in a dry state for 30 s to
achieve homogeneity, after which water was added gradually
to obtain a well-mixed paste. The mortar mixture was then
mixed for 2 min to ensure homogeneity before being
transferred to a cube mould of size 70.6 mm p 70.6 mm p
70.6 mm. This procedure was repeated for all four concen-
trations of sugar, i.e., the measured quantity of cement, sand
and sugar was mixed in a dry state for 30 s to achieve
homogeneity, after which water was added gradually to
obtain a well-mixed paste. The mortar mixture was then
mixed for 2 min to ensure homogeneity before being
transferred to a cube mould of size 70.6 mm p 70.6 mm p
70.6 mm. Following a 24-hour casting period, the mortar
cube specimens were demolded and cured in water tanks
under controlled laboratory circumstances. After 7, 14, and
28 days of curing, the compressive strength was assessed
using a universal testing machine (UTM). Figure 2 illustrates
the preparation of mortar cube specimens with 5, 10, 15, and
20% replacement of sugar with PPC cement and M-sand.
The microstructure of the mortar specimens was exam-
ined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) with 2 μm
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4 International Review of Applied Sciences and Engineering

Fig. 1. Preparation of sugar blended cement paste for testing standard consistency, initial and final setting time

Table 2. Proportioning of mortar mixture (3 cubes) 3. RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Sugar replacement Cement Sand Sugar Water
(%) (gm) (gm) (gm) (ml) 3.1. Cement paste consistency
0 600 1800 0 264 Figure 3 displays the standard consistency values for Port-
5 600 1800 30 240
land pozzolana cement and the inclusion of sugar as a
10 600 1800 60 216
15 600 1800 90 204
cement replacement at five different concentrations (0, 5, 10,
20 600 1800 120 192 15, and 20%). The cement paste’s consistency is a crucial
indicator of the mixture’s flowability or plasticity. The ratio
of water to cement has the biggest influence on the work-
ability and effectiveness of the cement paste in the majority
scale specifically with the Scanning Electron Microscope of construction applications. To ensure strength and dura-
EVO18 (CARL ZEISS), which was installed in the Interna- bility, the optimum water-to-cement ratio must be main-
tional Research Center Laboratory of the Kalasalingam tained. In this study, sugar is added in four different
Academy of Research and Education Institute in Krish- amounts (5, 10, 15, and 20%) and the cement paste’s con-
nankovil, Tamilnadu. sistency is assessed. The performance and consistency of the

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International Review of Applied Sciences and Engineering 5

Fig. 2. Preparation of mortar cube specimens

35 Consistency of Cement Paste

1000
Initial Setting Time (min.)
30 Final Setting Time (min.)
800
Setting time (min.)

25
Consistency %

20 600

15
400

10
200

0
0 0 5 10 15 20
0 5 10 15 20
Amount of sugar (%)
Amount of sugar (%)
Fig. 4. Amount of sugar (%) vs. setting time (min)
Fig. 3. Standard consistency of cement paste matrix using Vicat
apparatus
respectively, in comparison to the standard PPC consistency
value. When sugar is added at increasing concentrations, it
combination are significantly impacted when sugar is disperses and lubricates the cement particles, reducing fric-
introduced in larger amounts. When replacing sugar with tion and allowing the particles to move freely inside the
PPC cement at a rate of 5, 10, 15, and 20%, the consistency paste. The paste becomes more fluid as a result, increasing
values were reduced by 12.5, 25, 31.25, and 37.5%, flow ability and decreasing consistency value.

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6 International Review of Applied Sciences and Engineering

3.2. Initial and final setting time of PPC cement
The Portland pozzolana cement’s initial and final setting
times, as well as its variable sugar concentration, are shown in
Fig. 4. The initial setting time displays a remarkable surge as
sugar concentration increases, up until 20%. Correspondingly,
30
25
Compressive strength (Pa)
in contrast to Portland pozzolana cement, the final setting
time exhibits a considerable increase, particularly at 15 and
20%, where it escalates three to fourfold. However, the results
for 5 and 10% sugar concentration in cement indicate
acceptable limits for the final setting time. These findings
suggest that sugar, in high concentration, significantly pro-
longs both the commencement of setting time (initial) and
hardening time (final) of cement. Furthermore, the study
reveals that sugar acts as a retarding agent, and its effect in-
tensifies at all replaced sugar concentrations.

7 days 3.3. Compressive strength of mortar

14 days
20 Figure 5 exhibits the compressive strength of mortar speci-
28 days
mens at 7, 14, and 28 days, varying with sugar content
15
concentration. The graph demonstrates a sharp decline in
compressive strength as sugar content concentration in-
creases. This reduction in compressive strength is a result of
10 the adverse impact of sugar, which retards the hydration
process of cement at higher sugar concentration levels. The
5 compressive strength of mortar specimens at all sugar con-
centration levels, under three different curing conditions
(7,14 and 28 days), is substantially lower than that of the
0
0 5 10 15 20 control specimen. Despite a gradual increase in strength
from 5 to 15%, it eventually declines at 20%. The reason for
Amount of Sugar (%)
reduction in strength is due to the higher concentration of
sugar that disrupts the formation of hydrated calcium
Fig. 5. Amount of sugar (%) vs. compressive strength (Pa)

Fig. 6. Mortar cube deformation under compressive load

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International Review of Applied Sciences and Engineering
silicate (C–S–H) gel and lime (Ca(OH)2) which can weaken
the material’s overall structure. Thus, the findings suggest
that the addition of sugar at higher concentration levels
negatively impacts the attainment of strength in the mortar
specimens.
The deformation of mortar cube specimens in five
different proportions (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20%) under a
compressive load is shown in Fig. 6. According to a realistic
perception, the mortar cube specimen experiences the
following deformation. A normal mortar specimen exhibits
crack formation along the cube faces’ sides and blistering
on parts of the faces when compressed. Under compressive
force, a sugar mortar cube with a 5% concentration exhibits
cube bulging and face spalling. Similarly, under compres-
sive load, concrete cracks and spalls as well as efflorescence
forms in the mortar cube containing 10% sugar content.
Sugar mortar cubes with a 15% concentration reveal
smashing of the cubes under maximum compressive load.
A mortar cube specimen under compression completely
collapses at a 20% concentration of sugar as shown
in Fig. 6.
Fig. 7. Microstructure of mortar cubes at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20% concentration of sugar
7
3.4. Microstructure analysis
The depicted figure showcases the microstructure of mortar
samples after undergoing 28 days of curing, wherein diverse
concentrations of sugar ranging from 0 to 20% were
employed. The microstructure examination was carried out
utilizing a scanning electron microscope with scanning scale
of 2 μm. Figure 7 of the control specimen without sugar
show the production of ettringite, calcium silicate hydrate
(CSH), and portlandite. Due to the use of Portland pozzo-
lana cement, fly ash was found in every mortar specimens.
In mortar specimens with sugar concentrations of 5, 10, 15,
and 20%, some portlandite and CSH development is seen,
but no ettringite formation is visible in any of these speci-
mens. The crack formation is seen in the SEM images of
15 and 20% mortar specimens, and 20% has a higher level of
crack formation. The 20% mortar specimen clearly shows
some sugar crystals. Nevertheless, the hydration products
appeared denser, yet the identification of pores was higher in
all proportions. This can be attributed to the hygroscopic
nature of sugar, which facilitates the absorption of water by
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8 International Review of Applied Sciences and Engineering
the mortar specimen during the curing process, causing it to
weaken and break down over time. The inadequate hydra-
tion process occurred due to the excessive concentration of
sugar (5–20%). This is due to the sugar’s tendency to
interfere with the evolution of the hydrated calcium silicate
gel, which is being the cause for filling the pores and cap-
illaries in the mortar specimen and rendering it more
impermeable. Consequently, the material adheres to each
other, leaving behind more pores, leading to a reduction in
strength. The black spaces in the sample indicate the pres-
ence of pores. Excessive concentration of sugar adversely
affects the formation of hydration products.
4. CONCLUSION
The present study conducted an experimental investigation
to examine the impact of sugar concentration on the setting
time, strength parameters, and microstructure of Portland
pozzolana cement, leading to the following conclusions. In
accordance with forecasts, the addition of sugar significantly
affected the initial and final setting time of cement. When
compared to the control specimen, the inclusion of higher
concentrations of sugar hindered the formation of the hy-
drated calcium silicate (C–S–H) gel, leading to a reduction
in the compressive strength of mortar. The outcomes indi-
cate that in small concentrations, sugar serves as a retarder,
but when added in greater concentrations (>5%), it prolongs
commencement of setting (initial) and hardening time
(final) which negatively influence the strength and bonding
properties of the specimens. Additionally, the inclusion of
sugar in excessive amounts results in the formation of air
pockets in the mortar specimens, making them more
impermeable. Furthermore, the observations revealed that
excessive amounts of sugar actually increase the drying time
of the mortar. The study demonstrates that setting time was
extended by and increase of the dosage levels of sugar.
However, considering the strength property, less than 5% of
sugar dosage level can be better for the application as
retarding agent in the industry applications.
Funding: This work has not received any funds, grants, or
other support.
Competing interests: There is no relevant financial or non-
financial interest to disclose.
Author contributions: The research work was done by all of
the authors. Meyyappan Palaniappan: Guidance and sug-
gestions for tools and methods to complete the entire study,
as well as contributions to drafting of the entire manuscript.
Karthiga Murugan: Collected the materials, conducted the
experiments, analysed the data, and wrote the manuscript.
Aravind, Aarthi, Keerthickbalaji: Contribution towards
performing the experiments.
Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable.
Consent to publish: Not applicable.
Availability of data and materials: Not applicable.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Not Applicable.
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