USE OF ADMIXTURES IN CONCRETE STRUCTURES

CHIEF INSTRUCTOR ENGR. MOIN-UD-DIN RATHORE SUPERINTENDING ENGINEER

MES SCHOOL

P R E S E N T E D B Y: AKASH SHAHZAD KHAN SHER AFGAN M. ABU-BAKAR

A/XEN (B&R) A/XEN (B&R) A/XEN (E&M)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Admixtures Types of Admixtures

Accelerators Retarders Water Reducers Super Plasticizers Special Admixtures Air Entraining Admixtures Shrinkage Reducing Corrosion-Inhibiting Special Admixtures

ADMIXTURES

Chemicals added to concrete in order to change its properties as required are called admixtures

ADMIXTURES
Admixtures are added to concrete mixes not more than 5%

by weight of cement during mixing for the purpose of achieving a specific modification to normal properties of concrete. These impart considerable physical and economical benefits to concrete. While properly used admixtures are beneficial to concrete, there is no remedy for poor quality mix ingredients, use of incorrect mix proportions or for poor workmanship in transporting, placing and compaction.

TYPES OF ADMIXTURES
Admixtures may be organic or inorganic in their composition. They are

normally classified by their function in concrete. The classification of ASTM C 494-92 is as follows, Type A Water Reducing Type B Retarding Type C Accelerating Type D Water Reducing and Retarding Type E Water Reducing and Accelerating Type F High range water reducing or super- plasticizing Type G Super plasticizing and retarding

ACCELERATING ADMIXTURES
Function: Their primary function as the name suggests is to increase rate of early strength development. These are used when concrete is to be placed at low temperatures say 2 to 4oC, in the manufacture of precast concrete or in rapid repair works. Other benefits include early finishing of concrete surface, putting the structure into service early and application of insulation for protection.

ACCELERATING ADMIXTURES
Limitation: Although CaCl2 is the cheapest accelerator, but due to presence of chloride ions in vicinity of reinforcement, it promotes corrosion activity of steel reinforcement. Accelerators cannot be used as anti-freezing agents; they depress the freezing point of concrete but no more than 2oC. At high temperatures use of accelerators may result in too high rate of development of heat of hydration and in shrinkage cracking.

ACCELERATING ADMIXTURES
Examples: CaCl2, NaCl Calcium nitrate and Calcium nitrite are possible accelerators; the former also appears to be corrosion inhibitor. Calcium formate and sodium formate are also possibilities, although the latter would induce sodium ions which may influence hydration and have a potential to react with aggregates. Triethanolamine is a possible accelerator but it us very sensitive to dosage.

RETARDERS
Function:
A delay in setting time of the cement paste can be achieved by the

addition of retarding admixture. Set Retarding concrete admixtures delay the chemical reaction that takes place when the concrete starts the setting process. These types of concrete admixtures are commonly used to reduce the effect of high temperatures that could produce a faster initial setting of concrete and also prevent formation of cold joints. The retarder is applied to inner side of formwork so that the adjacent cement setting is delayed. This cement can be later on struck off. Continuous massive pouring can be done with controlled retardation.

RETARDERS
Limitation: Retarders tend to increase the plastic shrinkage because the duration of plastic shrinkage is increased.

RETARDERS
Examples: Retardation action is exhibited by Sugar carbohydrate derivatives soluble zinc salts soluble borates and some other salts Methanol is also a possible retarder.

WATER REDUCING
Function: Water-reducing admixtures when added to concrete can create a desired slump at a lower water cement ratio than what is normally designed. The reduce water content from 5-10%. Thus they reduce the water cement ratio at a desired workability or they can give high workability at low water cement ratios. Water reducers have been used primarily in bridge decks, low-slump concrete overlays, and patching concrete. Concrete having water reducers exhibits low segregation and good flow ability.

WATER REDUCING
Limitation: Ligno-sulfonate based admixtures increase shrinkage while others do not.

WATER REDUCING
Examples: Two main groups of type D admixtures are, Lingo-sulfonic acids and their salts Hydro-oxylated acids and their salts

SUPER PLASTICIZERS
Function: Super plasticizers are high range water reducing admixtures. The main purpose of using super plasticizers is to produce flowing concrete with very high slump in the range of 7-9 inches to be used in heavily reinforced structures and in placements where adequate consolidation by vibration cannot be readily achieved. The other major application is the production of highstrength concrete at w/c ratios ranging from 0.3 to 0.4.

SUPER PLASTICIZERS
At a given w/c and water content super plasticizers

may increase slump from 75mm to 200mm, resulting in flowing concrete which can be placed easily with little or no compaction, without segregation and bleeding. Low w/c ratio of 0.2 has been used to achieve 28 day cylinder strength of about 150MPa (22000psi). Generally they can reduce water content by 25 to 35% and increase 24 hr strength by 50 to 75%. They do not change the structure of hydrated cement and only increase the distribution of cement particles and hence give better hydration.

Pumping of Highly Workable Concrete by use of Super plastisizers

SUPER PLASTICIZERS
Examples: There exist four main categories of super plasticizers: Sulfonated melamine formaldehyde condensates. Sulfonated naphthalene formaldehyde condensates. Ligno-sulfonates. Other sulfonic acid esters and carbohydrate esters.

SPECIAL ADMIXTURES
Air-Entraining: Air entrained concrete can increase the freezethaw durability of concrete. This type of admixture produces a more workable concrete than non-entrained concrete while reducing bleeding and segregation of fresh concrete, improved resistance of concrete to severe frost action or freeze/ thaw cycles. Other benefits from this admixture are, High resistance to cycles of wetting and drying. High degree of workability. High degree of durability.

Concrete with Air-Entraining admixture

SPECIAL ADMIXTURES:
Shrinkage Reducing
This type of admixture could reduce early and long term

drying shrinkage. Shrinkage reducing admixtures are used in situations where shrinkage cracking could lead to durability problems or where large numbers of shrinkage joints are undesirable for economic or technical reasons.

SPECIAL ADMIXTURES:
Corrosion-Inhibiting: Corrosion-inhibiting admixtures fall into the specialty admixture category and are used to slow corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete. Corrosion inhibitors can significantly reduce maintenance costs of reinforced concrete structures throughout a typical service life of 30 40 years. Corrosion inhibiting admixtures have little effect on strength at later ages but may accelerate early strength development.

REFERENCES
PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE (Fourth and Final Edition) by A.M.

Neville American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington, D.C., 2001. Abrams, Duff A., Calcium Chloride as an Admixture in Concrete, Bulletin 13 (PCA LS013), Structural Materials Research Laboratory, Lewis Institute, Chicago, http://www.portcement.org/pdf_files/LS013.pdf, 1924. ACI Committee 212, Chemical Admixtures for Concrete, ACI 212.3R91, American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, Michigan, 1991. ACI Committee 212, Guide for the Use of High-Range Water-Reducing Admixtures (Superplasticizers) in Concrete, ACI 212.4R-93 (Reapproved 1998).