CONCRETE AND

ADMIXTURES
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071619
Concrete Strength & Behavior
The compressive strength of concrete is high and is
taken as an important index of its general quality.
The tensile strength of concrete is roughly 10% of the
compressive strength and is often neglected by
structural engineers.
The strength is influenced by the age, size, shape of
the specimen and loading rate.
Nonlinear stress-strain relationship.


Factors Affecting Strength
(1) Water/cement (w/c) ratio
(2) Age
(3) Curing conditions
(4) Other Factors Affecting Strength
(1) Water/Cement Ratio
Optimum is generally 0.45 < w/c < 0.55
The lower w/c ratio, the higher strength is
Need sufficient water in mix for hydration to occur.
Excess water must be drained off after hydration,
leaving capillary voids that reduce strength
Strength increases with decreasing w/c
Approximate 28 day
Strength = 24000/18w/c (psi)
(2) Age
Concrete strength continues to increase with time.
Design values are generally based on the strength at
28 days.
90%+ strength can be achieved in 28 days.

(3) Curing Conditions
Time, Moisture, Temperature (TMT)
Concrete hardens by hydration which is chemical surface
reaction between the cement and water.
Hydration releases heat which can drive off moisture,
hence concrete must be kept moist until hydration is
complete.
The reaction takes time.
Increased temperature increases the reaction rate.
Allowing the mix to freeze during hydration will destroy
the strength and durability of the concrete
(4) Other Factors Affecting Strength
Character of Cement.
Since hydration is a surface reaction, the finer the particles,
the more surface area and the more complete the reaction,
resulting in increased strength.
Moisture content at the time of testing.
A moist specimen develops large pore pressures which
cause premature failure of compression specimens.
Cement Content and Aggregate Condition.
Angular aggregates require more paste to be workable
More cement content requires more water
Design Procedure in Making
Concrete
Decide the maximum size of aggregate; choose the
maximum possible size using the following guidelines:
Maximum size > 1/5 narrower dimension between forms
> 1/3 depth of slab
> 1/4 of clear spacing between reinforcing bars
If slump is not given, decide the slump, using Table 1
Decide the amount of water and air (Table 2)
Select the W/C ratio (Table 3)
Calculate cement content = C/W x wt of water
Choose the amount of coarse aggregate (Table 4)
Calculate the amount of fine aggregate using the
estimated
weight of fresh concrete (Table 5) and the known
weights of water, cement, and coarse aggregate.
Adjust for moisture content in coarse and fine
aggregate
Trial mix


Important Mix Design
Considerations
(1) Strength
(2) Workability
(3) Durability
(4) Economy
(5) Volume changes
(1) Strength
The lower w/c ratio, the higher strength is
Character of Cement
Cement Content and Aggregate Condition
(2) Workability - Properties of
Fresh
Concrete
Generally measured by the slump test Increases with
increased water content
Increases with increased air content
Decreases with increase in coarse aggregate
Decreases with increase in angularity of aggregate
(3) Durability
Freeze-Thaw Durability
Can be increased with proper
entrained air content.
Use an air entraining admixture
Abrasion Durability
Affected by aggregate strength.
Durability of cement paste is typically
lower than aggregate strength
(4) Economy
Minimize cement
Must have enough paste to coat aggregates
Maximize the use of aggregates
(5) Volume Changes
Shrinkage and creep increase with cement
content.
Chemical hydration generally reduces
volume.
Moisture fluctuations cause expansion and
contraction. This is more pronounced in concrete with
high w/c ratios and/or high cement contents
Common Concrete Tests
Slump Test, ASTM C 143. Used to determine the
workability of fresh concrete. Sometimes used as an
indication of water content.
Air Test, ASTM C 231. Used to the determine the air
content in fresh concrete.
Compression Test, ASTM C 39. Used to test the 7
and 28 day strength of 6 dia. by 12 long cast
cylinders.
Comprehensive concrete
Compression Test
Extensometer and chain kit
for lateral strain measurement
Concrete specimen
Extensometers for axial strain
measurement
Software for test control, data
collection and reporting
Concrete Splitting Tensile Test
Platens for longitudinal
loading of specimens
Safety chains
Software for test control,
data collection and reporting
Concrete Direct Tension Test
High strength, rapid setting epoxy to
glue specimens to end caps
Chain kit to minimize bending
moments during test
Spherically seated ends to minimize
non-concentricity
Confined Concrete Behavior
Concrete structure failure
ADMIXTURES
Materials added to the concrete besides cement, water
and aggregate.
To improve the properties of the concrete required.
Admixtures can be divided in 2 groups that is:
a) Chemical admixtures
b) Mineral admixtures

FUNCTION OF ADMIXTURE
To improve workability of fresh concrete
To improve durability by entrainment of air
To reduce the water required
To accelerate setting & hardening & thus to produce
high early strength
To aid curing
To impart water repellent / water proofing property

To cause dispersion of the cement particles when
mixed with water
To retard setting
To improve wear resistance (hardness)
To offset / reduce shrinkage during setting &
hardening
To cause expansion of concrete and automatic
prestressing of steel
To aerate mortar / concrete to produce a light-weight
product

To impart colour to concrete
To offset or reduce some chemical reaction
To reduce bleeding
To reduce the evolution of heat
Among the type of chemical admixture used are:
a) Accelerator
b) Water reducing Admixture
c) Superplasticizer
d) Air Entraining Admixtures
e) Retarding Admixtures
f ) Corrosion Inhibitors
g) Alkali-Aggregate Reaction Inhibiting
Admixtures
h) Shrinkage Reducing Admixtures
ACCELARATOR
Added to increase the rate of hydration of concrete
mix which then lead to the increases in the rate of
development of strength and greater heat evolution.
And to shorten the setting time
More rapid gain of strength & rapid setting
Disadvantages is possible cracking due to heat
evolution & possibility of corrosion of embedded
reinforcement

WATER REDUCING ADMIXTURE /
PLASTICISERS
Used to reduce the amount of water necessary to
produce a concrete of a given consistency
To increase the slump for a given water content
To obtain specified strength at lower cement content
Increases workability with faster gain of strength
Increase the slump, reduce water content, save cement
Disadvantages, it has the risk of corrosion

SUPERPLASTICIZER
By adding to a hydraulic binder, gives very high
workability and allows a large decrease in water
content for a given workability
Allows the particles to be more workable where it
enable working with low w/c ratio
Enhances hydration process, increases strength
Eliminate concrete segregation & allow good
dispersion of cement particles in water, accelerating
the rate of hydration.

Uniform distribution of cement particles is partly
responsible for the highly early strength in concrete
made with superplasticizer.
Advantages of using Superplasticizers are
a) Decreased time to place and finish
b) Accelerated curing period
c) Early removal of formwork
Excessive dosage may render concrete too fluid,
causing severe segregation

AIR ENTRAINING ADMIXTURES
An entraining concrete containing air in a rather
special form of a bubble that trapped in concrete
Workability improved, increase in slump, easier
placing, increased durability, better resistance to frost
action
Able to reduce segregation tendency and control of
bleeding
It is necessary to have a careful control of air content
and mixing time

Wetter mixes tend to result in higher air content while
mixes rich in sand entrain less air as fine material
competes for available waterIf air entrainment is to be
used, sand content need to be reduced
Bubbles produced by air entrainment are quite
different from entrapped air because:
They are sealed and wouldn't be filled with water
during normal saturation of the concrete
They are very small and well distributed.

Used to increase concrete durability by protecting it
against freeze-thaw cycle damage.
By entraining air in concrete to form a microscopic air-
void system , the expansion is provided a relief valve
system.
The air void system in the hardened concrete paste
allows water to freeze, with the empty air voids
providing room for the expansion that occurs as water
changes to ice.

RETARDING ADMIXTURE
Prolong or delay the setting time of cement paste in
concrete
Used in hot weather to reduce any premature
stiffening of the concrete and consequent loss of
workability
Often carried by ready mixed concrete vehicles to
prevent the concrete setting in the drum in the event
of brakdown
Disadvantage is, it may promote bleeding

CORROSION INHIBITORS
Able to reduce the rate of corrosion to a level that
major damage to concrete will be avoided or at least
greatly reduced.

ALKALI AGGREGATE REACTION
INHIBITING ADMIXTURES
Lithium and Barium salts can reduce the expansion
and cracking associated with alkali-silica reaction

SHRINKAGE-REDUCING
ADMIXTURES
Able to reduce the amount of shrinkage that occurs as
hardened concrete dries.

MINERAL ADMIXTURES
Are natural pozzolanic materials or industrial by-
products that are commonly used in concrete to
replace part of the cement or sand.
Types of mineral admixtures are:
a) Fly ash
b) Silica Fume
c) Blended hydraulic cement

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