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Superplasticizers in concrete
The new water reducers provide
enormous increases in fluidity where
the cost is justified
BY V. M. MALHOTRA
HEAD, CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS SECTION
MINERAL SCIENCES LABORATORY
CANADA CENTER FOR MINERAL AND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, MINES AND RESOURCES
OTTAWA, CANADA
ew types of admixtures known as superplasticizers have been introduced into North America within the past several years. These admixtures can enormously increase the workability
of normal portland cement concrete or greatly reduce
its water content. Superplasticizers are more expensive
than conventional water-reducing admixtures. The
dosage requirements vary between 0.5 and 3 percent by
weight of cement, depending on the type of admixture
used.
Normally the superplasticizer is added to the truck
mixer after it arrives at the jobsite and at the last convenient moment before discharge. Within 5 minutes or
less the slump greatly increases and at this time the user
can get the most advantage from the high fluidity of the
concrete. The slump then steadily decreases during the
next hour or more and it is for this reason that the su-
Test results
The measurements of slump loss with time are plotted
in Figure 1. The compressive strength test results are
shown in Figure 2. A complete tabulation of the freezethaw test results is given in the CANMET report on
which this article is based. Tabulations of the properties
of the fresh concretes, the flexural strength results at 14
days and at ages corresponding to the end of freezethaw cycling, a summary of the air void determinations,
and identifications of the superplasticizers used are also
given in the report.
This superplasticized concrete is almost selfleveling and placing takes little time or effort.
This concrete of
112 -inch(12)
slump . . .
Compressive strength
observation is very encouraging because it could eliminate the problem of compacting concrete by vibration in
heavily reinforced sections, saving time and labor.
Flexural strength
In general, at recommended dosage rates, the flexural
strengths of the test prisms cast from superplasticized
concretes showed no significant change from those of
prisms cast from the control mix except for concrete
containing Superplasticizer C. The flexural strength of
prisms made with this superplasticizer dropped by
about 10 percent. This decrease in strength is unexplained.
Durability of concrete prisms exposed to repeated cycles of freezing and thawing was determined by measuring weight, length, resonant frequency and pulse velocity of test prisms before and after they were exposed to
f re eze-thaw cycling. These measurements were compared with corresponding values from reference prisms.
In general, there were no significant changes in the test
specimens at the end of about 700 cycles of freezing and
thawing. After 700 cycles the tests were discontinued.
Test data indicated that all prisms performed equally
well. The flexural strengths of the prisms remained close
to the strengths measured before cycling. Complete data are given in the CANMET report.
It should be pointed out that freeze-thaw tests were
performed using ASTM C 666-76 and employing Procedure B, Rapid freezing in air and thawing in water.
ASTM C 494-71, Chemical Admixtures, specifies the
use of Procedure A, Rapid freezing and thawing in water, for the evaluation of concrete incorporating chemical admixtures. Notwithstanding that requirement, it is
believed that the reported freeze-thaw data are valid because the freeze-thaw test is a comparative test, the
comparison being carried out with the specimens cast
from the control mix. (For the investigation re p o rt e d
here, test prisms were also cast from another control mix
made with non-air-entrained concrete. These non-airentrained prisms had completely disintegrated at less
than 100 freeze-thaw cycles.)
Summary
Following are the main characteristics of superplasticized concretes:
Superplasticized concretes show enormous increases
in slump without any significant segregation.
Superplasticized, high-strength concretes can be
placed in heavily reinforced and inaccessible areas.
The loss of slump with time is one of the serious limitations of these new water reducers. Howe ve r, by judicious selection of the dosage rate and by adding superplasticizers to concrete at a jobsite this problem can
be minimized or eliminated.
At the manufacturers recommended superplasticizer
dosages, the 28-day compressive strengths are equal
to or greater than the corresponding strengths of the
reference mix, whether or not compacted by vibration.
This suggests that high-strength superplasticized concretes can be placed in forms without mechanical
compaction.
Data on the elastic properties of superplasticized concretes are limited and inconclusive.
The freeze-thaw durability of test specimens cast from
superplasticized concretes compares favorably with
those cast from the control mix regardless of the bubble spacing factor in hardened concrete.
Although there were some differences in the effects of
the three superplasticizers on compressive strength,
flexural strengths and slump loss, the data are too limited to draw any conclusions about the relative performance of the three superplasticizers tested.
These superplasticizers may or may not perform as reported in concretes made with water-cement ratios
other than the 0.42 used in these tests or with types of
cement other than CSA Type 10 or ASTM Type I.
Because superplasticizers are considerably more expensive than ordinary water reducers they are not economical for use in everyday concrete. They are ideal for
use in situations that demand flowing concretes at very
low water-cement ratios.
Metric equivalents
(1) 0.062 cubic meters
(2) 19-millimeter
(5) 50 millimeters
(12) 38-millimeter
(13) 216-millimeter
PUBLICATION #C780142
Copyright 1978, The Aberdeen Group
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