CONCRETE ADMIXTURES

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D o Paper Presented

a a By

F MAHENDERAN (Final B.Tech civil)

Mahi_andaman@yahoo.com

L.SIREESHA (Final B.Tech civil)

sirichandan@yahoo.com
 ABSTRACT:

Admixtures are ingredients other than water, aggregates, hydraulic cement, and fibers
that are added to the concrete batch immediately before or during mixing, in nominal
quantities. A proper use of admixtures offers certain beneficial effects to concrete,

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including improved quality, acceleration or retardation of setting time, enhanced frost and

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sulphate resistance, control of strength development, improved workability, and enhanced
finishability. Admixtures vary widely in chemical composition, and many perform more

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than one function. Two basic types of admixtures are available: chemical and mineral.

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All admixtures to be used in concrete construction should meet specifications; tests

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should be made to evaluate how the admixture will affect the properties of the concrete to

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be made with the specified job materials, under the anticipated ambient conditions, and
by the anticipated construction procedures.

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Materials used as admixtures included milk and lard by the Romans; eggs during the

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middle ages in Europe; polished glutinous rice paste, lacquer, tung oil, blackstrap

a amolasses, and extracts from elm soaked in water and boiled bananas by the Chinese; and
in Mesoamerica and Peru, cactus juice and latex from rubber plants. The Mayans also

F used bark extracts and other substances as set retarders to keep stucco workable for a
long period of time.

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 CONTENTS

Abstract

Chemical Admixtures

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• Air Entraining
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Water reducing
Set retarding
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• Accelerators

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• Super Plasticizers

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• Mid range water reducing admixtures
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Corrosion inhibiting

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Shrinkage reducing admixtures

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Mineral Admixtures

a D Fly Ash

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•

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• Silica Fume
• Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFD)

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 STUDY ON CONCRETE ADMIXTURES
CHEMICAL ADMIXTURES:

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Chemical admixtures are added to concrete in very small amounts mainly for the

mixtures, or control of setting time.

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entrainment of air, reduction of water or cement content, plasticization of fresh concrete

• Air-Entertainers

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• Water-Reducing
Set-Retarding

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•

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• Accelerators
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•

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Super plasticizers
Mid-range water-reducing admixtures
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Corrosion-inhibiting admixtures
Shrinkage reducing admixtures

a aAIR ENTRAINMENT is the intentional creation of tiny air bubbles in concrete. The

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bubbles are introduced into the concrete by the addition to the mix of an air-entraining
agent, a surfactant. The air bubbles are created during mixing of the plastic concrete, and
most of them survive to be part of the hardened concrete. The primary purpose of air
entrainment is to increase the durability of the hardened concrete, especially in climates
subject to freeze-thaw; the secondary purpose is to increase workability of the concrete
while in a plastic state. A water: cement ratio (w/c) of approximately 0.25 is required for
all the cement particles to hydrate. Water beyond that is surplus and is used to make the
plastic concrete more workable or flowable. Most concrete has a w/c of 0.45 to 0.60,
which means there is substantial excess water that will not react with cement. Eventually

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 the excess water evaporates, leaving little pores in its place. Environmental water can
later fill these voids. During freeze-thaw cycles, the water occupying those pores expands
and creates stresses, which lead to tiny cracks. These cracks allow more water into the
concrete and the cracks enlarge. Eventually the concrete breaks off. The failure of RCC is
most often due to this cycle, which is accelerated by moisture reaching the reinforcing
steel. Steel expands when it rusts, and these forces create even more cracks, letting in
more water. These air bubbles that are created improve the resistance of the concrete
structure against Freeze and Thaw cycles.

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WATER REDUCERS or PLASTICIZERS
Water-reducers generally reduce the required water content of a concrete mixture for a

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given slump. These admixtures disperse the cement particles in concrete and make more
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efficient use of cement. This increases strength or allows the cement content to be

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reduced while maintaining the same strength. The basic role of water reducers is to

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deflocculate the cement particles agglomerated together and release the water tied
up in these agglomerations, producing more fluid paste at lower water contents.

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Water-reducers are used to increase slump of concrete without adding water and are
useful for pumping concrete and in hot weather to offset the increased water demand.

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Some water - reducers may aggravate the rate of slump loss with time. Water-reducing
admixtures are used to improve the quality of concrete and to obtain specified strength at

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lower cement content. They also improve the properties of concrete containing
marginal- or low-quality aggregates and help in placing concrete under difficult

a aconditions. Water reducers have been used primarily in bridge decks, low-slump

F concrete overlays, and patching concrete.

Water-reducers should meet the requirements for Type A in ASTM C 494 Specification
for Chemical Admixtures for Concrete.
Composition. Water-reducing admixtures can be categorized according to their active
ingredients. There are the following:
• Salts and modifications of hydroxylized carboxylic acids (HC type);
• Salts and modifications of lignosulfonic acids (lignins); and
• Polymeric materials (PS type).

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 RETARDERS or SET-RETARDERS
They are chemicals that delay the initial setting of concrete by an hour or more. Retarders
are often used in hot weather to counter the rapid setting caused by high temperatures.
Most retarders also function as water reducers. Retarders should meet the
requirements for Type B or D in ASTM C 494.
Effect on Concrete Properties and Application.
Because of retarding action, the 1-day strength of the concrete is reduced. However,
ultimate strength is reported to be improved by using set-controlling admixtures. One of

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the most important applications of retarding admixtures is hot-weather concreting,
when delays between mixing and placing operation, may result in early stiffening.

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Another important application is in prestressed concrete, where retarders prevent the
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concrete that is in contact with the strand from setting before vibrating operations

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are completed. Set retarders also allow use of high-temperature curing in prestressed

Accelerating admixtures or Accelerators

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concrete production without affecting the ultimate strength of the concrete.

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They are added to concrete either to increase the rate of early strength development
or to shorten the time of setting, or both. Chemical compositions of accelerators

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include some of inorganic compounds such as soluble chlorides, carbonates, silicates,
fluosilicates, and some organic compounds such as triethanolamine. Among all these

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accelerating materials, calcium chloride is the most common accelerator used in concrete.
However, growing interest in using "chloride-free" accelerators as replacement for

a acalcium chloride has been observed because they form the root cause for the steel

F corrosion in RCC. Calcium nitrite accelerates the hydration of cement, as shown by the
larger amounts of heat developed in its presence.
Super plasticizers or High Range Water Reducers (HRWR)

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 These chemical admixtures can be added to concrete mixtures to improve workability.
Strength of concrete is inversely proportional to the amount of water added or water-
cement (w/c) ratio. In order to produce stronger concrete, less water is added, which
makes the concrete mixture very unworkable and difficult to mix, necessitating the use of
plasticizers, water reducers, super plasticizers or dispersants. Super plasticizers are
linear polymers containing sulphonic acid groups attached to the polymer backbone
at regular intervals. Most of the commercial formulations belong to one of four
families:

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• Sulphonated melamine-formaldehyde condensates (SMF)
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Sulphonated naphthalene-formaldehyde condensates (SNF)
Modified lignosulphonates (MLS)

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• Polycarboxylate derivatives
Mid-range water-reducing admixtures

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Water-reducing admixtures that provide moderate water reduction without significantly

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delaying the setting characteristics of concrete are also available. Because these
admixtures provide more water reduction than conventional water-reducers but less

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water-reduction than high range water reducers, they are referred to as mid-range
water-reducing admixtures. These admixtures can help reduce stickiness and improve

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inishability and pumpability of concrete including concrete containing silica fume, or
manufactured or coarse sand. Mid-range water-reducing admixtures are typically used in

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a slump range of 125 to 200 mm and may entrain additional air. Therefore, evaluations

Fa should be performed to establish air-entraining admixture dosage for desired air content.
Corrosion inhibiting admixtures
Chlorides are one of the causes of corrosion of steel in concrete. They can be introduced
into concrete from deicing salts that are used in the winter months to melt snow or ice,
from seawater, or from the concrete mixture ingredients. There are several ways of
combating chloride-induced corrosion, one of which is the use of corrosion-inhibiting
admixtures. These admixtures are added to concrete during batching and they protect
embedded reinforcement by delaying the onset of corrosion and also reducing the
rate of corrosion after initiation. There are several commercially available inhibitors
include an inorganic formulation that contains calcium nitrite as the active ingredient and

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 organic formulations consisting of amines and esters. Calcium nitrite and calcium
thiosulphate usually increase the strength development of concrete at early ages.
Shrinkage-reducing admixtures
The loss of moisture from the concrete as it dries results in a volume contraction termed
drying shrinkage. Drying shrinkage tends to be undesirable when it leads to cracking due
to either internal or external restraint, curling of floor slabs, and excessive loss of
prestress in prestressed concrete applications. Drying shrinkage can be reduced
significantly by using shrinkage-reducing admixtures. These are organic-based
formulations that reduce the surface tension of water in the capillary pores of
concrete, thereby reducing the tension forces within the concrete matrix that lead to

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drying shrinkage.
MINERAL ADMIXTURES

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Mineral admixtures (fly ash, silica fume [SF], and slags) are usually added to concrete in

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larger amounts to enhance the workability of fresh concrete; to improve resistance of

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concrete to thermal cracking, alkali-aggregate expansion, and sulphate attack; and to
enable a reduction in cement content.
• Fly Ash

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Silica Fume

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Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag(GGBFS)
FLY ASH

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F Fly ash is comprised of the non-combustible mineral portion of coal consumed in a coal-
fueled power plant. Chemically, fly ash is a pozzolan. When mixed with lime (calcium
hydroxide), pozzolans combine to form cementitious compounds. Concrete
containing fly ash becomes stronger, more durable, and more resistant to chemical
attack. Fly ash particles are glassy, spherical shaped “ball bearings” — typically finer
than cement particles — that are collected from the combustion air-stream exiting the
power plant. There are two basic types of fly ash: Class F and Class C. Both Class F and

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 Class C fly ashes undergo a “pozzolanic reaction” with the lime to create the same binder
(calcium silicate hydrate, C-S-H gel) as cement. The main benefit of fly ash in concrete is
that it not only reduces the amount of non-durable calcium hydroxide (lime), but in
the process converts it into calcium silicate hydrate (CSH), which is the strongest
and most durable portion of the paste in concrete. Fly ash also makes substantial
contributions to workability, chemical resistance and the environment.
Fly Ash Contributes to Concrete Durability and Strength
There is a huge difference between durability and strength. Durability is the ability to

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maintain integrity and strength over time. Strength is only a measure of the ability to
sustain loads at a given point in time. Cement normally gains the great majority of its

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strength within 28 days. Concrete made with fly ash will be slightly lower in strength
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than straight cement concrete up to 28 days, equal strength at 28 days, and

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substantially higher strength within a year’s time. Conversely, in straight cement

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concrete, this lime would remain intact and over time it would be susceptible to the
effects of weathering and loss of strength and durability.

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Fly Ash Contributes to Concrete Workability
First, fly ash produces more cementitious paste. It has a lower unit weight, which

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means that on a pound for pound basis, fly ash contributes roughly 30% more volume of
cementitious material per pound versus cement. The greater the percentage of fly ash

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“ball bearings” in the paste, the better lubricated the aggregates are and the better
concrete flows. Second, fly ash reduces the amount of water needed to produce a

a agiven slump. Water demand of a concrete mix with fly ash is reduced by 2% to 10%,

F depending on a number of factors including the amount used and class of fly ash. Third,
fly ash reduces the amount of sand needed in the mix to produce workability.
Because fly ash creates more paste, and by its shape and dispersive action makes the
paste more “slippery”, the amount of sand proportioned into the mix can be reduced.
Since sand has a much greater surface area than larger aggregates and therefore requires
more paste, reducing the sand means the paste available can more efficiently coat the
surface area of the aggregates that remain.

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 Fly Ash Protects Concrete
Fly ash concrete is less permeable because fly ash reduces the amount of water needed
to produce a given slump, and through pozzolanic activity, creates more durable CSH as
it fills capillaries and bleed water channels occupied by water-soluble lime (calcium
hydroxide). Fly ash improves corrosion protection. By decreasing concrete
permeability, fly ash can reduce the rate of ingress of water, corrosive chemicals and
oxygen — thus protecting steel reinforcement from corrosion and its subsequent
expansive result. Fly ash also increases sulphate resistance and reduces alkali-silica

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reactivity. In reducing alkali-silica reactivity, fly ash has the ability to react with the
alkali hydroxides in Portland Cement paste, making them unavailable for reaction with
reactive silica in certain aggregates.

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Fly Ash Reduces Heat of Hydration in Concrete

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The hydration of cement is an exothermic reaction. Heat is generated very quickly,

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causing the concrete temperature to rise and accelerating the setting time and strength
gain of the concrete. Warm weather will naturally raise the temperature of concrete

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aggregates, which make up the majority of the mass in concrete. This natural heating of
the aggregates, coupled with solar heating at the construction site, can cause thin concrete

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slabs to suffer the damaging effects of thermal cracking, leading to reduced concrete
strength and durability. In such cases, replacing large percentages of cement with fly ash

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can reduce the damaging effects of thermal cracking and provide the time needed for
desirable finish.

a aConclusions of using Fly Ash in Cement

F Ease of Pumping
Reduced Bleeding
Reduced Segregation
Improved Finishing

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 SILICA FUME

Silica fume, also known as micro silica, is a byproduct of the reduction of high-purity
quartz with coal in electric furnaces in the production of silicon and ferrosilicon alloys
such as ferrochromium, ferromanganese, Ferro magnesium, and calcium silicon. With an
of 15 percent, the potential exists for very strong, brittle concrete. It increases the
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water demand in a concrete mix; however, dosage rates of less than 5 percent will not

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typically require a water reducer. High replacement rates will require the use of a high
range water reducer.

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Effects on Air Entrainment and Air-void System of Fresh Concrete. The dosage of

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air-entraining agent needed to maintain the required air content when using Silica Fume
is slightly higher because of high surface area and the presence of carbon. This dosage is

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increased with increasing amounts of Silica Fume content in concrete.
Effects on Water Requirements of Fresh Concrete. Silica Fume added to concrete by

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itself increases water demands, often requiring one additional pound of water for every
pound of added Silica Fume. This problem can be easily compensated for by using

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HRWR.
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Fa Effects on Consistency and Bleeding of Fresh Concrete. Concrete incorporating more
than 10% Silica Fume becomes sticky; in order to enhance workability, the initial slump
should be increased. It has been found that Silica Fume reduces bleeding because of its
effect on rheologic properties.
Effects on Strength of Hardened Concrete. Silica Fume has been successfully used to
produce very high-strength, low-permeability, and chemically resistant concrete.
Addition of Silica Fume by itself, with other factors being constant, increases the
concrete strength.
Effects on Freeze-thaw Durability of Hardened Concrete. The use of Silica Fume has
no significant influence on the production and stability of the air-void system. Freeze-

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 thaw testing (ASTM C 666) on Silica Fume concrete showed acceptable results; the
average durability factor was greater than 99%.
Effects on Permeability of Hardened Concrete. Addition of Silica Fume to concrete
reduces its permeability .Also, addition of Silica Fume (8% Silica Fume) significantly
reduces the chloride permeability. This reduction is primarily the result of the increased
density of the matrix due to the presence of Silica Fume.
GROUND GRANULATED BLAST FURNACE SLAG (GGBFS)

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It is a recyclable material created when the molten slag from melted iron ore is quenched
rapidly and then ground into a powder. This material has remarkable cementitious

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properties. Several problems with GGBFS include slow strength gain and decreased
surface quality. Countering these problems, GGBFS concrete has higher late strength and
lower permeability.

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Effect on Strength of Hardened Concrete. The strength development of concrete

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incorporating slags is slow at 1-5 days compared with that of the control concrete.

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Between 7 and 28 days, the strength approaches that of the control concrete; beyond this

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period, the strength of the slag concrete exceeds the strength of control concrete. Flexural

a astrength is usually improved by the use of slag cement, which makes it beneficial to
concrete paving application where flexural strengths are important. It is believed that the

F increased flexural strength is the result of the stronger bonds in the cement-slag-aggregate
system because of the shape and surface texture of the slag particles. It is not suitable for
Cold weather applications.
Effects on Permeability of Hardened Concrete. Incorporation of granulated slags in
cement paste helps in the transformation of large pores in the paste into smaller pores,
resulting in decreased permeability of the matrix and of the concrete. A significant
reduction in permeability is achieved as the replacement level of the slag increases from
40 to 65% of total cementitious material by mass.

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 Effects on Freeze-Thaw Durability of Hardened Concrete.. The resistance of air-
entrained concrete incorporating Ground granulated blast furnace slag is comparable to
that of conventional concrete. The results of freeze-thaw tests on concrete incorporating
25-65% slag indicate that regardless of the water-to- (cement + slag) ratio, air-entrained
slag concrete specimens performed excellently in freeze-thaw tests, with relative
durability factors greater than 91%.
CONCLUSIONS
Air-entraining and other chemical admixtures have become a very useful and integral

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component of concrete. Admixtures are not a panacea for every ill the concrete producer,
architect, engineer, owner, or contractor faces when dealing with the many variables of

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concrete, but they do offer significant improvements in both the plastic and hardened
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state to all concrete. Continued research and development will provide additional

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reliability, economy, and performance for the next generation of quality concrete.

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Overviews of the conclusions by usin admixtures in concrete are:
Increase workability without increasing water content or decrease the water

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content at the same workability;

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Retard or accelerate time of initial setting;
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Reduce or prevent shrinkage or create slight expansion;
Modify the rate or capacity for bleeding;
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Reduce segregation;

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• Improve pumpability;

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Reduce rate of slump loss;
Retard or reduce heat evolution during early hardening;
Accelerate the rate of strength development at early ages;
• Increase strength (compressive, tensile, or flexural);
• Increase durability or resistance to severe conditions of exposure, including
application of deicing salts and other chemicals;
• Decrease permeability of concrete;
• Control expansion caused by the reaction of alkalis with potentially reactive
aggregate constituents;
• Increase bond of concrete to steel reinforcement;

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 • Increase bond between existing and new concrete;
• Improve impact and abrasion resistance;
• Inhibit corrosion of embedded metal
• Produce colored concrete or mortar.

The following table shows the various MIXES with the use of admixtures and their
Compressive Strength after various days.
Ingredients Mix
(kg / m3)
Portland Cement
A
534
B
315
C
513
D
163
E
228
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Silica Fumes 40 36 43 54 46
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Fly ash
GGBFS
59
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137
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325 rs
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182
Fine Aggregate 623 745 685

in e 730 800

g
Coarse Aggregate 1069 1130 1080 1100 1110
Total water 139
Water/cementitious 0.22
E
150
0.31n 139
0.25
136
0.25
138
0.30
Slump (mm)

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Strenth (Mpa) O
255 - - 200 220

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1 day
D - - - 13 19

Fa 7 days
28 days
90 days
-
115
-
67
83
93
91
119
145
72
114
126
62
105
121

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