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Chemical Admixture PDF
Chemical Admixture PDF
CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
CHEMICAL ADMIXTURE
ADMIXTURES
Some of the admixtures are often capable of modifying more than one property of
concrete for example, water reducing admixtures can also be set- retarders and air
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CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
CHEMICAL ADMIXTURE
ACCELERATING ADMIXTURE
These are substances which when added to concrete increase the rate of hydration of
cement, shorten the setting time and increase the rate of strength development. The
chemicals that accelerate the hardening of concrete mixes include soluble chlorides,
carbonates, silicates etc.
The general action of accelerators is that they cause a more rapid dissolution of the
compounds of cement and hence facilitate more rapid hydration of these compounds.
It is important that calcium chloride be uniformly distributed throughout the mix and
this is best achieved by dissolving the admixture in the mixing water before it enters
the mixes.
In cases when the durability of concrete may be impaired by outside agencies the use
of CaCl2 may be inadvisable. For instance the resistance of cement to sulphate attack
is reduced by the addition of CaCl2 and the risk of an alkali- aggregate reaction, when
the aggregate is reactive is increased. CaCl2 has been found to raise the resistance of
concrete to erosion and abrasion.
Quick-setting admixtures for shotcrete, employed extensively in both the dry and wet
processes, are a specific class of quick-setting admixtures, traditionally based on
soluble aluminates, carbonates, and silicates. These materials are caustic,
hazardous, and require special handling; refer to material safety data sheets from the
manufacturer. Newer, neutral-pH, chloride-free proprietary admixtures, based on
specific sugar-acid compounds, are available to overcome these deficiencies.
Generally, the wet-process shotcrete mixture quickly stiffens and reaches a rapid
initial set, with final set occurring. The early stiffening imparted by the accelerator,
however, aids in vertical and overhead placement. Using dry-process shotcrete and a
compatible cement and accelerator, an initial setting time of less than 1 min and a
final setting time of less than 4 min can be attained. The rate of strength gain can
be greatly accelerated using quicksetting admixtures in dry-process shotcrete.
Strength in excess of 21 MPa (3000 psi) in 8 h is typical for a noncaustic accelerator
and 14 MPa (2000 psi) is typical for a conventional caustic accelerator.
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CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
CHEMICAL ADMIXTURE
RETARDING ADMIXTURES
Retarders slow down the rate of initial hydration of cement either by forming a thin
coating on the cement particles and thus delay their dissolution in and reaction with
water or by increasing the intra molecular distance of the reacting silicates and
alluminates from water molecules by forming certain transient compounds in the
system. But these actions are not permanent and as silicates and alluminates are
formed, the influence of the retarder diminishes and the hydration process becomes
normal.
Great care is necessary in using retarders as in incorrect quantities they can totally
inhibit the setting and hardening of concrete. The exact effects of sugar depend
greatly on the chemical composition of cement. For this reason, the performance of
sugar and indeed of any retarder, should be determined by trial mixes with the actual
cement which is to be used in construction. A large quantity of sugar, say 0.2 to 1
percent of the weight of cement will virtually prevent the setting of cement.
Retarders tend to increase the plastic shrinkage because the plastic stage is
extended.
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CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
CHEMICAL ADMIXTURE
The principal characteristic of water reducing and high range water reducing
admixtures is to cause higher flowability of a given concrete. The higher flowability
will enable one or more of the following.
Concrete can be placed at a faster rate and as such greater productivity can be
obtained from concrete equipment such as mixers, vibrators, hoists, buckets etc.
The higher flowability can be used to economise on cement through reducing the
water content of the mix and retaining the specified water cement ratio. Usually
the cost of cement saved will be higher than the cost WR or HWR admixtures.
The higher flowability can be used to reduce the water-cement ratio through
reducing the water content of the mix and retaining the cement content. This
results in enhanced strength and a more durable concrete.
Concrete can be placed without vibration in relatively poorly accessible locations
such as deep piles, well foundation, highly reinforcement congested sections as self
compacting concrete i.e. concrete compacted by its own weight.
PLASTICIZERS
They belong to following two main groups
a) Ligno sulphonic acids and their salts
b) Hydroxylated acids and their salts
Ordinary water reducing plasticizers enable up to 15 percent of water reduction.
PHYSICAL INTERACTION
Fine cement particles, being very small, lump together and flocculate when water is
added to concrete. This ionic attraction between the particles trap considerable
volume of water and hence water required for workability of concrete mix is not fully
utilized. Plasticizers are principally surface active (surfactants). They induce a
negative charge on the individual cement particles such that the fine cement particles
are dispersed due to inter particle repulsion. Negative charges are induced on the fine
cement particles causing flocs to disperse and release the entrapped water. Water
reducing admixtures or plasticizers, therefore, help to increase the flow of the
concrete mix considerably.
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CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
CHEMICAL ADMIXTURE
These are a modern type of water reducing admixtures much more effective than
other water reducing admixtures. Chemically they are sulphonated melamine formal-
dehyde condensates and sulphonated naphthalene formal-dehyde condensates.
Super plasticizers can reduce the water content for a given workability by 25 to 35
percent. The plasticizing action of super plasticizers is of short duration; after some
30 to 90 minutes the workability returns to normal. The dispersing action is mainly
promoted by the sulphonic acid being adsorbed on the surface of cement particles,
causing them to become negatively charged and thus mutually repulsive (electro static
repulsion). This increases the workability at a given water-cement ratio. The resulting
flowing concrete is cohesive and not subject to be excessive bleeding or segregation.
The sulphonated melamine based plasticizers are generally preferable if ambient
temperatures are low, while sulphonated naphthalene based plasticizers are preferable
in high ambient temperatures due to their good workability retention quality.
Polycarboxylate admixtures are high performance plasticizers which also help in
slump (workability) retention for a longer period.
DOSAGE
harmful to concrete. The dosage optimization can be done by using Marsh Cone
apparatus or using mini-slump test or by the flow table methods described in ASTM
C 109.
The Marsh Cone method
The principle of the method consists in preparing a grout and measuring how long it takes
for a certain volume of the grout to flow through a funnel having a given diameter.
This is a standard plastic cone used by the petroleum industry to measure the flow time of
drilling muds. Its total capacity is 1.2 litre. A schematic of this cone is presented below.
150mm.
2 mm. Sieve
Capacity 1.2L
350mm.
50mm.
O.D.=5mm
The amount of water, cement and super-plasticizer needed to prepare 1.2 litre of grout is
calculated. Usually the test is preformed at a water / cement or water/ binder ratio of 0.35
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CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
CHEMICAL ADMIXTURE
in order to test the cement and super-plasticizer under condition similar to those of the
paste of a high-performance concrete.
Saturation point
When the flow time is measured with different super-plasticizer dosages expressed as a
percentage of the solids contained in the super-plasticizer to the cement mass at a
given time, a curve like that presented in Figure is obtained.
This curve is composed of two lines having different slopes. The intersection of these two
lines corresponds to what is called the “saturation point”. This is the point at which, in the
experimental conditions used for the measurement of the flow time, any increase in the
dosage of the super-plasticizer has no effect on the rheology of the grout. The super-
plasticizer dosage corresponding to this point is called the saturation dosage, and the
flow time, the flow time for the saturation dosage. It has been found from experience that
it is convenient to adjust the water / binder ratio of the grout so that the 5 minute Marsh
cone flow time is between 60 and 90 seconds.
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CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
CHEMICAL ADMIXTURE
From a practical point of view, when using the Marsh cone testing method to study the
rheological compatibility of a given cement and a given super-plasticizer, it is suggested
proceeding in the following way :
A 0.35 water / binder ratio grout is made using a super- plasticizer dosage that
corresponds to a solid content of around 1% of the cement mass.
If the measured flow time with a Marsh cone with a 5mm opening is between 60
and90 seconds, the 0.35 water / binder ratio is selected to pursue the study of the
variation of the flowing time as a function of the super-plasticizer dosage. The
concentration of the super-plasticizer can then be increased and decreased by
0.2% in steps from the initial 1% value.
If the flow time is greater than 90 seconds, another test should be made, this time
using a water / binder ratio of 0.40, and again a 1% dosage of super-plasticizer. If
the flow time is between 60 and 90 seconds, the experiment is pursued at a water /
binder ration of 0.40, as in the previous case.
It the Marsh cone flow time is still greater than 100 seconds at a water / binder
ratio of 0.40, it is better to use another super-plasticizer, or if all the available
super-plasticizer behave the same with that particular cement, it is better to select
another cement.
Figure 7.11(a) represents the case of a fully compatible combination of cement and
superplasticizer dosage at the point of saturation is low (around 1.0%) and the 60
minute curve is close to the 5 minute one. Thus the increased flow time is maintained
for 1 hour.
Figure 7.11(b), on the other hand, represents a case of incompatibility: the
superplasticizer dosage at the less well-defined saturation point is quite high and the
60 minute curve is much higher than the 5 minute curve. Sometimes, when the
incompatibility is more pronounced, the grout stops flowing very rapidly, possibly as
early as 15 minutes after the beginning of mixing.
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CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
CHEMICAL ADMIXTURE
Figure 7.11(c) and 7.11(d) represent intermediate cases. In Figure 7.11(c), the 5
minute curve is similar to the 5 minute curve in Figure 7.11(a) but the 60 minute
curve is similar to the 60 minute curve in Figure 7.11(b). In Figure 7.11(b) and the 60
minute curve has a position relative to the 5 minute curve similar to the situation in
Figure 7.11(a).
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CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
CHEMICAL ADMIXTURE
EX. 6 litres of a melamine superplasticizer having a specific gravity of 1.1 and a solid
content of 22% contain 0.22 x 1.1 x6 = 1.45 kg of solids.
EX. 8.25 liters of naphthalene superplasticizer with a specific gravity of 1.21 and a solid
content of 40% have been used in a concrete in order to obtain the desired slump. What is
the volume of water that is added to the concrete when using the solution of commercial
superplasticizer.
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CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
CHEMICAL ADMIXTURE
These admixtures cause air to be incorporated in the form of minute bubbles in the
concrete during mixing, usually to increase workability and resistance to freezing and
thawing. They control the amount of air in fresh concrete and disperse properly sized
air bubbles throughout the concrete. The presence of entrained air is also beneficial in
reducing bleeding.
Air entrained concrete is made by mixing small quantity of air entraining agents. This
air-entraining agents produces numerous tiny non-coalescing air bubbles which are
distributed throughout the body of concrete. These bubbles act almost like flexible
ball bearings. It improves workability, reduces the tendency for segregation and
bleeding. During freeze cycles, the pressure exerted by the expanded volume of ice is
taken up by the air bubbles acting like tiny springs and during the thaw cycles these
bubbles revert to their thin size.
Damp proofing or water proofing agents alter the concrete surface layer such that it is
rendered water repellant. This water repelling capacity is effective only when the
pressure which is forcing the water to enter into the concrete is small, e.g., wind
driven rain, capillary suction. But under high hydrostatic pressures, this will not be
sufficient and water will permeate unless the capillary diameters are small and are
segmented. This state will be possible only when the water cement ratio of the cement
paste system is low and the concrete is fully compacted without voids.
These admixtures are used to significantly increase slump without adding more water
or to substantially reduce water content without a loss in slump. Often referred to as a
superplasticizer, this material is properly categorized as a high-range water-reducing
admixture (HRWRA)