ADMIXTURES

Admixtures are natural or manufactured chemicals which are added to the concrete before or during
mixing.

WHY USE ADMIXTURES?

• Admixtures are used to give special properties to fresh or hardened concrete.
• Admixtures are used to overcome difficult construction situations.

2 Classification of Admixtures
• Chemical Admixtures
• Mineral Admixtures

Chemical Admixture
Chemical admixtures are the ingredients in concrete other than Portland cement, water, and
aggregate that are added to the mix immediately before or during mixing.
It reduces the cost of construction, modify properties of hardened concrete, ensure quality of
concrete during mixing/transporting/placing/curing, and overcome certain emergencies during
concrete operations.

5types of chemical Admixture

• Water-reducing admixtures
• Superplasticizers
• Retarding admixtures
• Accelerating admixtures
• Air entraining admixture
 Water-reducing admixtures
• Reduces the required water content for a concrete mixture by about 5 to 10 percent.
• It increases concretes strength without further cement addition.
• Concrete having greater workability be made without the need for more water.

Superplasticizers
(also known as high-range water reducers)
• Reduces water content by 12 to 30 percent
• The effect only last for 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the brand and dosage rate.

Retarding admixtures
• Delay or extend the setting time of cement without effecting the strength development
• Retarders keep concrete workable during placement and delay the initial set of
concrete.
• Durability increases

Accelerating admixtures
• Increase the rate of early strength development
• Useful for modifying the properties of concrete in cold weather
• Quicker setting time
• Useful for emergency repair work

Air Entraining Admixtures

• Used to improve workability
• Increased in durability
• Better resistance to frost action and reduction in bleeding

Mineral admixtures
-Mineral admixtures are finely divided materials which are added to the concrete
relatively large amounts, usually of the order of 20 to 100 percent by weight or Portland
cement.
 Commonly used mineral admixtures
• Fly Ash
• Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS)
• Silica Fume
• Rice Husk Ash
• Metakaolin
• Surkhi