TYPES OF CONCRETE ADMIXTURES

Concrete admixtures are used to improve the behaviour of concrete under a variety of
conditions and are of two main types: Chemical and Mineral.

CHEMICAL ADMIXTURES

Chemical admixtures reduce 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.

Chemical admixtures are used to improve the quality of concrete during mixing,
transporting, placement and curing. They fall into the following categories:

air entrainers

water reducers

set retarders

set accelerators

Superplasticizers

Specialty admixtures: which include corrosion inhibitors, shrinkage control, alkali-silica

reactivity inhibitors, and coloring.

MINERAL ADMIXTURES

Mineral admixtures make mixtures more economical, reduce permeability, increase

strength, and influence other concrete properties.

Mineral admixtures affect the nature of the hardened concrete through hydraulic or
pozzolanic activity. Pozzolans are cementitious materials and include natural pozzolans
(such as the volcanic ash used in Roman concrete), fly ash and silica fume.

They can be used with Portland cement, or blended cement either individually or in
combinations.

ASTM CATEGORIES - CONCRETE ADMIXTURES

ASTM C494 specifies the requirements for seven chemical admixture types. They are:

Type A: Water-reducing admixtures

Type B: Retarding admixtures

Type C: Accelerating admixtures

Type D: Water-reducing and retarding admixtures

Type E: Water-reducing and accelerating admixtures

Type F: Water-reducing, high range admixtures

Type G: Water-reducing, high range, and retarding admixtures