Admixtures

What are Admixtures?

Ans. Admixtures are natural or manufactured chemicals other than cement, water and aggregates
and additives like pozzolana or slag and fibre reinforcement used as an ingredient of concrete or
mortar and added to the batch immediately before or during mixing. The most often used
chemical admixtures are Accelerators, Retarders, Water reducers etc.

Why we use Admixtures?

Admixtures are used to give special properties to fresh or hardened concrete. The most common
reasons for using admixtures in concrete are:

 To increase workability without changing water content.

 To reduce water content without changing workability.
 To adjust setting time.
 To reduce segregation and/or bleeding.
 To improve pumpability.
 To accelerate the rate of strength development at early ages.
 To improve potential durability and reduce permeability.
 To reduce the total cost of the materials used in the concrete.
 To compensate for poor aggregate properties.

Types of admixtures:
Admixtures are normally categorized according to their effect:
 Water reducing agents: i) Plasticizers ii) Superplasticizers
 Air entraining agent
 Accelerators
 Retarders
 Water proofing agent

 Plasticizers
When added to a concrete mix, plasticizers (water-reducing agents) are absorbed on the surface
of the binder particles, obtain higher workability without using more water. This results in
improved workability and provides a more even distribution with the binder particles through the
mix.
Dosage:
The typical dosage of a plasticizer varies from 200 ml to 450 ml per 100 kg of cementitious
material.
Uses:
 Plasticizers usually increase the slump of concrete with given water content.
 Plasticizers can reduce the water requirement of a concrete mix for a given workability,
by about 10%.
  The addition of a plasticizer makes it possible to achieve a given strength with lower
cement content.
 Plasticizers may improve pumpability.

 Super-plasticizers:
Superplasticizers are used for self-leveling, self compacting and for production of
high strength and high performance concrete.

Dosage:
The normal dosage of Superplasticizers is between 750 ml and 2500 ml per 100 kg of
cementitious material.
Uses:
Superplasticizers are used to best advantage:
 At the same w/c ratio produce much more workable concrete.
 In areas of congested reinforcement.
 Where a self-leveling consistence facilitates placing.
 For high-strength concretes by decreasing the water/cement ratio as a result of reducing
the water content by 15–25%, it also permits the reduction of cement content.

 Air entraining agent:

An air-entraining agent introduces air in the form of bubbles distributed uniformly throughout
the cement paste.
Dosage:
Typical dosage for air-entraining agents is between 50 ml and 150 ml per 100 kg of cementitious
material.
Uses:
 Where improved resistance of hardened concrete to damage from freezing and thawing is
required.
 For improved workability, especially in harsh or lean mixes.
 To reduce bleeding and segregation.

 Accelerators:
These admixtures speed up the chemical reaction of the cement and water and so accelerate the
rate of setting and/or early gain in strength of concrete.
Dosage:
Chloride based: 500 ml to 2000 ml per 100 kg cementitious.
Non-chloride based: 500 ml to 2000 ml per 100 kg of cementitious material.
Uses:
 Where rapid setting and high early strengths are required.
 The precast concrete where rapid removal of formwork is required
 Urgent repair work.
 Where concreting takes place under very cold conditions.
Calcium chloride is used as accelerators. It helps in hydration of calcium silicates. But the
presence of chloride ions effect corrosion of steel reinforcement.
All chloride-based accelerators should not be used in:
 - reinforced concrete
  - water-retaining structures
 - prestressed concrete
 - steam-cured concrete
 Overdosing with these materials can cause instant setting of the concrete resulting in
equipment damage.
Calcium chloride content embedded steel or aluminum. NaCl is similar to CaCl 2 but is of
lower density. But some researchers said CaCl2 doesn’t contribute corrosion of steel
reinforcement if the concrete is well proportioned and well compacted.

 Retarders
These admixtures slow the chemical reaction of the cement and water leading to longer setting
times and slower initial strength gain.
Dosage:
Typical dosages for retarders are between 150 ml and 500 ml per 100 kg cementitious material.
Uses:
 When placing concrete in hot weather, particularly when the concrete is pumped.
 To prevent cold joints due to duration of placing.
 In concrete which has to be transported for a long time.
Practical considerations
 If a mix is overdosed beyond the limit recommended by the supplier, retardation can last
for days.
 Retarders often increase plastic shrinkage and plastic settlement cracking.
 Delayed addition of retarders can result in extended retardation.

 Water-proofing admixture:

Water proofing admixture is generally used for tanks, basements water retaining structures
water proof. This reliable and long lasting range is highly suitable for reservoirs and numerous
concrete applications. This special concrete water proofing admixture avoids water leakage by
improving concrete quality.

Uses:
 Improves workability of concrete
 Reduces permeability
 Is available in solvent & powder form

[*Note: Self-leveling concrete that has high flow characteristics and, in contrast to traditional
concrete, does not require the addition of excessive amounts of water for placement.
*Note: Self-compacting concrete (SCC) is a flowing concrete mixture that is able to
consolidate under its own weight.]