2.

5 ADMIXTURES
 LEARNING OUTCOME
At the end of this lecture, students should be able
to understand and explain;

Types of admixture
Properties of admixture
Advantages & disadvantages of different type
admixture

in concrete mix.
 WHAT IS
ADMIXTURE????????
 INTRODUCTION
 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.
 Added to concrete mix in order to
modify/improve the specific properties of
concrete.
 Most admixtures are supplied in ready-to-use
liquid/powder form and are added to the concrete
at plant or at the jobsite.
 The effectiveness of an admixture depends on
several factors including:
i. Type and amount of cement,
ii. Water content,
iii. Mixing time,
iv. slump,
v. Temperatures of the concrete
vi. Temperature of the air.
 PURPOSE OF ADMIXTURE
 To improve workability of fresh concrete.
 To improve durability by entrainment of air.
 To reduce the water required.
 To accelerate setting and hardening.
 To aid curing.
 To impart water repellent or water proofing
property.
 To reduce bleeding.
 TYPES OF ADMIXTURE
1. Air-entraining admixture
2. Accelerating agents / Accelarator
3. Retarders
4. Water reducers
5. Superplasticizer
1) Air-entraining Admixture
 Air-entraining admixtures are used to stabilize
microscopic air bubbles in concrete.
 To improve resistance to freezing when
exposed to water and de-icing chemicals.
1) Air-entraining Agent (cont)
 Improve the durability of concrete, resistance
to the effects of frost and de-icing salts.
 Generally, for every 1% entrained air, concrete
loses about 5% of its compressive strength
 Improve the workability and cohesiveness of
fresh concrete reduce bleeding and
segregation.
1) Air-entraining Agent (cont)
 Useful when aggregates with poor grading are
used.
 Adverse effect – reduction in concrete strength.
 An air-entraining admixture, on the other hand
is added directly to the concrete materials
either before or during mixing.
 Effect on concrete’s colour : makes colour
lighter.
2) Accelerator
 Accelerators are one of the most popular
kinds of chemical admixtures.
 Accelerates setting time and early strength
development of concrete.
2) Accelerator (cont)
 Suitable for repair work involving water leakage.
 Slightly increases workability and reduces the
water required to achieve a given slump in a mix.
 To increase the rate of hydration of cement, thus
increase strength.
 The most common admixture for this purpose is
Calcium Chloride (CaCl2).
 2% CaCl2 increases the cube strength of concrete.
2) Accelerator (cont)
 Adverse affect of higher dosage of CaCl2
increase shrinkage.
 It is not recommended for prestressed concrete.
 Adverse effect- cracking due to greater heat
evolution. Calcium chloride may promote
corrosion in steel reinforcements.
 Effect on color: darken
3) Retarders
 Function : to delay the setting time of cement
paste in concrete.
 They are used mainly in hot country with high
temperature, low humidity and windy.
3) Retarders (cont)
 High temperature often cause an increase rate of
hardening which makes placing and finishing difficult.
 Retarders keep concrete workable during placement
and delay the initial set of concrete.
 It hold back the hydration process, leaving more water
for workability
 Retard settling time and allow concrete to be hauled
long distance from mixer truck to site–ensure it reach
its destination in a plastic and placeable conditions.
4) Water Reducer
 To achieve a higher strength by decreasing the
water/cement ratio and increase the slump.
 To increase the workability so as to ease
placing in inaccessible/difficult conditions and
locations.
4) Water Reducer (cont)

 Typically decrease the water content of a

concrete mix by 5 to 10%.
 Excessive dosage rates will retard the setting
time of concrete.
 The treated concrete can have a lower water-
cement ratio. This usually indicates that a
higher strength concrete can be produced
without increasing the amount of cement.
 4) Water Reducer (cont)
 Used to reduce the amount of water
necessary to produce a concrete of given
consistency.
 A typical water reducing admixture is made
from the metallic salts or lignosulphonic acids.
 The effectiveness at given dosage is
dependent on cement type, aggregate type
and grading, mix proportion and ambient
temperature.
5) Superplasticisers
 New categories of water-reducing admixtures
and are most effective in dispersing cement
particles.
5) Superplasticisers (cont)

 Commonly used to produce flowing concrete

without having to change the original mix
composition and without causing a strength
reduction.
 Suitable for heavily reinforced and where
rapid placement of concrete is required.
 To achieve high strength at a given workability,
the use of superplasticiser can result a
reduction in water content up to 25%.
5) Superplasticisers (cont)

 Flowing characteristics of a mix are retained only for

a short period of time (about 30 min) after addition
of superplasticiser.
 They may be beneficial to precasters in improving
workability, increasing strength and decreasing
permeability.
 Disadvantage : high cost
 Also suitable such as floor slab, where concrete flow
to self leveling position–reduces effort required for
placing and finishing.
Other Admixtures
1. Bonding Admixtures
 These are organic polymer emulsions used to
enhance the bonding properties of concrete.
 Use for patching and remedial work.
 To increase the abrasion resistance of
concrete and its tensile strength but some
reduction in compressive strength also occurs.
2. Water-repelling Agents
 These are the least-effective of all admixtures.
 Based on metallic soaps or vegetable or
mineral oils.
 Gives a slight temporary reduction in concrete
permeability.
Admixture Functions Applications Disadvantages

Accelerators • More rapid gain of • Normal rate of strength • Possible cracking due
strength development at low temperature. to heat evolution
• More rapid • Shorter stripping times • Possible corrosion of
setting • Sprayed concrete. embedded
reinforcement
Air-Entraining • Entrainments of air into • Increasing of durability to frost • Careful control of air
Admixture concrete without increasing cement content and mixing
content. time necessary.

Superplasticizer (SP) • Greatly increased • Facilitate production of flowing • Tendency to segregate.

workability concrete. • May increase rate of
• Reduce amount of water but loss workability
maintain the strength of concrete.
• Act as water reducers.
Retarders • Delay setting • Maintain workability at high • May promote
temperature. bleeding.
• Reduce rate of heat evolution.
• Extend placing times.
 ASTM Categories of Admixture
• Here the classified ASTM C494 specifies the requirements
for seven chemical admixture types.

Types Admixture
A Water-reducing admixture
B Retarding admixture
C Accelerating admixture
D Water-reducing and retarding admixture
E Water-reducing and accelerating admixture
F Water-reducing, high range admixture
G Water-reducing, high range, and retarding admixture
(Q&A)