Admixtures

Admixture is defined as a material other than cement, water and aggregates

that is used as an ingredient of concrete and is added to the batch immediately
before or during mixing.
- Additive is a material which is added at the time of grinding cement clinker at
the cement factory
- Admixture is used to modify the properties of ordinary concrete, so as to
make it more suitable for any situation, more suitable for the work at hand
for economy
- Admixtures are no substitute for good concrete design and manufacture. An
admixture may be used only after evaluation of its effects, if necessary, by
use with the particular concrete and under specific condition of use
intended. Admixtures should be conform to relevant specification.
- It is either in powder or liquid form.
Types of admixtures –
- Plasticizers
- Retarders and Retarding plasticizers
- Accelerators and Accelerating plasticizers
- Air-entraining Admixtures
- Pozzolanic or mineral Admixture
- Damp-proofing and water proofing admixtures
- Gas forming admixtures
- Air-detraining admixtures
- Alkali-aggregate Expansion inhibiting admixtures
- Workability admixtures
- Grouting admixtures
- Corrosion inhibiting admixtures
- Bonding admixtures
- Fungicidal, Germicidal, Insecticidal admixtures
-
Purpose of admixtures –
1. To modify fresh property
• Increase the workability without increase the water content ratio or
decrease the water content at the same workability
• Retard or accelerate the time of initial setting
• Reduce or prevent the settlement or create slight expansion
• Modify the rate or capacity of bleeding
• Modify or obtain the desired properties in fresh concrete, or in hardened
concrete.

2. To modify harden property

• Reduce the heat of evolution
• Accelerate the rate of strength development at early stages
• Increase the durability
• Decrease the permeability of concrete
Classification of admixtures-
1. Accelerating admixtures
2. Water reducing admixtures
3. Retarding admixtures
4. Air entraining admixtures
5. Mineral
6. Super plasticizers

The essentially/ broad two classes of admixtures in concrete –

7. Chemical admixtures
8. Pozzolanic / Mineral admixtures - a) Replacing cement
b) Replacing fine aggregate
Chemical admixtures – It is used for the following four main purpose
1. Some chemicals are mixed with concrete ingredients and spread through
out the body of concrete to favourably modify the moulding and setting
properties of the concrete mix. Such chemicals are generally known as
chemical admixtures. Admixtures are added to concrete to give it certain
desirable properties in either the fresh or the hardened state. Most
admixtures result in modifying more than one intended property.
2. Some chemicals are applied on the surface at concrete to protect it during
or after its setting
3. Some chemicals are applied on the surfaces of modules used to form
concrete to effect easy mould releasing operation
4. Some chemicals are applied to bond or repair broken or chipped concrete
 Accelerating admixtures
These admixtures when added to concrete, mortar or grout increases the rate of
hydration of hydraulic cement, shortens the time of set, accelerates the
hardening or development of strength of concrete/mortar. These admixtures
function by interaction with C3S (Tri-calcium silicate) component of the cement
thus increasing the reaction between cement and water.

Chemical composition – Many substances are known to act as accelerators for

concrete. They include Alkali Hydroxides, Silicates, Fluoro – Silicates, Organic
Compounds, Calcium Formates, Calcium Nitrates, Calcium Thio Sulphates,
Aluminium Chlorides, Potassium Carbonates, Sodium Chlorides and Calcium
Chlorides. Of these calcium chlorides are most widely used because of its ready
availability, low cost, predictable performance characteristics. Non-chloride
admixtures are preferred as chloride containing ones are believed to accelerate
corrosion of reinforcement. For chloride free admixture is better to use.
Advantages –
1. Shortens the setting time of cement and therefore increases the rate of gain
of strength
2. Enables earlier release from precast moulds thus speeding production
3. Reduces segregation and increase density and compressive strength
4. Cures concrete faster and therefore uniform curing in winter and summer
can be achieved
5. Early use of concrete floors by accelerating the setting of concrete
6. Reduces water requirements, bleeding, shrinkage and time required for
initial set.

Effect of use of accelerator –

Table – 1 below shows typical test results provided by M/s, Asian laboratories,
New Delhi
Mix details – OPC 350kg/cum, Zone 2 sand 26%, 5-20 mm crushed aggregates
74%, Dosage 1% by weight of cement
 Retarding admixtures
This type of chemical admixtures decreases the initial rate of reaction between
cement and water and thereby retards the setting of concrete. It functions by
coating the surface of C3S (Tri-calcium silicate) components, thus, delaying this
reaction with the water. Reaction products are slow to form as such the setting
and hardening of concrete are delayed reducing early compressive strengths.
Since the rate of stiffening of concrete can be too fast in our tropical climatic
conditions, sufficient time for the concrete is required for transportation and
placement before setting. In such conditions retarding admixtures can be very
useful. Retardation in setting time to 8 – 10 hours is possible by suitable use of
retarders. The delay in hardening caused by the retarders can be exploited to
obtain an architectural finish of exposed aggregate; the retarders is applied to
the interior surface of the formwork so that the hardening of the adjacent
cement is delayed. This cement can be brushed off after the formwork has been
struck so that an exposed aggregate surface is obtained.
Chemical composition – These admixtures can be divided in several categories
based on their chemical composition. The main ingredients of retarders are as
follows:
1. Lignosulphonic acids and their salts, e.g. Na, Ca or NH4,
2. Hydro-carboxylic acids and their salta
3. Carbohydrates including sugar
4. Inorganic salts based on flourates, phosphates, oxides, borax ad magnesium
salts
Advantages-
5. Improves workability, cohesion and extends setting time, provides
protection against delays and stoppages and facilitates keeping workable
concrete for extended period.
6. In the large construction, good workability of the concrete throughout the
placing period and prevention of cold joints is ensured by adding retarders in
the concrete.
3. Extended setting time minimise risks of long distance delivery in hot
weather, improves pumpability of concrete by extended setting period and
improved workability of concrete.
4. Reduces bleeding and segregation where poor sand grading are unavoidable
5. Reduces adverse environmental effects of various nature on concrete and
embedded steel by considerable reduction in permeability

Effect of use of retarder-

Retarding admixture forms a film around the cement grain that prevent or
delays the reaction with water. After some times, this film breaks and normal
hydration takes place. Table 2 below shows typical test results provided by
M/s FOSROC Chemicals(I) Ltd., Bangalore.
Mix: Sand zone 2 (IS: 383 ) – 35%, Aggregate 20 – 5 mm( IS:383) - 65%, Cement
OPC (IS:269)
 Plasticizer(Water Reducer) Admixtures
A material, which either increases workability of freshly mixed concrete
without increasing water cement ratio or maintains workability with a
reduced amount of water, is termed as water reducing admixture.
As their name implies, the function of water reducing admixture is to reduce
the water content of the mix, usually by 5 to 10%, sometimes (in concrete of
very high workability) up to 15%. Thus, the purpose of using a water reducing
admixture in a concrete mix is to allow a reduction in the water cement ratio
while retaining the desired workability, or, alternatively, to improve its
workability at a given water cement ratio. The actual reduction in water
depends on dose of admixtures, cement content, type of aggregate used,
ratio of cement, fine and coarse aggregate etc. Therefore, the trial mixes
containing an actual material to be used on the job are essential to achieve
optimum properties.
Chemical Composition:
The chemicals used as plasticizer (water reducing admixtures)
are as follows:
i. Lignosulfonic acids, derivatives and their salts.
ii. Hydroxylated carboxylic acids, their salts and derivatives.
iii. Nepthalene sulphonic acid based
iv. Sulfonated melamine polycondensation products
v. Blends of above
vi. Inorganic material like borates, phosphates, amines and
their derivatives, carbohydrates, sugar and certain
polymeric compounds like cellulose, ethers etc.
Advantage:
They increase the workability of the concrete without reducing the
compressive strength or without changing water-cement ratio. This is
particularly useful when concrete pores are restricted either due to
congested reinforcement or due to thin sections.
High strength can be obtained with the same cement content by reducing
water cement ratio.
A saving in the quantity of cement (approx. upto 10% ) can be achieved
keeping the same water /cement ratio and workability.
Effect of use of Plasticizers:
Typical test results provided by M/s. M.C. Bauchemie(1) Pvt. Ltd.
Mumbai, showing increase in workability and increase in strength are
given below in table-3.
1. Reduced cement content keeping same water-cement ratio and
workability. This will lead to economy.
2. Reduced water-cement ratio keeping same water content and same
workability. This lead to increase in strength.
3. Increased workability keeping same water – cement ratio and cement
content. This is specially required when workability retention for
pumping etc. is needed.
Dosage ranging from 0.15 to 0.6% by weight of cement (different doses for
different products) are recommended by manufacturers, however, it shall
be fixed as per design requirements and after site trial.
Superplasticzer Admixtures :
Normal water reducers are well established admixtures called plasticizers
in concrete technology. A normal water reducer is capable of reducing
water requirements by 10 to 15% . Higher water reductions, by
incorporating
larger amounts of these admixtures, result in undesirable effects on
concrete like bleeding, segregation and hardening. So, a new class of
water reducers, chemically different from the normal water reducer and
capable of reducing water content by about 30% has been developed.
The admixtures belonging to this class are known as super plasticizers.
Superplasticisers are in fact the extended version of plasticisers.
At a given water /cement ratio and water content in the mix, the
dispersing action of superplasticizer increases the workability of
concrete, typically by raising the slump from 75mm to 200mm, the mix
remaining cohesive. The resulting concrete can be placed with little or no
compaction and is not subject to excessive bleeding or segregation. Such
concrete is termed as flowing concrete and is useful for placing in very
heavily reinforced sections, in inaccessible areas, in floor or road slabs,
and also where very rapid placing is desired.
The principal mode of action of superplasticizers is their ability to
disperse cement particles very efficiently. As they do not entrain air,
they can be used at high dosage rates without affecting strength.
Chemical Composition:
There exist four main categories of superplasticizers based on their
chemical composition:
1. Sulfonated melamine formaldehyde condensates
2. Sulfonated naphthalene formaldehyde condensates
3. Modified lignosulfonates
4. Others such as sulfonic acid esters and carbohydrate esters
Advantages:
1. Cement content can be reduced to a greater extent keeping the
same water /cement ratio. This will lead to economy.
2. Water –cement ratio can be reduced significantly keeping same
cement content and workability. This will lead to increase in
strength.
3. Higher workability at very low water cement ratio like casting
concrete with heavy reinforcement.
4. Reduction in permeability
5. Where early strength development is required in prestressed
concrete or casting of floor, where early access for finishing
equipment is required.
Effect of use of Superplasticizers:

For increasing the workability of the mix, the normal dosages of

superplasticizers is 1 to 3 litre per cum. Of concrete of the liquid
superplasticizer containing about 40% of active material. When
superplasticizers are used for large water reduction and for high
strength, their dosage is much higher: 5 to 20 litre per cubic metre of
concrete. Generally, the dosage recommended by the manufacturer
should be taken as guidelines and the correct dosage be decided based
on site trials. The typical test results showing the increase in
workability and crease in strength due to use of superplasticizer, given
in tables 4-6 have been taken from the literature provided by CICO
structural water proofing Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi.
 Air Entraining admixture
This is an admixture for concrete or mortar which causes air to be incorporated in the
form of minute bubbles in the concrete or mortar during mixing, usually to increase
workability and resistance to freezing and thawing. Air entrained also breaks the
continuity of capillaries.
The dosages required are between 0.005 to 0.05% by mass of concrete and it is advisable
to mix it with batching water for uniform dispersion. As per department of Atomic
Energy Practice, the air content is controlled between 3 to 6%. Method of measuring air
content is given in IS1190
The air voids present in concrete can be brought under two groups –
1. Entrained air – It is intentionally incorporated. It is minute spherical bubbles of size
ranging from 6 – 80 microns, distributed evenly in the entire mass of concrete.
2.Entrapped air – This voids present in the concrete due to insufficient compaction.
These entrapped air voids may be of any shape and size normally embracing the contour
of aggregates surfaces. Their size may range from 10 to 1000 microns or more. They are
not uniformly distributed throughout the concrete mass.
Chemical composition – The major proportion of commercial products is based on the
following chemical materials, set out in order of probable decreasing use:
1. Abietic and pimeric acid salts
2. Fatty acid salts
3. Alkyl – aryl sulphonates
4. Alkyl sulphonates
5. Phenol ethoxylates

Advantages –
6. Durability
7. Reduced bleeding and segregation because of :
a) Attachment of air bubbles with cement particle and linking them
b) Increase in inter particle attraction caused by adsorption of air entrainer
c) Bubble acting as extra fine filler and increased total surface area of constituents
relative to water volume
d) Water flow between cement particles is restricted
3. Workability increased due to action of air bubbles as ball bearing which assist movement
of particles each other
Disadvantages –
1. Decrease in strength due to increase in porosity
2. Air content of hardened paste can not be controlled low air – entraining
results durability, where as large of air entraining causes strength

Water proofers admixtures

These chemicals are added to concrete or mortar at the time of preparation
to make the structure waterproof. They react with the lime contained in
cement to form inorganic salts which block the pores and capillaries, there by
reducing moisture penetration.

Chemical compositions – Water proofers may obtained in powder or liquid

form and consists of pore-filling or water repellent materials. The chief
materials in the pore-filling class are alkaline silicates, notably silicates of
soda,
Aluminium, zinc sulphates and chlorides of aluminium and calcium. These are
all chlorides of aluminium and calcium. These are all chemically active and
accelerate the setting time of concrete but may encourage corrosion of
embedded steel. The chemically in active pore-filling materials are finally
ground chalk, fuller’s earth, and tale. They act as workability aids and result in
an increase in density. They are used in conjunction with calcium soap.
Materials in the water-repellent class are soda and potash soaps, to whoch
lime, alkali or silicates are potash soaps, to which lime, alkali or silicates are
sometimes added. Chemically inactive materials in the water-repellent class
are calcium soaps, resins, vegetables oils, fats, waxes, bitumen and coal tar.

Corrosion – in habiting admixture – The problem of corrosion of reinforcing

steel in concrete is universal. But is more acute in concrete exposed to saline
water. The chemicals resists corrosion of reinforcement, generally, alkalinity of
concrete is an adequate protection for steel. However, in adverse
Environment, Sodium benzonate, calcium lignosulphonate, and sodium nitrate
have shown good result.

Antifungal admixtures – These are added to control and inhibit the growth of
bacteria or fungi on surfaces exposed to moisture. Polyhalogenated phenel,
dieldrin emilsion, and copper compounds are some of the chemicals used for
this purpose.

Water-repellent admixture – Such materials reduce the capillary absorption of

fluids by the hardened concrete and therefore lower its permeability. Mineral
and vegetable oils or metallic soap ( calcium stearate) are claimed to exhibit
this property but it should be emphasized that these admixtures do not
prevent water penetration into or through concrete and therefore cannot be
used for water proofing. Also, water-repellent may have an effect on the
subsequent surface treatment of concrete.
Mineral admixture or Pozzolanic - In the mineral admixture, we use materials,
which replace cement i.e. they are so fine, that their fineness is comparable to
that of cement, and therefore we try to treat them as a part of cement in
considering concrete. Other than these, there are other materials, which are
used at times replacing fine aggregate, i.e sand. Mineral admixture are
silicious materials which have fine particle size. They are added to concrete
either as a filler or to improve favourably certain desired properties such as
durability. Mineral admixtures are classified as either pozzolanic or
cementitious. They are either natural materials or by – products such as flyash
of industries. The IS:456-2000 permits the use of mineral admixture for
modifying the properties of concrete. It has been amply demonostrated that
the best pozzolans in optimum proportions mixed with port land cement
improves many qualities of concrete such as –
• Lower the heat of hydration and thermal shrinkage
• Increase the water tightness
• Reduce the alkali – aggregate reaction
• Improve workability
• Improve resistance to attack by sulphate soils and sea water
• Lower costs
Pozzolanic materials - Historically, the use of pozzolonic material is very well
known, and these materials have no hydraulic properties of their own, and
they do not simply harden by adding water, rather they react with calcium
hydroxide and yields products, Similar to those formed during cement
hydration. So, what these mineral admixtures do. They do not react with water
but during reacting water with cement produce large amount of calcium
hydroxide, and this calcium hydroxide is react with mineral admixture. C3S +
H2O → C-S-H + Ca(OH)2 ( Ca(OH)2 = CH )
C2S + H2O → C-S-H + Ca(OH)2
S + CH → C-S-H ( This gel is similar to the one formed during hydration of
cement)
Pozzolanic materials can be divided in to two groups –

1. Natural Pozzolans – Natural pozzolans such as clay and shale,

diatomaceous earth, volcanic tuffs and pumicites etc. needs further
grinding and sometimes needs calcining to activate them to show
pozzolanic activities. In Hirakud dam construction in Orissa, naturally
occurring clay known as Talabara clay has been used as pozzolanic
materials.
2. Artifical pozzolans –
a) Fly ash – Ash precipitated electrostatically or mechanically from exhaust
gasses of thermal power station. The particles are spherical and fine. Generally
30-40% pozzuolana with ordinary cement then grinded. Rate of hydration is
low. Fly ash can be grouped under either high – calcium (15-35) or low-
calcium(≤ 10%) type depending on its Cao content. The unburnt carbon
content in fly ash should be less than 5%. The use of fly ash as concrete
Admixture not only extends technical advantages to the properties of
concrete but also contributes to the environmental pollution control. Fly ash
used as ordinary cement, used in dam ( In India, Rihand dam), mass concrete,
marine and hydraulic construction low early strength but strength similar to
ordinary port land cement at later ages. The surface area of the particles are
in the range of 300-400m2/kg. Fly ash consisting mostly of silica, alumina and
iron, fly ash is a pozzolan – a substance containing aluminous and silicious
material that forms cement in the presence of water. When mixed with lime
and water it forms a compound similar to port land cement. Usage of fly ash
as a cement replacement material improves.

b) Silica fume – It is very fine non-crystalline Sio2, is a by-product of ferro-

silicon Industry. It is made at a temperature of approx. 2000C. Its size is about
0.1Mm(20-25m2/gm). It acts as an excellent pore-filling material. It has
spherical shape. It can be used in proportions of 5-10% of the cement content
In a mix(as cement replacement). Silica fume has become one of the
necessary ingredients for making high strength and high performance
concrete. Silica fume used one of the flyover at Mumbai. Silica fume 100 times
smaller than ordinary port land cement with a surface area on the order of
20,000 m2/kg. Earlier silica fume discharged into atmosphere. After
environmental concerns necessitated the collection.
c) Rice husk ash – It is a waste product of rice mills. Each tonne of paddy can
generate 0.2 tonne of husk. This is a highly reactive pozzolanic admixture. It is
produced by controlled combustion of husk-retaining silica in the non-
crystalline form, with cellular structure. The fineness is of the order of 50-
60m2/gm. Rice husk ash contributes to high strength and high impermeability
of concrete.
d) Metakaoline – Metakaoline is obtained by calcination of pure or refined clay
at temperature of 650-850C and by grinding it subsequently to achieve a
fineness of 700-900m2/kg. It is a highly reactive pozzolana.
Adding mineral admixture - The two options for adding the mineral
admixtures to the concrete

1) During the manufacturing of cement at the cement plant, and then using
this “ blended cement “ that is this mineral admixture is added to the
cement at the cement plant so the cement is not ordinary port land cement
(OPC), therefore, the product of the cement plant now is not ordinary port
land cement, it is blended cement because the mineral admixture has
already been added to O.P.C
2) During the mixing of the concrete at the concrete plant or the site of mixing,
is add the mineral admixture, during the mixing of the concrete, at the
concrete plant or at the site of mixing. In this case, the cement used is OPC
and the mineral admixture added, in an appropriate dosage in the plant
Chemical mineral - What happens when we use a retarding, let us see that this is the
normal slump loss; that is if we have an original slump value. As the hydration process
continues, the concrete continues to loose its slump. It continues to become stiffer and
this is the process the black line here, is the process for normal concrete; that is a concrete
which does not have any chemical admixture. Now, if we want to accelerate the process,
we want the concrete to harden earlier then we use an accelerator, we get rapid slump
loss.
A schematic representation of slump loss over time to show regulation of setting of
cement( and therefore of concrete)