Admixtures Additive: Substances which are added at the cement manufacturing stage (pozzolan, gypsum, etc.

Admixtures: Ingredients in concrete other than Portland cement, water, and aggregate that are added to the mixture immediately before or during mixing

Accelerators

Accelerate the hardening or the development of early strength of concrete. Has little effect on setting time.
Most common type is calcium chloride (CaCl2). Accelerators are used for early form removal, cold weather and urgent repair.

CaCl2 may be added to different types of Portland cements.

 Dosage: 1 to 2 percent of cement weight (dissolved in mixing water). CaCl2 acts as catalyst in the hydration of C3S and C2S.

Side Effects: 1. 2. 3. 4. Reduces the resistance of cement to sulfate attack. Increase the risk of alkali-aggregate reaction. Increase shrinkage and creep of concrete. Increase the potential of steel corrosion in reinforced and prestressed concrete. ( ASTM and BS limit the used of CaCl2 in concrete).

Set-accelerators (quick-setting)

Reduce the setting time.

Used in shotcreting and for urgent repair. Examples: sodium carbonate(washing soda), potassium carbonate, aluminum chloride.

Side effect: reduce strength.

Set-retarders o Delay the setting of concrete (longer setting time). o Used in hot weather, long transportation, prevent the formation of cold joints, malfunction of concrete mixers, problem in ready-mixed concrete trucks.etc. o Examples: sugar, carbohydrate derivatives, soluble zinc salts, and soluble borates. o Dosage: depends on material type, for example (0.05% of sugar delay the setting time for 4 hours).

o The increased retardation occurs especially with cements which have a high C3A content because, once some C3A has hydrated, it does not absorbs the admixtures; it is therefore available for reaction with calcium silicates. o The use of retarding admixtures reduces the early strength but later the rate of strength development is higher, so that the long-term strength is not much different.

o Retarders tend to increase the plastic shrinkage because the plastic stage is extended, but drying shrinkage is unaffected.

Water-reducers (plasticizers):

These admixtures are used for three purposes:

1. Achieving higher strength by decreasing the w/c ratio. 2. Decreasing the cement content as to reduce the heat of hydration in mass concrete, while maintaining workability and strength. 3. Increasing the workability so as to ease placing of concrete in inaccessible locations, pumping, tremie.

Classification of Water reducer according to ASTM C494 (see table 8.2) as follows: Type A: water-reducing only Type D: water-reducing and retarder Type E: water-reducing and accelerator

Type F: high-range water reducing (superplasticizer)

Type G: high-range water reducing and retarder

How water-reducer works?

The principle active components of water reducing admixtures are surface-active agents.
The surface-active agents are absorbed on the cement particles, giving them negative charge, which leads to repulsion between the particles and results in stabilizing their dispersion; air bubbles are also repelled and cannot attach to the cement particles. Lubricate the mix so that the workability is increased

Water-reducer basic materials:

Hydroxylated carboxylic acid

Lignosulphonic acid The reduction in water content for these materials range from 5 to 15%, depending on cement content, aggregate type, pozzolan and air-entraining agent if present. Typically the dosage rate of Type A water-reducers range from 130 to 390 mL per 100 kg of cementitious materials. Higher dosages may result in excessive retardation of the concrete setting time.

Other Advantages:

1. The dispersing ability of these materials results in a greater surface area of cement exposed to hydration, for this reason there is an increase at early strength compared with a control mix (without water-reducer) with same w/c ratio.
2. Long-term strength may also be improved because of a more uniform distribution of the dispersed cement throughout the concrete. Side effects: possible bleeding (Hydroxylated carboxylic acid type)

Superplasticizers
Very effective type of water-reducing admixtures, known as highrange water reducers Classified according to ASTM C494 as:

Type F and Type G(with set-retarding)

Materials: Sulfonated melamine formaldehyde condensates. Sulfonated naphthalene formaldehyde condensates. Lignosulfonates.

Superplasticizer are usually used to 1. Produce flowing concrete in situations where placing in inaccessible locations such as: Thin sections Congested reinforcing steel Tremie Pumped concrete

1. Produce very high strength concrete (strength as high as 100 MPa), using normal workability but a very low w/c ratio.
A water reduction of 25 to 35% can be obtained

The improved workability produced by superplasticizer is of short duration and thus there is a high rate of slump loss; after 30 to 90 min the workability return to normal. Due to this slump loss, these admixtures are often added to the concrete at the jobsite. Dosage:

1 to 2% of cement weight, for example using 2% raises the slump from 30mm to 200 mm, or reducing the w/c ratio from 0.60 to 0.45 for same workability

Some observations on using superplasticizers An improve in early and later strength was reported when using superplasticizer in concrete production.

 Tests have shown that some plasticized concrete bleed more than do control concretes of equal w/c ratio. But bleed significantly less than do control concretes of equal high slump. Superplasticizers do not significantly affect the setting of concrete except in the case of cement with a very low C3A content when there may be excessive retardation.

AIR-ENTRAINING ADMIXTURES Air-entraining admixtures are used to purposely introduce and stabilize microscopic air bubbles in concrete. Air entrainment will dramatically improve the durability of concrete exposed to cycles of freezing and thawing. Entrained air can be produced in concrete by use of an airentraining cement, by introduction of an air-entraining admixture, or by a combination of both methods. An air-entraining cement is a Portland cement with an air-entraining addition interground with the clinker during manufacture..

An air-entraining admixture, on the other hand, is added directly to the concrete materials either before or during mixing. Typical air-entraining admixtures: Salts of wood resins (Vinsol resin), some synthetic detergent, salts of Sulfonated lignin, salts of petroleum acids, salts of proteinaceous material, fatty and resinous acids and their salts, alkyl benzene sulfonates, salts of sulfonated hydrocarbons

Other admixtures and additives 1- Mineral additives/admixtures Pozzolanic materials: fly ash, silica fume, blast furnace slag..etc. Inert materials: hydrated lime, limestone dust as workability aids for grouts and masonry mortar, Coloring pigments are also considered as inert admixtures. 2- Gas forming admixtures: such as powdered zinc or aluminum. Used to produce aerated concrete (gas concrete) used as lightweight concrete for insulation purposes.

3- Bonding Admixtures: polymer emulsions (latexes) used to improve the bond of fresh concrete to old concrete.

4- Water-repellent admixtures: used to reduce the concrete permeability (water tanks)

5- Corrosion inhibitors (calcium nitrite, sodium nitrite, 6- Shrinkage reducers (propylene glycol )

7- Alkali-silica reactivity inhibitors(barium salts)

8- Colouring admixtures (coloured pigments: blue, red .etc.)