CONCRETE ADMIXTURES

Lecture 6
 ADMIXTURES IN CONCRETE

1. Chemical
admixtures
2. Pozzolanic
admixtures

Read pgs. 59-100

 Admixtures
A material added to concrete or mortar,
other than water, aggregates, cement,
and fibre TO CHANGE one or more
properties of fresh or hardened
concrete
 When to use admixture?

When the desired modification of

properties of fresh or hardened
concrete cannot be achieved by
changes in the composition of the mix
proportion
 Functions of Admixtures

• Pg. 61

• To accelerate or retard initial setting

• To increase workability
• To increase strength
• To increase durability
• Etc.
 Example
• High-strength concrete
• Concrete grade 80
(fcu = 80 Mpa)
• Cement = 450kg/m3
• Water/Cement ratio = 0.35
• Coarse Aggregate = 1120
kg/m3
• Fine Aggregate = 980 kg/m3

• WHAT WILL BE THE

PROBLEM?
 Form of Admixtures

• Liquid
• Flake
• Powder
Chemical Admixture
 CHEMICAL ADMIXTURES

• Chemical added in very 1) Accelerating

small amount or admixture
quantity to the mixture 2) Retarding admixture
to develop special 3) Water-reducing/high-
properties in fresh or range water-reducing
hardened concrete admixture
4) Air-entraining
admixture
5) others
 Accelerating admixture

• To accelerate the setting and early strength development

of concrete, particularly in cold weather applications
E.g. calcium chloride (CaCl2)
• Early removal of formwork
• Compressive strength at 3 days at least 25% higher than
concrete without admixture
• The amount of CaCl2 should be limited to 2% by weight of
cement

• Read page 63-64

 Cont.

• Large dosage may cause severe

corrosion and loss of strength at later
ages
• CaCl2 is not recommended in hot weather
concreting and for pre-stressed concrete
and may be ineffective at temperatures
below freezing because concrete can
freeze before it reaches the initial set.
 Problems Associated with Accelerator

• Increase the heat of hydration

• Found to aggravate corrosion of
reinforcing and pre-stressing steel
• Increase creep and shrinkage
 Retarding Admixture

• Added to concrete to delay its setting and hardening,

especially in hot weather applications (temperature
greater than 32 °C)
• Hot weather increases the rate of hardening which makes
it difficult to place and finish the plastic concrete
• Recommended in large structures and difficult situations
such as large piers and foundations, to delay the initial
set as well as to keep concrete workable throughout the
entire placing period (eliminate cold joint)
 Cont.

• Sugar in any form is a

retarder (coke?)
• The use of retarder
may reduce the
strength at early age

• Read pg. 64-65

 Water-Reducing Admixture

• Used to reduce the quantity of mixing water

required, which increase the compressive
strength, and to produce concrete of desired
consistency or high slump.
• Can reduce water required by 12% or more
• Its effect is due to increased dispersion of
cement particles, causing a reduction in the
viscosity of the concrete.
• Read pg. 70
Pumping Concrete
 High-Range Water Reducer

• Also called Superplasticizer

• Added in small dosage with mixing
water (typically 0.2% by weight of
cement) to increase slump
• Flowing concrete – slump greater than
180 mm
• Dosage rate may vary from brand to
brand for different types of cement – pls
refer to manufacturer recommendation.
Without SP

With SP
 Cont.

• By using superplasticizer, it is possible

– to have w/c ratio in the range of 0.3 to 0.45

which would be impossible otherwise.
– Addition of superplasticizer increases cost
by 5% BUT savings in labour can be as
high as 33%
 Effect of Superplasticizer

• Increase in workability
• Increase in compressive strength
• Eliminates segregation
• Allow good dispersion of cement
particles in water
Superplasticizer – how it works?
 Concrete with Superplasticizer

• Has smooth surface • Less shrinkage

• Much less likely to • Low permeability
chip and spall
• Less time to place
• Has fewer plastic and finish the
shrinkage cracks
concrete
• Higher compressive
strength • An accelerating
• because of rapid curing period
gain in strength
– Early removal of
formwork
 Air-Entraining Admixture

• Added to entrain air in concrete

• Air entrainment is a process by which a
large number of microscopic air bubbles
are dispersed throughout the concrete
• Diameter of air bubbles in the range of
20 to 200 µm
Air Bubbles
 Advantages

• It causes the disruption of the continuity

of capillary pores result in reduction in
permeability and reduces internal
stresses caused by expansion of the pore
water on freezing.
• Foaming agents are added in small
amount (typically about 0.05% by weight
of cement) during mixing and can be used
to entrain 3 to 10% air.
 Cont.

• The use of air-entraining admixture can:

– Improve workability
– Reduce bleeding
– Reduce segregation
• However:
– Lower compressive strength
 Chemical Admixture

Description Applications
Water-reducing To get dense concrete, to improve
Admixture workability

Retarding admixture To delay setting and hardening,

hot weather concreting, large
structures
Accelerating admixture To accelerate setting and early
strength development, cold
weather concreting
Air-entraining admixture To improve durability and
workability
 Standards
Air-Entraining Admixtures
ASTM C 260
Standard Specification for Air-
Entraining Admixtures for Concrete
AASHTO M 154
Standard Specification for Air-
Entraining Admixtures for Concrete
CRD-C 13
Chemical Admixtures ASTM C 494
Standard Specification for Chemical
Admixtures for Concrete
AASHTO M 194
Standard Specification for Chemical
Admixtures for Concrete CRD-C 87
Calcium Chloride ASTM D 98
Standard Specification for Calcium
Chloride AASHTO M 144
Foaming Agents ASTM C 869
Admixtures for Shotcrete
ASTM C 1141
Admixtures for Use in Producing
Flowing Concrete ASTM C 1017
Grout Fluidifier For Preplaced
Aggregate Concrete ASTM C 937
Pigments For Integrally Colored
Concrete ASTM C 979
POZZOLANIC / MINERAL
ADMIXTURES
 Mineral Admixtures

• Are natural pozzolanic materials or

industrial by-products that are used in
concrete to replace part of cement
• It is known as supplementary
cementing material
• Are generally added in relatively large
quantities in comparison with chemical
admixtures
• Contains reactive silica (SiO2)
 Pozzolans

• Are siliceous or silicious and aluminous

materials which in themselves possess little
or no cementitious property
• BUT in finely divided form and in the
presence of moisture, these materials can
react with calcium hydroxide of concrete at
ordinary temperatures to form compounds
of cementitious properties.
• This reaction is called POZZOLANIC
REACTION
 Reactions

• Hydration process:
Cement + H2O → C-S-H gel + Ca(OH)2

• Pozzolanic reaction:
SiO2 + Ca(OH)2 → C-S-H gel
Effect of Pozolanic Admixture
 Example of Pozzolans

• Ground Granulated Blastfurnace Slag

• Pulverised Fuel Ash
• Silica Fume
• Rice Husk Ash
• Palm Oil Fuel Ash
 Method of Replacement

• Replacing part of the cement

content (by weight of cement)
• Can be added during mixing
process or grind together with
cement (pozzolan cement)
 Effect of pozzolanic admixtures

• Lower early strength

• Lower heat of hydration
• Higher ultimate strength
• Less permeable
• Reduce cost
• Increase workability (some)
 Slag

• Is a non-metallic product, consisting essentially

of silicates and aluminates of calcium bases
• Not only pozzolanic but also cementitious
• It is develop in a molten condition simultaneously
with iron in a blastfurnace
• Is the glassy granular material formed when
molten blastfurnace slag is rapidly chilled as by
immersion in water
• Amount replacement : up to 80%
Slag
 Fly Ash (PFA)

• Is a by-product of burning powdered coal in electric

generating power plant
• Generally finer than Portland cement and consists
mainly of small spheres of glass involving silica,
alumina, and ferric oxide
• Amount of replacement : 20 to 70%
• Two types:
– Class F Fly Ash – low calcium fly ash. Has no
cementitious properties but can react with calcium
hydroxide
– Class C Fly Ash – high-calcium fly ash. Has
cementitious properties in addition to pozzolanic
properties
Fly Ash
Microstructure of Fly Ash
 Silica Fume (SF)

• Is a by-product of the electric arc furnaces in the

silicon metal and ferrosilicon alloy industries
• Consist of non-crystalline silica (85 to 90%
silicon oxide)
• Very fine particles – less than 0.1um (100 times
finer than cement)
• Highly pozzolanic and very reactive
• Amount replacement : 10 to 20%
 Rice Husk Ash (RHA)

• Is an agricultural fly ash which is

obtained from burning and
grinding of rice husk
• Contains silica
• Amount replacement : 10 to 30%
 Palm Oil Fuel Ash (POFA)

• Obtained from the burning of

palm oil clinker
• Amount replacement : 10 to
30%
 Factors Affecting the Suitability and
Performance of Admixtures in Concrete

• Type of cement
• Mix proportions and method of mixing
• Temperature and time when the admixture is
added into the mix
• Chemical composition of the admixture
Monitoring and Precaution

• Selection of material
• Trial mix
• Short-term and long-term effect
• Eliminate overdosing – on site
• Manufacturer’s advice
 Thank You

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 TEST 1
Date: 7 Nov 2012 Wednesday
Time: 8:00 – 9:00 pm
Venue: C09 – 418
Topics Covered: till concrete
admixtures