ADMIXTURES AND CONSTRUCTION CHEMICALS

Construction 10th Semester

DEFINITION
Admixtures are defined as a material,
other than, cement, water and aggregate: Cement
▪ that are used as an ingredient of concrete
and is added to the batch immediately
before or during mixing.
▪ admixtures are used to modify the
Water + Admixtures

properties of ordinary concrete so as to

make it more suitable for any situation.
Aggregate
HISTORY
History of admixtures is as old as the history ▪ the Mayans also used bark extracts and
of concrete. other substances as set retarders as set
▪ natural admixtures in concrete was a retarders to keep stucco workable for a
logical progression long period of time.

▪ materials used as admixtures included ▪ very vast and old field but some
milk and lard by the Romans; eggs admixtures like plasticizers and
during the middle ages in Europe; superplasticizers, are of recent interest.
polished glutinous rice paste, lacquer, tung ▪ specially developed in Japan & Germany
oil, black strap, molasses. around 1970.
▪ extracts from elm soaked in water and ▪ later USA, Europe, Middle East and far
boiled bananas by the Chinese; and in East also started using them
Mesoamerica and Peru, cactus juice and ▪ became popular in India after 1985 only
latex from rubber plants.
USES
▪ to modify properties of fresh & hardened early hardening  increase strength
concrete (compressive, tensile, or flexural)
▪ to ensure the quality of concrete during ▪ decrease permeability of concrete
mixing, transporting, placing & curing
▪ increase bond of concrete to steel
▪ to overcome certain unexpected reinforcement
emergencies during concrete operations (ie,
▪ increase bond between existing and new
set retarders)
concrete
▪ increase slump and workability
▪ improve impact and abrasion resistance
▪ retard or accelerate initial setting (hardness)
▪ reduce or prevent shrinkage ▪ inhibit corrosion of embedded metal;
▪ modify the rate or capacity for bleeding ▪ anti-washout
▪ reduce segregation ▪ produce colored concrete.
▪ retard or reduce heat evolution during
APPLICATION
▪ Most admixtures are supplied in a
ready-to- use form and added at
plant or jobsite.
▪ Pigments and pumping aids are
batched by hand in very small
amounts

Admixture Admix Storage Tanks for Concrete

Batching
WHILE USING
▪ check job ▪ avoid adding a little
specification bit extra
▪ use the correct ▪ use a dispenser
admixture (wash thoroughly at
he end of the day)
▪ never use one from
unmarked container ▪ best if added to the
mixing water
▪ keep containers
closed to avoid ▪ manufacturers
accidental recommend dosage
contamination is usually adequate
▪ add the correct ▪ trial mixes are
dosage important to
determine most
▪ avoid the correct effective dosage
dosage
Trial batches
CLASSIFICATION OF ADMIXTURES
CHEMICAL ADMIXTURES MINERAL ADMIXTURES
1. Air entraining admixtures 10.Alkali-silica reactivity inhibitors 1. Cementitious
2. Water reducing admixtures 11.Coloring admixtures 2. Pozzolanic
3. Plasticizers 12.Miscellaneous admixtures 3. Ground granulated blast furnace
 Workability slag (GGBS)
4. Super Plasticizers
 Bonding 4. Fly ash
5. Accelerating admixtures  Damp proofing
5. Silica fume
6. Retarding admixtures  Permeability reducing
 Grouting 6. Rice husk
7. Hydration-control admixtures
 Gas forming
8. Corrosion inhibitors  Pumping admixtures
9. Shrinkage reducers
AIR ENTRAINING ADMIXTURES 1/3
▪ used to purposely introduce and
stabilize microscopic air bubbles in Frost damage
concrete. (crumbling) at
joints of a
▪ dramatically improves the durability pavement
of concrete exposed to cycles of
freezing and thawing
▪ entrained air greatly improves Frost induced Scaled concrete
concrete’s resistance to surface scaling cracking near surface resulting from
caused by chemical deicers joints with lack of air entrainment,
enlarged view use of deicers, and
▪ Increases workability of concrete of cracks poor finishing and
in freezing temperatures curing practices
AIR ENTRAINING ADMIXTURES 2/3
▪ Microscopic air bubbles intentionally ▪ The air voids present in concrete can be
incorporated in mortar or concrete during brought under two groups:
mixing, usually by use of a surface-active — entrained air
agent; typically between 10 &1000 μm in — entrapped air
diameter and spherical or nearly so.
▪ Agents
▪ Air bubbles become part of the matrix,
— natural wood resins
binding aggregate in the hardened
concrete. — animal and vegetable fats and oils such as
tallow, olive oil and their fatty acids such as
▪ These air bubbles are dispersed throughout stearic and oleic acids
the hardened cement paste — various wetting agents such as alkali salts or
sulphonated organic compounds
— water soluble soaps of resins acid
— miscellaneous materials such as sodium salts of
petroleum sulphonic acids, hydrogen peroxide
and aluminum powder, etc.
AIR ENTRAINING ADMIXTURES 3/3
▪ Factors affecting air entrainment —Improvement in workability
—type and quantity of air entraining agents —Reduction in strength
—water cement ratio of mix
—type and grading of aggregates
▪ Incidentally air entrainment will affect
the properties in following ways:
—mixing time —reduces the tendencies of segregation
—temperature
—reduces the bleeding and laitance
—type of cement
—decreases the permeability
—influence of compaction
—increases the resistance to chemical attack
—admixtures other than air entraining agents
used —permits reduction in sand content, water
content, cost, & heat of hydration
▪ Air entrainment will effect directly the
—reduces unit weight, alkali aggregate
following three properties of concrete
reaction, the modulus of elasticity
—Increased resistance to freezing and
thawing
PLASTICIZERS 1/3
▪ Used: ▪ Water reduction more than
5% but less than 12% The action of
— to achieve a higher plasticizers is
strength by decreasing the ▪ The commonly used mainly to
water cement ratio at the admixtures are ligno-
same workability as an sulphonates and hydrocarbolic fluidify the
admixture free mix. acid salts. mix and
improve the
— to achieve the same ▪ Plasticizers are usually based workability
workability by decreasing on lignosulphonate, which is a
the cement content so as to natural polymer, derived from
of concrete,
reduce the heat of wood processing in the paper mortar or
hydration in mass concrete. industry. grout
— to increase the workability
so as to ease placing
inaccessible locations
PLASTICIZERS 2/3
ACTION OF PLASTICIZERS
Dispersion: Lubricating:
▪ Portland cement being in fine state will have a ▪ The agents are organic by nature, thus they lubricate
tendency to flocculate in wet concrete, these the mix reducing the friction and increasing the
flocculation entraps certain amount of water used in workability.
the mix.
Retarding Effect:
▪ When its used, they get adsorbed on the cement
▪ Plasticizers get adsorbed on the surface of the cement
particles, creates particle to particle repulsive forces
particles and form a thin sheath.
which overcome the attractive forces.
▪ This sheath inhibits the surface hydration reaction
▪ This repulsive force is called Zeta Potential, which
between water and cement as long as sufficient
depends on the base, solid content, quantity of
plasticizers molecules are available.
plasticizer used.
▪ Quantity of plasticizers will decrease as the polymers
▪ When cement particles are deflocculated, the water
become entrapped in hydration products.
trapped inside the flocs gets released & now available
to fluidify the mix.
PLASTICIZERS 3/3

The following mechanisms may take place simultaneously:

▪ reduction in the surface tension of ▪ lubricating film between cement ▪ inhibition of the surface hydration
water. particles. reaction of the cement particles,
leaving more water to fluidify the
▪ induced electrostatic repulsion ▪ dispersion of cement grains, releasing mix.
between particles of cement. water trapped within cement flocs.
SUPER PLASTICIZERS (HRWR) 1/4
▪ Its developed in Japan & ▪ Added to concrete with a
Germany during 1960s & low-to-normal slump and
70s. water- cementing materials
ratio to make high- slump
▪ Chemically different from flowing concrete. Flowing
normal plasticizers. concrete is a highly fluid but
▪ Reduce water requirement by workable concrete that can
12-30% be placed with little or no
vibration or compaction while No plasticizers With 0.3 %
▪ Mechanism is more or less still remaining essentially free super-
same as plasticizers of excessive bleeding or plasticizer
segregation.
SUPER PLASTICIZERS (HRWR) 2/4
Applications - flowing concrete ▪ low water to cement ratio concrete
Bleeding
▪ thin-section placements reduced with low chloride permeability-
easily made with high-range water
▪ areas of closely spaced and Drying shrinkage reducers- is ideal for bridge decks
congested reinforcing steel
reduced
▪ materials
▪ pumped concrete to reduce pump
pressure, thereby increasing lift and Effectiveness — sulfonated melamine formaldehyde
distance capacity increased condensates
▪ areas where conventional — sulfonated naphthalene
consolidation methods are impractical formaldehyde condensate
or can not be used — lignosulfonates
▪ reducing handling costs — polycarboxylates
SUPER PLASTICIZERS (HRWR) 3/4

Classification ▪Modified lignosulphonates (MLS) ▪Cross linked acrylic polymer (CLAP)

▪Sulphonated malaine-formaldehyde ▪Polycarboxylate derivatives ▪Polycarboxylate ester (PC)

condensates (SMF)
▪Copolymer of carboxylic acrylic acid with ▪Multicarboxylate ethers (MCE)
▪Sulphonated naphthalene-formaldehyde acrylic ester (CAE)
condensates (SNF) ▪Combination of above
SUPER PLASTICIZERS (HRWR) 4/4
Advantages Disadvantages They flowing concrete with very high slump in the
▪ significant water reduction ▪ additional admixture cost range of 7-9 inches (175-225 mm) to be used in
(the concrete in- place cost heavily reinforced structures
▪ reduced cement contents may be reduced)
▪ increased workability ▪ slump loss greater than
conventional concrete
▪ reduced effort required for
placement ▪ modification of air-
entraining admixture
▪ more effective use of dosage
cement
▪ less responsive with some
▪ more rapid rate of early cement
strength development;
▪ mild discoloration of light-
▪ increased long-term colored concrete
strength; &
▪ reduced permeability.
RETARDING ADMIXTURES 1/3
▪ Helpful for concrete that ▪ Appropriate amount of ▪ Retarders delay hydration of
has to be transported to gypsum to be used must cement
long distance, and helpful be determined carefully.
in placing the concrete at Use of gypsum is ▪ To delay or extend the setting time
high temperatures recommended when
of cement paste in concrete
adequate inspection and
▪ Used in casting and control is available.
consolidating large
number of pours without ▪ Otherwise addition of
the formation of cold joints excess amount may cause
undesirable expansion
▪ Used in grouting oil wells. and indefinite delay in
▪ Commonly known retarder setting of concrete.
is Calcium sulphate.
RETARDING ADMIXTURES 2/3
▪ Used to delay the rate of ▪ The bleeding rate and
setting of concrete at high bleeding capacity of
temperatures of fresh concrete is increased with
concrete (30°C or more) retarders.
▪ Practical method - reduction ▪ Retraining admixtures
of temperature of concrete —Lignam
by cooling the mixing water
/ aggregates —Borax

▪ Retarders do not decrease —Sugars

the initial temperature of —Tartaric acid and salts Slump loss at various temperatures for conventional
concrete concretes prepared with and without set-retarding
admixture (Whiting and Dziedzic 1992).
RETARDING ADMIXTURES 3/3
▪ some reduction in strength at early ages (one
to three days) accompanies the use of
retarders.

▪ effects of these materials on the other

properties of concrete, such as shrinkage, may
not be predictable.

Therefore, acceptance tests of retarders should

be made with actual job materials under
anticipated job conditions.
Concrete tunnel Concrete bridge
ACCELERATING ADMIXTURES 1/2
▪ Used to develop strength development of Advantages
concrete at an early age (fast setting/ ▪ shortens the setting time of cement and
hydration process) therefore increases the rate of gain of
▪ Increases the rate of hydration of strength
hydraulic cement, shortens the time of set,
▪ enables earlier release from precast
accelerates the hardening or development
moulds thus speeding thus speeding
of strength of concrete/ mortar.
production
▪ These admixtures function by interaction
▪ reduces segregation and increase density
with CC33S (Tri- calcium silicate)
and compressive strength.
component of the cement thus increasing
the reaction between cement and water ▪ cures concrete faster and therefore
uniform curing in winter and summer can
be achieved.
▪ reduces water requirements, bleeding,
shrinkage and time required for initial set.
ACCELERATING ADMIXTURES 2/2
Cement Water Reduction in W/C Slump Compressive strength
kg/m3 kg/m3 unit water ratio in mm
content (%) 1 day 3days 7days 28
days
Reference 350 210 Nil 0.6 55 30.25 88.5 163.45 253
Concrete
Concrete with 350 178.5 15.0 0.51 60 51.0 135.0 216.0 304
accelerator
Typical materials
— Calcium chloride — Calcium formate — Calcium nitrite
— Triethanolamine — Calcium nitrate
CORROSION INHIBITORS
▪ Chlorides can cause ▪ Extends the service Problem areas
corrosion of steel life of RCC
reinforcement in structures
concrete
▪ Inhibitors:
▪ Ferrous oxide —Calcium nitrate
reacts with —Sodium nitrate
chlorides to form
—Dimethyl
complexes that ethanolamine
move away from
—Amines Application of
the steel to form
—Phosphates inhibitor through
rust
—Easter amines
painting /
▪ Admixtures arrest spraying
corrosion reaction
SHRINKAGE REDUCING MIXTURES 1/2
Types of shrinkage Mechanism
▪ Plastic Shrinkage ▪ Loss of moisture
▪ Thermal Contraction ▪ Meniscus forms at air-water
▪ Drying Shrinkage interface due to surface tension

▪ Autogenous Shrinkage ▪ Surface tension forces exert inward

pulling Capillary force on the walls
▪ Carbonation Shrinkage
of Tension the pores cracks due to
▪ Shrinkage can be reduced with shrinkage of concrete
▪ Most significant in pore sizes
good concreting practice and
ranging from 2.5-50 nm
admixtures incomplete hydration
(micrometers) leading to
deformation
SHRINKAGE REDUCING MIXTURES 2/2
Admixtures: Effect of SRAs on Plastic Properties of Concrete
▪ Generally compatible with the other admixtures ▪ SRAs may increase bleed time and bleed ratio (10%
higher).
▪ Upto 25-50% reduction in drying shrinkage
▪ SRAs may also delay final set by 1-2 hours.
▪ Agents: Propylene glycol, Polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether
▪ Precautions needed to minimize impact on air-void
system.
Application
▪ May experience some loss in strength.
▪ Architectural precast
Benefits
▪ Pneumatically applied concrete
▪ Reduced drying shrinkage & potential for subsequent
▪ Water-retaining structures Majority of horizontal slab cracking
applications such as floors, roofs, and parking decks.
▪ Reduced autogenous shrinkage
▪ Reduced curling
▪ Improved aesthetics, watertightness & durability
ALKALI – AGGREGATE REACTIVITY REDUCTION
ADMIXTURES (ASR INHIBITORS) 1/2
Conditions: ▪ Durability Failure
▪ Reactive Aggregates ▪ Popo outs / surface
braeaking
▪ Alkali Source: Cement,
aggregates, soil, water Contributing factors:
▪ Moisture availability ▪ Reactive forms of silica
in the aggregate
Resulting effects:
▪ High-alkali (pH) pore
▪ Cracking solution
▪ Structural movement ▪ Sufficient moisture
ALKALI – AGGREGATE REACTIVITY REDUCTION
ADMIXTURES (ASR INHIBITORS) 2/2
▪ Expansion of specimen made with Lithium
Carbonate Admixtures
▪ Silica fume, flyash, ground granulated blast
furnace slag

Expansion of specimens made with lithium carbonate

admixture (Stark 1992).
COLORING ADMIXTURES (PIGMENTS)
▪ Natural and synthetic ▪ Can be installed and
materials finished like regular
concrete - eliminates Red & blue
▪ Colors: Black, Red,
separate finishing or pigments
Yellow, Tan, Green, Blue
staining, thus minimizing were used
▪ 6%-10% addition by cost of installation to color this
weight cement terrazzo
▪ Generally less expensive
▪ Used for patterned than painting costs over floor
flooring in concrete service life of structure.
▪ Special applications: ▪ Use curing compounds Colors in
buried electrical or gas specifically Bridges
lines, special floors, recommended for
residential concrete colored concrete.
▪ Colored Concrete is Cost- ▪ Water cure, membrane
Effective sheets, or non-approved Curing Colored Concrete
curing compounds can Uneven Curing = Uneven
discolor concrete. Drying = Uneven Color
WATER REDUCING ADMIXTURES
▪ Used to reduce quantity ▪ Lignosulfonates
of mixing water required
to ▪ Carbohydrates
—Produce concrete of a ▪ Hydroxylated carboxylic
certain slump acids
—Reduce water-cementing
materials ratio ▪ The effectiveness of water
—Reduce cement content or reducing admixtures on
—Increase slump concrete is a function of
their chemical composition
▪ Typical reducers – 5-10% and fineness, cement
reduction in water content content and presence of Slump loss at 23°C (73°F) in concretes containing
admixtures conventional water reducers (ASTM C 494 and
▪ Materials: AASHTO M 194 Type D) compared with a control
mixture (Whiting and Dziedzic 1992).
DAMPPROOFING ADMIXTURES
▪ Moisture passage in ▪ They may not work on
concrete seen through concretes that have
cracks —low cement contents,
—high water cement ratios, or
▪ Reduction of moisture
transmission —a deficiency of fines in the
aggregate.
▪ Water cement ratio of 0.5
▪ Usually used when
for sound, dense concrete
concrete is in contact with
▪ Admixtures include soaps, water / damp earth
stearates, and petroleum
▪ Used in basements,
products.
retaining walls
Damp proofing treatment for basements
PERMEABILITY-REDUCING ADMIXTURES
▪ Reduces rate at which
water under pressure of
transmitted through ▪ Admixtures
concrete — Silica fumes to increase
hydration and pozzolanic
▪ Best method is to reaction process
increase moisture curing — Other such admixtures
period and reduce block capillaries in
concrete, thus less
water cement ratio to corrosion too. They are
less than 0.5 used on high cement / low
water cement ratio
concretes and contain
aliphatic fatty acid and
aqueous emulsion of
polymeric and aromatic Damp proofing treatment for basements and
globules tanks
PUMPING AIDS
▪ Increases viscosity ▪ Aids increase
/ cohesion in viscosity or
concrete cohesion
▪ Reduces ▪ Some aids may
dewatering of increase water
paste while under demand, reduce
pressure compressive
strength, increase
▪ Improve air entrainment,
pumpability retard setting
Pumping agents added before pouring of concrete
AIR DETRAINERS
▪ Reduces air content
▪ Rarely used – only when other measures of air
reduction are not working
▪ Compounds such as
—tributyl phosphate
—water-insoluble alcohols
—silicones
BONDING ADMIXTURES AND BONDING AGENTS
Used for joining old and new concrete
quantity = 5-20% of cement.
Materials
▪ Natural rubber
▪ Synthetic rubber
▪ Organic polymers
—Ployvinyl chloride
—Ployvinyl Acetate
GROUTING ADMIXTURES
▪ Portland cement grouts ▪ To alter the properties
used: of grout for specific
— To stabilize foundations variations, other
— Set machine bases admixtures can be used
along with this.
— Fill cracks and joints in
concrete walls ▪ Advantages
— Grout prestressing — Higher strength
tendon sand anchor
bolts — Higher fluidity
— Fill voids in preplaced — Low permeability
aggregate concrete — Reducing bleeding
GAS-FORMING ADMIXTURES
▪ Added to Concrete and
Grout to Cause slight
expansion
▪ Use to complete grouting
▪ Machine Bases
▪ Post-tension ducts of
prestressed concrete
▪ Aluminum Powder/other gas
forming materials
FUNGICIDAL, GERMICIDAL, AND INSECTICIDAL
ADMIXTURES
▪ Bacteria and fungal
growth on hardened
concrete controllers
▪ Polyhalogenated phenols,
dieldrin emulsions and
copper compounds
▪ Effectiveness of these
material is temp and high
dosage – leading to
reduced compressive
strength of concrete
ANTIWASHOUT ADMIXTURES
▪ Increases cohesiveness with limited
exposure to water with little loss of
cement
▪ Water and underwater use of concrete
▪ Increases viscosity of water in mixture
thus increases thixotrophy and resistance
to segregation
▪ Consists of water soluble cellulose ether /
acrylic polymers
 CONSTRUCTION CHEMICALS
used to enhance the performance of concrete

Polymer modified mortar for

repair and maintenance (filling of
Guniting aid – mortar is conveyed Curing compounds to gaps) and more extensive cement
through a hose with pneumatic increase curing cure, improved workability,
Bond-aid for plastering pressure Ready to use plaster speed adhesion, strength and durability.

Surface retarders- used in

landscapes, ramps, parking Floor hardeners and dust Polymer bonding
areas, Non-shrink high strength grout proofers agent Mould releasing agent
 CONSTRUCTION CHEMICALS
used to enhance the performance of concrete
▪ Used by
construction and
civil repair
industry

▪ Help enhance
concrete
sealing material (polyurethane -
strength and brushed / sprayed on concrete
grouts (epoxy injection Coatings –epoxy / decorative/ floor toppings of micro quality, provide surface to prevent it from
grouting) urethane/ floor preparation cement in kitchen water-tightness shedding dust)
and protect
concrete
structures from
atmospheric
degradation

floor hardeners (heavy

waterproofing materials surface treatment materials concrete admixtures equipment / godowns/ etc.
YOUTUBE LINKS
Plasticizers for Concrete Bonding Admixture for Concrete
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEOTb3PLlX0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqW7Xlw46YM
Admixtures Grouting Agents for Concrete
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw2n1eSuswo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcPcZqLR0sY
Retarders Gas Forming Agents for Concrete
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odSvXuKhSD8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shZhVmBXlpU
Corrosion Inhibitors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg5OpnUZ3v4
Air-detraining Agents for Concrete
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-Te_A_JbDE