CHEMICAL ADMIXTURES
ADMIXTURES IN CONCRETE
FLY ASH SILICA FUME
ADMIXTURE
Definition: Material other than cement, water,
coarse and fine aggregates that is used in
concrete as an ingredient and added to the batch
immediately before or during mixing is called an
admixture.
Types of Admixtures
1. Chemical admixtures
2. Mineral admixtures
WHY ARE ADMIXTURES USED?
Admixtures are used to modify the properties of
fresh and hardened concrete.
Chemical admixtures are used for –
1) increasing workability,
2) reducing water content,
3) reducing setting time,
4) increasing setting time,
5) water proofing, etc.
WHY ARE ADMIXTURES USED?
Mineral admixtures are silicious materials which
have fine particle size. They are used in concrete
as cementitious material or filler in concrete.
1) Mineral admixture increases strength of
concrete.
2) It acts as pore filling agent and reduces
permeability.
3) It increases resistance to external attacks and
enhances durability of concrete.
4) It reduces drying shrinkage of concrete.
ASTM CLASSIFICATION OF ADMIXTURES
ASTM Type Function
Type A Water-reducing admixtures
Type B Retarding admixtures
Type C Accelerating admixtures
Type D Water-reducing and retarding admixtures
Type E Water-reducing and accelerating admixtures
Type F High range water-reducing admixtures
Type G High range water-reducing and retarding
Admixtures
ACCELERATORS
1. ACCELERATORS (ASTM Type C)
An admixture that accelerates the setting and early
strength development of concrete is known as
accelerating admixture.
Accelerators reduce the setting time of concrete for
repair works or early removal of formwork.
It is helpful for concreting in cold weather.
Calcium chloride (CaCl2) is the most commonly used
accelerator.
It’s quantity is limited to 1-2% by weight of cement
as it can cause corrosion of reinforcement.
RETARDERS
2. RETARDERS (ASTM Type B)
An admixture that retards the setting of concrete is
known as retarding admixture.
Retarders slows down the hydration process and
increases the setting time of concrete. It is used to
prolong the time during which concrete can be
transported, placed and compacted.
Sugar, Lignin-based calcium salts, calcium-
lignosulfonate based, phosphate based, and
hydroxylic acid based salts are used as retarders.
PLASTICIZERS
3. WATER REDUCING ADMIXTURES (Plasticizers)
(ASTM Type A, D, E)
An admixture that reduces the quantity of mixing
water required to produce concrete of a given
consistency is known as water reducing admixture.
Usually the water content of concrete can be
reduced up to 15% with the use of water reducing
admixtures.
There are admixtures, which are water reducing as
well as retarding. Lignosulfonic acids and their salts,
hydroxylated carboxylic acids and their salts are
retarding and water-reducing admixtures.
PLASTICIZERS
3. WATER REDUCING ADMIXTURES …..Contd.
These chemicals have detergent like property. They
get adsorbed on cement particles, giving them a
negative charge, which leads to repulsion between
the particles. This results in particle dispersion. Air
bubbles are also repelled and cannot attach
themselves to the cement particles.
SUPERPLASTICIZERS
4. SUPERPLASTICIZERS (ASTM type F, G)
Superplasticizers are admixtures that reduces the
quantity of mixing water required to produce concrete
of a given consistency by 12 % or greater.
As per ASTM, these admixtures are classified as Type F
-High range water reducing admixture. When
superplasticizers are also retarding, they are called
Type G admixtures.
Superplasticizers are used for production of flowing,
self levelling, self compacting, tremie concreting, high
strength and high performance concrete.
SUPERPLASTICIZERS
4. SUPERPLASTICIZERS …..Contd
Sulphonated melamine-formaldehyde condensates
(SMF); sulphonated naphthalene-formaldehyde
condensates (SNF); modified lignosulphonates (MLS),
and carbohydrate esters are used as superplasticizers.
The new generation superplasticizers are Acrylic
polymer based (AP), Copolymer of carboxylic acrylic
ester, and Polycaroxylate ester (PC).
The optimum dose of superplasticizer can be worked
out by Marsh Cone test, Mini Slump test, and Flow
Table test
MINERAL ADMIXTURES
1. Fly Ash
Fly Ash is the waste generated in thermal power plants
due to coal combustion.
Fly Ash can be either high calcium (15-35%) or low
calcium (<10%) depending on the CaO content.
The size of particles ranges between 1-100 µm.
Fly Ash can be used as partial replacement of cement
and sand in concrete.
It improves the strength and increases the durability of
concrete. It is also advantageous from economy and
energy-saving considerations.
MINERAL ADMIXTURES
2. Silica Fume
Silica Fume is a very fine non-crystalline by-product of
ferro-silicon industry. It is made at a temperature of
about 2000˚C.
Its size is about 0.1 µm (specific surface area = 20000
m2/kg).
It acts as excellent pore filling material.
It can be used in proportions of 5-10% of the cement
content in concrete.
MINERAL ADMIXTURES
3. Rice Husk Ash
Rice Husk Ash is produced from the waste of rice mills.
Each tonne of paddy generates 0.2 tonne of husk.
This is 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 40-100 m2/gm.
MINERAL ADMIXTURES
4. Metakaoline
Metakaoline is obtained by calcination of pure or
refined clay at temperatures of 650-850 ˚C and by
grinding it to a fineness of 700-900 m2/kg.
It is a highly reactive pozzolana.
Its use increases strength and reduces permeability.
MINERAL ADMIXTURES
5. Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS)
GGBFS is generated from Blast Furnace during
refining of iron ore.
It is a pozzolanic material possessing silicates and
aluminates of calcium and other bases.
The slag is ground to a particle size of 10-45 µm. It is
seen that particles having size less than 10 µm
contributes to early strength and those having size
between 10-45 µm contributes to the later age strength.
Its use reduces thermal cracking, increases strength,
impermeability, pore refinement, and durability against
chemical attack.
