________________________ Admixture can be defined as materials other than cement, aggregates and water which are added in small quantity during mixing to produce one or more modifications in the properties of the concrete or mortar. These admixtures should not have any adverse effect on concrete. It may be of different varieties and may produce different changes in the physical parameters of fresh and hardened concrete. These admixtures may have combined effect also. CLASSIFICATION OF ADMIXTURE ___________________________ The classification of concrete admixture is generally done with respect to their individual effect on concrete. As per INDIAN CODE IS:9103,concrete admixture has been classified into four types, whereas AMERICAN STANDARD INSTITUTE ASTM C 494,the total admixtures have been classified into eight types. The BRITISH STANDARD (BS : 5075) has classified it into five types. As per IS:9103, four types are accelerating, retarding, water-reducing ,and air-entraining types admixtures. As per ASTMC-494, the classifications are : Plasticiser, retarder, accelerator, plasticiser and retarder, plasticiser and accelerator, super plasticiser, super plasticiser and retarder, super plasticiser and accelerator. ASTM C 260 gives the details about the air-entraining types of admixture. According to BS:5075 (3 parts) the classifications are :accelerating, retarding, normal water reducing, accelerating & water reducing ,and retarding & water-reducing types. Apart from the types of admixtures mentioned above , ACI Committee 212 specifies a number of miscellaneous admixtures such as :- 1. Gas forming and grouting compound, 2. Expansion producing compound, 3. Bonding agents 4. Pumping aids and pigments. 5. Flocculating compounds, 6. Corrosion inhabiting agents, 7. Fungicidal, germicidal &insecticidal agents, 8. Damp proofing and permeability reducing agents, 9. Chemical agents to reduce alkali-aggregate reaction. Now a brief description of the important admixtures is being given below:- 1. Accelerating Admixture:- A substance, when added to concrete, mortar or grout, increases the rate of hydration of hydraulic cement, shortens the time of set, or increases the rate of hardening or strength development. The category of admixture is based on two major row materials, calcium chloride and calcium format, with minor amount of other materials occasionally being included in the formulation such as calcium nitrate ,calcium thiosulphate, and triethanolmine. IS 7861(part II)-1981(4) specifies the use of calcium chloride in cold weather concrete construction jobs, but chlorides coming into concrete from cement, aggregate, water and admixture should be limited to 0.15 percent by mass of cement. They should not be used 2
in pre-stressed concrete because of the potential danger of augmented stress corrosion. Where sulphate resisting cement is required, calcium chloride should not be used, as it may induce corrosion of reinforced steel. Other accelerating admixtures are calcium format, high alumina cement, sodium sulphate, potassium sulphate, trivalent iron salts, sodium hydroxide , and potassium hydroxide, sodium fluoride, aluminium chloride, potassium carbonate, sodium aluminate. Each admixture compound has its specific qualities. So before its use, one has to satisfy their requirement. 2. Retarding admixture:- This admixture retards the setting time of cement paste , mortar or concrete. Retarders are used to overcome the accelerating effect of high temperature on the setting properties of concrete in hot weather concreting. The use is recommended in IS : 7861 (PART I) 1975(5).The materials for this type of admixture are high sugar lignosulphate ,hydroxy carboxylic acid and hydroxylated polymer. Common sugar is one of the most effective retarder. Generally this type of admixture increases the workability of concrete, thereby reducing water-demand. When retarders are used at normal dosage level, to obtain set retardation and higher workability for a given concrete mix, there is no necessity in the original mix design. 3.Water-reducing admixture - This type of admixture either increases workability of freshly mixed mortar or concrete without increasing water content ,or maintains workability with a reduced amount of water. The chemicals used for this type of admixtures are lignosulphate hydroxyl-carboxylic acid and hydroxylated polymer, water reducing agents act also as workability aid & reducing cement content. 4. Air -entraining admixture - This admixture causes air to be incorporated in the form of minute bubble in the concrete or mortar during mixing, used to increase workability, and resistance to freezing ,thawing and the disruptive action of de-icing salts. The raw materials, for this type of admixture are abietic and pymeric acid -salts, fatty acid salts, alkyl-aryl sulphonate, alkyl sulphate, phenol ethoxilates etc. Bleeding and segregation are also reduced by it ,but in case of high cement content, the concrete becomes sticky and difficult to finish. This admixture usually reduces the strength of concrete to some extent (usually 4 to 5 %) 5. Super plasticiser - These are high-range water-reducer .Chemically they are sulphonated melamine formaldehyde condensate and sulphonated naphthalene formaldehyde condensate. At a given w/c ratio ,the addition of a super plasticiser increases the workability of concrete, typically by raising the slump from 75 mm to 200 mm; the mix remaining adhesive. 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 section, and also where very rapid placing is desired. It is also used for normal workability but with an extremely high strength owing to a substantial reduction in the w/c ratio. Its addition in cement concrete gives a reduction of upto 28 % in mixing water. Gas forming admixtures (usually hydrogen peroxide), by chemical reaction with cement, produce slight expansion of concrete and is useful for bonding to steel and grouting purpose. It results light weight concrete. Damp proofing /water proofing /permeability reducing agents are used when concrete are to be made impervious to water under pressure. Chemically they are calcium soaps resin, vegetable oil, fats, waxes, coal tar residue, bitumen, ammonium stearate or oleate, butyl stearate, soda or potash soaps etc. 3
Corrosion inhibitors are nitrates, benzoids, thioslphate, stannous salts and ferrous salts. Synthetic polyelectrolytes are used as flocculating agents. The addition of admixture in concrete provides many benefits. However it is certain that admixture is not a cure for poor quality concrete .The benefits of admixture can be obtained only with correct choice of concrete materials, good concrete mix design, proper batching, placing and compaction followed by through curing. The performance of admixture must be assessed with the same materials which are proposed to be used in the construction. This would help in selection of the most suitable type of admixture with the lowest possible dosage for achieving the desired parameters at the end. The aggressive chemical content in the admixture must also be checked so that the same does not have any adverse effect in the long run.
References : 1. Neville A.M. Properties of concrete, third edition ELBS, England. 2. Ganguly, K.K. and Ray Arunachal Concrete admixture types, classification & their use, CE & CR, May91 3. Prof. S. Krishnamurthi Class notes of M. Tech ,I.I.T./DELHI 4. Kaushal Kishore Concrete Mix Design containing chemical admixture C.E. & CR MAY 91 ------------------------------
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