J. Civil Eng. Architect. Res.

Vol. 1, No. 4, 2014, pp. 278-282

Received: July 1, 2014; Published: October 25, 2014

Journal of
Civil Engineering
and Architecture Research

Effect of Shrinkage Reducing Admixtures (SRA) on

Selected Properties of Cement Mortars
Katarna Matulov and Stanislav Unk
Department of Material Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, 813 68, Slovakia
Corresponding author: Katarina Matulova (k.matulova.26@gmail.com)
Abstract: Concrete and cement composites in general are one of the most durable construction materials, however, cracking
adversely affects its durability, appearance, and functionality. One of the greatest weaknesses of these materials is shrinkage and the
formation of shrinkage cracks and deformations. Concretes with high doses of water or with high water to cement ratio are
particularly sensitive on shrinkage. Shrinkage reducing admixtures (SRA) have been used to reduce drying and autogenous shrinkage.
The effectiveness of a SRA depends on porosity and stiffness of cement composite. This paper presents the results obtained in
studying the effect of various doses of SRA on properties of self-compacting cement mortars. The experimental study was based on
measurement of the shrinkage, weight loss, bulk density, compressive strength and changes in consistency. The results showed that
shrinkage reduction due to the SRA products was rising with increasing dose of admixture, without deterioration of workability.
Compressive strength of cement mortars with addition of SRA was slightly reduced.
Key words: Cement mortars, shrinkage, compressive strength.

1. Introduction
Shrinkage of concrete and cement composites
generally means reducing the volume of cement
matrix due to chemical and physical processes
occurring in these materials. Shrinkage causes stress
in their structure, which can lead to cracks or
deformations of construction. Some structures, such as
slabs and walls, are especially prone to crack due to
the large surface exposed to air-drying. Autogenous
volume changes, which happen without water loss,
may also reach high values in low W/C concrete [1].
From the beginning of hydration in cement
composites, chemical shrinkage occurs. Chemical
shrinkage is due to the fact that the absolute volumes
of hydration products are less than the absolute
volume of cement and water which entered the
reaction [2]. While the concrete is in a plastic state,
the volume changes do not cause cracking. However,
the chemical shrinkage continues even after the

cement paste hardens. During this time period cement

composites have not deformed freely (it is not in a
plastic state anymore) and it leads to the formation of
pores in the structure of the cement stone. Later in the
course of hardening of concrete the water in the pore
system of cement stone is being consumed in the
process of hydration. The pores are emptied which
leads to the inner drying causing volume reduction of
cement matrix. This volume reduction is called the
autogenous shrinkage.
During intensive water evaporation from the surface
of fresh concrete or suction of water from the fresh
concrete by bedrock the plastic shrinkage occurs.
Since the effect of the plastic shrinkage is not uniform
throughout the whole volume of the structure. Since
differences in volume changes emerge, induced tensile
stresses may lead to cracking [3].
After hardening of concrete, the water which has
not been consumed by cement hydration leaves the
pore system, in case there is not a balance between the

Effect of Shrinkage Reducing Admixtures (SRA) on Selected Properties of Cement Mortars

moisture content in the composite and the surrounding

environment. While drying, capillary forces are
formed in the pore system together with the surface
tension of water causing reduction of the pore and
material volume. This is known as drying shrinkage,
which is substantially independent from water
evaporation intensity, which depends on the
temperature of the environment, relative humidity and
air velocity [3].
Drying shrinkage and autogenous shrinkage are also
significantly influenced by the composition of the
cement composites. Shrinkage intensifies with the
increasing water-cement ratio, content of fine particles
and water and increasing of shares of cement paste.
Shrinkage of the concrete can be a serious problem,
especially in the case of high water cement ratio
composites, such as self-compacting cement screeds.
In these composites the water-cement ratio is
relatively high even when the quality superplasticizers
are used.
The basic technological measure to reduce
shrinkage is the curing of fresh concrete. In some
conditions, however, the appropriate curing of
concrete, reduction of water cement ratio or the use of
suitable additives do not necessarily guarantee
prevention of cracking. Control of cracking may be
done by appropriate reinforcement. The reinforcement
however, does not reduce shrinkage but can keep
cracks from widening.
The use of expansive cements is a possible way to
reduce shrinkage. Usually, expansive cements produce
expansion by formation of ettringite. The production
of ettringite occurs only after a certain period and is
not effective to control early age cracking. On the
other hand, the use of shrinkage-reduction admixtures
(SRA) is another way to diminish shrinkage cracking
[1].
Shrinkage Reducing Admixtures (SRAs) provide a
method to reduce the strains caused by drying
shrinkage and subsequently drying shrinkage stresses.
Advantages to this method are that with the exception

279

of the added SRA, concrete mixture proportions and

mixing remain relatively unchanged. Also, no
expansion is induced with shrinkage compensating
cements or admixtures. Thus, the drying shrinkage can
be reduced for essentially any currently used concrete.
The purpose by which the reduction in shrinkage
occurs is thought to be from the reduction in surface
tension of the pore water solution [4]. The reduction in
capillary tension by organic agents may decrease the
concrete volume changes due to air drying or internal
self-desiccation. Thus, the effectiveness of a SRA
depends on porosity and stiffness of concrete [1].
In order to evaluate the efficiency of SRA product
on self-compacting cement mortars, five sets of
mixtures were prepared with the same materials but
with different dose of SRA. The experimental study
was based on measurement of consistency and bulk
density of the fresh self-compacting cement mortars
and the shrinkage, weight loss, bulk density and
compressive strength of the hardened cement mortars.

2. Materials and Methods

Experiments were conducted on self-compacting
cement mortars, the composition of which was based
on commercially available self-compacting cement
screeds. The composition of reference mortar is given
in Table 1.
Five mortars mixtures were prepared using cement,
CEM II/A-S 42.5 R, in accordance with STN EN
197-1, with the following properties: compressive
strength after 2 days 21.6 MPa, after 28 days 49.7
MPa, flexural strength after 2 days 4.4 MPa, after 28
days 7.9 MPa, initial setting time of mortar 200 min,
setting time 250 min, normal density 31.2%, soundness
(expansion) by Le Chatelier 7.2 mm, slag content 10%.
Further was used fly ash from power plant Novky.
The activity index is at least 75% after 28 days and at
least 85% after 90 days.
As filler were used natural quarried aggregates size
0/4 mm, which have been sorted into aggregates size
0/1, 1/2 and 2/4 mm.

Effect of Shrinkage Reducing Admixtures (SRA) on Selected Properties of Cement Mortars

280
Table 1

The composition of reference cement mortar.

Cement
Fly ash
Aggregates
Additives
Water

size 0/1 mm
size 1/2 mm
size 2/4 mm
superplasticizer
stabilizer

300 g
190 g
640 g
256 g
384 g
7.4 mL
7.7 mL
270 mL

To improve the fluidity of the mortar was used

superplasticizer
Berascreed
101
based
on
polycarboxylates (the density is 1,070 kg/m3, 24.0%
solids content and pH 6.7) and BR stabilizer 101 (the
density is 1,026 kg/m3, 3.6% solids content and pH
9.5).
To reduce shrinkage of cement mortars,
shrinkagereduction admixture (SRA) was used in 1%,
2%, 3% and 4% from dose of cement (300 g). The
amount of water was reduced by the dose of
shrinkage-reducing admixture for every mixture.
The following tests were performed on the five
mixtures: consistency, bulk density, free shrinkage,
weight loss and compressive strength.
Cement mortars were mixed in a normalized
laboratory mixer. After, the properties of the fresh
mortars were determined: consistency of the mortar
(determined by a flow test on the Haegermann flow
table) and bulk density. Samples to determine free
shrinkage were 40 40 160 mm beams with glass
contacts in front. Samples to determine compressive
strength were 50 50 mm cylinders. Samples to
determine shrinkage were cured one day (24 hours) in
a humid environment and after demolding of samples
the initial measurement of the length was done.
Further samples were kept in the laboratory conditions
with a temperature of about 20 2 C and a relative
humidity about 55 5%. Drying shrinkage of samples
was determined as loss of length compared to the
initial length of sample determined after 1 day of
curing in a moist environment. Shrinkage was
measured after 2, 3, 4, 7, 14, 28, 56 and 90 days of
curing in the laboratory environment. The length

measurement was done using a Graf-Kaufmann device.

The weight loss was measured on the same prisms
used for the shrinkage measurements. The
compressive strength of hardened mortars was
measured on moist-cured cylinders at 2, 28 and 90
days.

3. Results and Discussion

The measured values of consistency and bulk
density of fresh cement mortars for each mixture are
given in Table 2. It can be seen that the addition of
SRA improves consistency of cement mortars and
flow diameter ranged from 243 to 256.5 mm.
Bulk density of fresh mortar which contains SRA
was slightly higher than the density of the reference
mortar.
Measured values of shrinkage (), respectively
swelling, weight loss (Um) and compressive strength
(fc) of hardened cement mortars are given in Table 3.
Volume changes of the test samples containing
SRA and reference mortar were the largest in the early
days of drying. Over time, curing shrinkage gradually
decreased and after 28 days was changing only
minimally. The total value of shrinkage of reference
mortar was slightly above 0.6 .
As can be seen an applications of the SRA had
significant effect on volume changes of mortars. Fig. 1
and Fig. 2 show that with higher dose of
shrinkage-reducing admixtures the overall shrinkage
decreased which is confirmed by the results of other
authors. At the higher dose of SRA (2%, 3%, 4% by
weight of cement), the length of the samples in the
first 3 days were practically stable, respectively in one
Table 2

Consistency and bulk density of fresh mortars.

Dose of SRA
Consistency
Water
Bulk density
admixture
(flow diameter)
cement ratio
(kg/m3)
(%)
(mm)
0
1
2
3
4

0.55

244
243
256.5
253.5
252.5

2070
2050
2070
2100
2110

Effect of Shrinkage Reducing Admixtures (SRA) on Selected Properties of Cement Mortars

Table 3

Shrinkage, weight loss and compressive strength of reference sample and samples with different doses of SRA.

Dose of SRA Water/

admixture
cement
(%)
ratio
0
1
2
3
4

281

0.55

1
-

2
-0.001
3.466
0.004
4.780
0.013
3.543
-0.041
4.076
-0.004
3.847

3
0.052
5.988
0.069
6.754
0.018
5.634
-0.006
6.044
0.023
5.772

Shrinkage ()
Weight loss Um (%)
Age (days)
4
7
14
0.107
0.360
0.526
6.696
8.030
8.624
0.125
0.339
0.441
7.413
8.327
8.767
0.124
0.243
0.418
6.647
7.603
8.228
0.062
0.193
0.375
7.006
7.930
8.477
0.069
0.157
0.305
6.860
7.906
8.561

case (3%) experienced modest expansion. At 56 days,

the shrinkage of the SRA 4% was almost 35% less
Fig. 3 shows weight loss. As can be seen, there are
no significant differences between the reference
cement mixture and the SRA containing cement
mixtures. This means that the addition of SRAs
probably does not affect the drying process.
Fig. 4 shows the compressive strength of the five
mixtures. It can be seen that the addition of SRAs
reduces the compressive strength. This is probably due
to interaction between hydration, cement grains, and
the SRA. The highest reduction of compressive
strength (20%) was obtained at 28 days for the mixture
with the highest dose of SRA-4%. The opinions of

Fig. 1 Development of free shrinkage of reference sample

and the samples with 1%, 2%, 3% and 4% doses of SRA.

28
0.586
8.762
0.489
8.860
0.472
8.402
0.424
8.595
0.347
8.717

56
0.620
8.739
0.518
8.832
0.471
8.351
0.425
8.549
0.377
8.662

90
0.619
8.589
0.494
8.741
0.490
8.322
0.455
8.509
0.404
8.653

Compressive strength fc
(MPa)
Age (days)
2
28
90
10.80

33.12

36.49

8.56

25.40

32.21

8.51

29.96

31.26

7.07

24.93

30.77

6.51

23.98

30.03

Fig. 2 Development of free shrinkage of reference sample

(REF) and the samples with 1%, 2%, 3% and 4% doses of
SRA, detail of the first 7 days of hydration.

Fig. 3 Development of weight loss of reference sample

(REF) and the samples with 1%, 2%, 3% and 4% doses of
SRA.

282

Effect of Shrinkage Reducing Admixtures (SRA) on Selected Properties of Cement Mortars

shrinkage was increased with increasing dose of SRA,

without deterioration of workability;
the most significant effect of SRA was achieved at
4% dose.
These results give a good basis for use of the
admixture to solve the problems of excessive
shrinkage of concrete structures. Complementary tests
are being done to understand better the effect of this
chemical admixture on concrete pore structure and
other properties of self-compacting cement mortars.

References
Fig. 4 Development of compressive strength of reference
sample (REF) and the samples with 1%, 2%, 3% and 4%
doses of SRA.

other authors influence the strength characteristics of

cement composites by shrinkage-reducing admixture
differently. The literature reports cases in which the
measurements showed a reduction in the compressive
strength (about 10-25%) by using SRA, but also
increase. Significant impact on the results has the
treatment conditions of composite [1, 4, 6, 7].

[1]

[2]
[3]

[4]

[5]

4. Conclusion
Based on the results obtained, the following
conclusions may be drawn:
the results showed that the addition of usual
dosages of SRAs does not change the rate of mortar
drying;
the compressive strength reduction due to addition
of SRAs is higher with higher dose;
the addition of SRAs have a positive effect on
tested self-compacting cement mortars. Reducing of

[6]

[7]

A.B. Ribeiro, A. Carrajola, A. Goncalves, Effectiveness

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