ADMIXTURES

DEFINITION:

Admixture are materials other than
water, aggregates and cement, used as
an ingredient of concrete or mortar and
added to the batch immediately before
or during its mixing to obtain the
desired physical properties.
ADMIXTURES
Chemical
Admixture
Mineral
Admixture
TYPES OF CHEMICAL ADMIXTURES:

Water reducing admixtures(Plasticizers and
super plasticizers)

Set retarders.

Air entraining agents.

Accelerating admixtures.

Miscellaneous admixtures.

TYPES OF MINERAL ADMITURE

GGBFS

FLYASH

SILICA FUME

USES OF ADMIXTURES:

Increase workability without increasing water
cement ratio.
Retard or accelerate initial setting time.
Improve pumpability.
Increase durability.
Reduce permeability.
Increase compressive strength.
Accelerate the rate of strength development
Improve other properties.
AREAS OF UTILISATION:

Plasticizers and super plasticizers are widely
used in India.

Retarders are used in RMC

Air entraining agents are used in areas
subject to freezing and thawing

Accelerators are used in precasting plants in
cold climates
WATER REDUCING ADMIXTURES:

These are known as Plasticizers. (Maintain workability
without increasing the water content)

Improvements that can be achieved using Plasticizers

Increase workability without increasing water
content to facilitate placing and compaction.

Increase strength and durability without
affecting workability by reducing the water
cement ratio.

Achieve economy by reducing consumption of
cement without any detrimental effects on
workability, strength or durability.
WATER REDUCING ADMIXTURES:

Superplasticizers perform same function as plasticizers
but do it better.

USES

Superplastizers can produce flowing concrete,
which is pumpable or can be used in congested
girders or in casting of a pile.

Heavy water reduction UPTO 30% is possible
without any loss of workability; thus very strong
and durable concrete can be produced.
WATER REDUCING ADMIXTURES:

MECHANISM :

These reduce the interparticle force that exists between
cement grains of fresh paste, thereby increasing fluidity.

Flocculation of cement particles is avoided so that water,
which otherwise gets trapped in the flocs, is available to
impart fluidity.

This is achieved by giving similar charge to cement
particles which then repel each other and prevent floc
formation.


WATER REDUCING ADMIXTURES:

COMPOSITION:

The commonly used Plasticizers are:

Lignosulphonic based.

Hudroxy-lated carboxylic based.

Sulphonated Melamine based.

Sulphonated Nepthalene based.
WATER REDUCING ADMIXTURES:

APPLICATIONS:

In prestressed concrete box girders and I girders
which usually require high slump as well as high
strength.

In reinforced concrete piles where flowing concrete
is required.

In reinforced concrete walls, piers, abutments etc.

For making flowing concrete when it is required to
be pumped.

When concrete is laid in large pours to reduce
handling requirements.
RETARDING ADMIXTURES:

Second most commonly used admixture after
plasticizers.

They are used where setting time and/or strength
development of concrete has to be delayed.

Retarders delay the hydration process without any
eventual effect.

Due to water requirement, ultimately improve the
compressive strength of concrete too.

Set retarders are used to offset the accelerating effect
of hot weather in the process of setting of concrete.


RETARDING ADMIXTURES:

They are used for pumping the grout of concrete over
long distances.

The delay in hardening caused by retarder may be
utilized to give an architectural finish to exposed
aggregate.

The most important use of this admixture however, is
when it is used to device a concreting sequence
which ensures that each successive concrete pour
bonds with the previous one.

Initial setting time can be delayed by 3 hours and in
some cased upto 6 hours by using set retarders.
RETARDING ADMIXTURES :

COMPOSITION:

The commonly used Retarders are:

Lignosulphonic based.

Hudroxy-lated carboxylic based.

Carbohydrates and polyols.

Heptonates.
AIR ENTRAINING ADMIXTURES:

These are used in areas where concrete is subjected
to freezing and thawing.

When concrete, saturated with water, is subjected to
freezing, it gets considerably damaged due to
expansion of water upon freezing

To, prevent damage, air entrainment is done in such
situations.

Stable air bubbles are formed with diameters smaller
than 1mm in concrete during its mixing.



AIR ENTRAINING ADMIXTURES:
The function of The bubbles are:

To break the capillary structure within concrete,
making it difficult for water or salt solution to
permeate concrete to any depth.

To act as rollers with reduce interparticle friction of
concrete and thus provide plasticizing effect.

To simulate the effect of introducing a percentage of
fine sand.

To provide space for water which enters the surface
concrete to expand in the tiny voids thus avoiding
overstressing of concrete matrix.
ACCELERATING ADMIXTURES:

These are admixtures used to accelerate development of
strength of concrete at an early age or reduce the setting
time.

In India, however, ambient temperatures are very high,
and use of such admixtures will increase heat of
hydration which may result in extensive cracking.

Practical use of such admixtures is therefore, limited.



FACTORS AFFECTING PERFOMANCE OF
ADMIXTURES:
Type of Super Plasticizer:


Dosages:

The quantity of admixture should be optimum .
Excess of admixture may cause segregation or
bleeding.
It may also cause excessive retardation.
The optimum dose should be estimate by trials.

FACTORS AFFECTING PERFOMANCE OF
ADMIXTURES:
Compatibility with cement:
All admixtures may not produce same results with
different cements.

Therefore before using any admixture, its
compatibility with cement has to be established.

Properties of cement like fineness, chemical
composition C3A content etc affect performance of
admixture.

Therefore, trials have to be made before finalising an
optimum dose of admixture.
FACTORS AFFECTING PERFOMANCE OF
ADMIXTURES:
MIX DESIGN:

Water: More water in the mix improves the physical
interaction and dispersion of admixtures.
Coarse Aggregate: Proportion and grading of CA
influence the performance of admixture.
Fine Aggregate: Proportion, grading and silt content
also influence the performance.
Cement its fineness, C3A content influence the
performance. Higher C3A reduces efficiency of
admixture.
Other Admixtures: Presence of other admixtures also
influence the perfomance of super-plasticizers.
FACTORS AFFECTING PERFOMANCE OF
ADMIXTURES:
Other factors:

Certain other factors like temperature and humidity
at the time of concreting also affect the perfomance
of the super plasticizers.

High temperature and less humidity lower the
efficiency of admixture.

Drum mixers are not considered ideal for mixing
admixtures, instead we should use pan or
compulsive shaft mixers.
RECOMMENDED METHODS FOR BETTER
PERFOMANCE
All aggregates, cement and approximately 2 litre less water
should be fed into the mixer and mixed properly for 2
minutes.

Admixture is mixed in balance 2 litre of water and added in
the mixer continue mixing for one more minute.

When transit mixer is used for transportation of RMC, add
plasticizer only few minutes before loading into the transit
mixer.

Add plasticizer in smaller dosages at regular interval, it will
improves its effectiveness.

Initial overdose of plasticizer is required for initial high
workability and additional dosage just before placement.

MIX CEMENT
Kg/m
3

W/c Slump
(mm)
Strength (N/mm
2)

7 days 28 days
Mix with
cement only
440 0.37 25 39 54
Cement + 0.4%
Admixture
440 0.37 100 41.1 51.1
A EFFECT ON WORKABILITY (keeping W/C same)
MIX CEMENT
Kg/m
3

W/c Slump
(mm)
Strength (N/mm
2)

7 days 28 days
Mix with
cement only
315 0.60 95 21.8 29.1
Cement + 0.4%
Admixture
315 0.53 95 28.5 37.5
B EFFECT OF STRENGTH (keeping workability same)
Note : The percentage of admixture is by weight of cement
120 160 200 240 140 180 220
300
400
500
600
250 300 350 400
For increasing
strength
Without
Super - Plasticizer
With super - Plasticizer
Water content - kg/m
3
MINERAL ADMIXTURE