Admixtures for concrete
Concrete Construction (CENG 6105)
MSc. Program in Construction Technology and Management
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Presented by: Biruktawit Taye
March 2024
Outline 1
1. What are admixtures?
2. Types and specific use of admixtures
1. Air-entraining admixtures
2. Water reducers
3. Plasticizers (HRWR)
4. Retarding admixtures
5. Accelerating admixtures
6. Hydration control admixtures
7. Corrosion inhibitors
8. Shrinkage reducers
9. ASR inhibitors
10. Coloring admixtures
…… PCA (2003)
1. What are admixtures? 2
• Admixtures are those ingredients in concrete other than portland cement,
water, and aggregates that are added to the mixture immediately before or
during mixing.
• The major reasons for using admixtures are:
1. To reduce the cost of construction
2. To achieve certain properties in concrete more effectively
3. To maintain the quality of concrete during mixing, transporting, placing
and curing in adverse weather conditions
4. To overcome certain emergencies during concreting operations
• They are not substitutes for good concreting practice!
2.1 Air-entraining admixtures 3
• Are used to purposely introduce and stabilize microscopic air bubbles in
concrete.
• Air-entrained concrete contains minute air bubbles distributed uniformly
throughout the cement paste
• Entrained air an be introduced by air-entraining cement, additives or both
✓ Improve the durability of concrete exposed to cycles of freezing & thawing
✓ Improve the concrete’s resistance to scaling cause by chemical deicers
✓ Improve the workability of fresh concrete
✓ Segregation and bleeding are reduced
ASTM C260
✓ Improve resistance against sulphate attack and ASR
AASHTO M 154
2.1 Air-entraining admixtures 4
a)
b) Scaling caused by frost damage
Frost damage a) crumbling near
joints b) cracking near joints
Entrained air bubbles
PCA (2003)
2.2.1 Water reducing admixtures 5
• Are used to reduce the quantity of mixing water required to make concrete
of a certain slump.
• Typically reduce the water content by approximately 5-10%
• Adding water reducer without reducing the water results in higher slump
• They rate of slump loss, however, is not reduced rather is mostly increased.
✓ Reduce mixing water required for a certain slump
✓ Reduce w/c , increase strength
✓ Reduce cement content
✓ Increase slump ASTM C494
AASHTO M 194
2.2.1 Water reducing admixtures 6
The rate of slump loss at 230C for concrete
(Whiting & Dziedzic, 1992)
2.2.1 Water reducing admixtures -types 7
• Type A: water reducing (5% min.) and tend to retard set
ASTM C494
• Type D: Water reducing with set retardation
AASHTO M 194
• Type E: Water reducing with accelerated setting
American concrete pipe association
2.2.2 Mid-range water reducing admixtures 8
• Significantly reduce the quantity of mixing water without the retardation
associated with conventional(normal) water reducers
• Typically reduce the water content by approximately 6 - 12 %
• For concretes with slump of 125 – 200 mm
✓ Improve finishability, pumpability and placeability
✓ Some may entrain air and be used in low slump concrete
2.2.3 High-range water reducing admixtures 9
• Greatly reduce water demand and cement content and low w/c, high
strength concrete or normal concrete with enhanced workability
• Water reduction 12 - 30 %
✓ Reduced water content and reduced w/c
✓ Ultimate compressive strength up to 70 MPa
ASTM C494
✓ Increased early strength gain AASHTO M 194
✓ Reduced chloride-ion penetration
✓ Other beneficial properties associated with low w/c
• Type F: water reducing
• Type G: Water reducing with set retardation
2.2.3 High-range water reducing admixtures 10
PCA (2003)
2.2 Water reducing admixtures - retardation 11
2.2.3 High-range water reducers- Slump loss 12
The rate of slump loss at 230C for concrete
(Whiting & Dziedzic, 1992)
2.3 Superplasticizers 13
• When the same chemicals used as high-range water reducers are used to
make flowing concrete, they are called superplasticizers
American concrete pipe association
• Added to concrete with a low-normal slump to make high slump flowing
concrete
• Slump > 190 mm
ASTM C 1017
2.3 Superplasticizers 14
PCA (2003)
2.3 Superplasticizers –slump loss 15
The rate of slump loss at 230C for flowing concrete
(Whiting & Dziedzic, 1992)
2.3 Superplasticizers: Retardation of set 16
Initial set
Final set
(Whiting & Dziedzic, 1992)
2.3 Superplasticizers - bleeding 17
Bleeding of flowing concrete with plasticizers
(Whiting & Dziedzic, 1992)
2.3 Superplasticizers: Strength development 18
Strength development of flowing concrete is comparable
to normal concrete
(Whiting & Dziedzic, 1992)
2.4 Retarding admixtures 19
• Are used to delay the rate of setting of concrete
• The bleeding rate and bleeding capacity is increased.
• Could be used for reducing slump loss and extend workability in hot weather
ASTM C494
AASHTO M 194
2.4 Retarding admixtures 20
✓ Offset the accelerating effect of hot weather
✓ Delay the initial set of concrete for difficult conditions.
✓ Delay the set for special finishing processes
Slump loss for various temperatures
2.4 Retarding admixtures 21
✓ Are used to delay the rate of setting of concrete
✓ The bleeding rate and bleeding capacity is increased.
✓ Could be used for reducing slump loss and extend workability in hot weather
2.5 Accelerating admixtures 22
• Are used to accelerate the rate of hydration (setting) and strength
development at an early age of concrete
✓ Type C admixtures
✓ Calcium Chloride has been the most commonly used admixture
▪ Rapid stiffening in overdose
▪ Corrosion of reinforcement
▪ Loss of strength at later ages
ASTM C494
AASHTO M 194
2.5 Accelerating admixtures 23
Maximum chloride ion content for corrosion protection of reinforcement
ACI 318
2.5 Accelerating admixtures 24
Early strength development alternatives
1. Using type III cement
2. Lowering the w/c
3. Using a water reducer
4. Curing at higher temperature
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2.6 Hydration control admixtures 25
• Two part chemical system for suspending hydration for up to 72 hours
1) A stabilizer or retarder essentially stops the hydration of cementing materials
2) Activator that reestablishes normal hydration & setting
• Useful for reusing concrete returned in a ready mix truck
• Useful for maintaining concrete in non-hardened state during long hauls
• Presently does not have a standard specification
2.7 Corrosion inhibitors 26
• Used in concrete where chloride salts are present (marine structures,
parking , bridges), can be Anodic or Cathodic inhibitors
• They block the corrosion reaction of the chloride ions by chemically
reinforcing and stabilizing the passive protective film on the steel
Nitrite ions will
protect ferrous oxide
defects from
Chloride attack by
surrounding them
GCP applied technologies (2022)
2.8 Shrinkage reducers 27
• Used in bridge decks, critical floor slabs and buildings where cracks and
curling must be minimized for durability and/or aesthetic reasons
• Drying shrinkage reductions of between 25-50% demonstrated in lab tests
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2.9 ASR inhibitors 28
• Compounds of Lithium and Barium salts have shown reduction of ASR
Stark (1992)
2.10 Coloring admixtures (pigments) 29
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2.11 Miscellaneous 30
• Grouting admixtures
• Gas forming admixtures
• Pumping aids
• Dumpproofing admixtures
• Bonding admixtures (bonding agents)
• Permeability reducing admixtures
• Anti washout admixtures
• Fungicidal, Germicidal & Insecticidal admixtures
Reading assignment 31
1. How do admixtures work? What is the mechanism behind their effect?
2. Local production of admixtures
3. Bio admixtures
4. Study the short-term and long-term, if any, effect of retarders &
accelerators on strength of concrete
