APPLICATION OF

ADDITIVES IN
CONCRETE
Presented by
Sagar B. Ahire

Guided by
Dr. R.S.Talikoti

Contents

What Are They?

Admixtures
Chemical Admixtures
Why are they used?
How Applied?
5 Typical Functions of Admixtures

Mineral Admixtures

Conclusion

What Are They?

Ingredients

other than:

Cement
Water
Aggregates

Added

before or during mixing.

Admixture
Admixtures

are ingredients other

than water, aggregates & cement
that are added to the concrete batch
immediately before or during mixing,
in nominal quantities.

Chemical Admixtures

Why Are They Used?

To

modify properties of fresh &

hardened concrete

To

ensure the quality of concrete during

mixing, transporting, placing & curing

To

overcome certain unexpected

emergencies during concrete operations
(ie, set retarders)

How Applied?
Most

admixtures are supplied in a

ready-to-use form and added at plant
or jobsite.

Pigments

and pumping aids are

batched by hand in VERY small
amounts

5 Typical Functions of
Admixtures:
Air

entraining
Water-reducing
Retarders
Set Accelerators
Plasticizers (superplasticizers)
Some

other specialty types exist:

Color, corrosion inhibitors, etc.

Air Entrainment
Developed

in 1930s
Today, recommended for all concretes
exposed to freeze/thaw cycles
Imposes microscopic air cells that
relieve internal pressure of freezing
water
Typical target air values are 5%-8%
Will also increase slump (workability)

Air entrainment

Water Reducers

Internal lubricant
Allows for reduction of water/cement ratio while
maintaining workability (increased strength)
Can reduce water requirement at least 5-10%
Obtain higher slump without adding water
Mid-range water reducers result in at least 8%
Mid-range water reducers provide more consistent
setting times than standard water reducers.

Water Reducer: Pozzolith

Performance:

Improves workability at low w/c ratio

Normal to retarded set times
Helps eliminate cold joints

Dosage:

4-10 oz per cwt of cement

Set Retarders
Slows

curing rate

Used

to counteract hot weather

conditions that cause increased rate
of hardening.
This makes placing and finishing difficult

Set Accelerators

Increase curing rate for achievement of

high early strength

Speeds up start of finishing operations

Used for speeding curing rate in cold

weather concreting

Superplasticizers

Also known as high-range water reducers (HRWR)

Reduce water requirement by 12-30%

Can make low slump concrete flow like high-slump mix

Makes mix highly fluid and can be placed with little or no

vibration or compaction

Effect lasts only 30-60 minutes and is followed by rapid loss

of workability

Usually added at jobsite

Superplastisizers

MINERAL ADMIXTURES
Fly

ash
Silica fume
Ground granulated blast furnace slag

FLY ASH
Non

combustible mineral portion of

coal
Concrete containing fly ash becomes
stronger, more durable and more
resistant to chemical attack

Fly ash

USES OF FLY ASH

Ease

of pumping
Reduced bleeding
Reduced segregation
Improved finishing

SILICA FUME
Also

known as micro silica

By product of the reduction of highpurity quartz with coal in electric
furnaces
It increases the water demand in a
concrete mix
It makes concrete strong and brittle.

Silica fume

GGBFS
It

is a recyclable material
Obtained from melted iron ore in the
form of powder
Remarkable cementation properties.
slow strength gain and decreased
surface quality.
GGBFS concrete has higher late
strength and lower permeability.

GGBFS

Conclusion
Admixtures

are very effective and

very usefull in day to day in modern
construction world.
It also reduces cost and increase
workability of concrete.
It helps to accelerate and retard
functioning of concrete, according to
climatic variation.

THANK YOU