CE-106 Civil Engineering Materials and Concrete Technology
Admixtures
In concrete, a substance other than active and inert matter, added in small quantities to the mix
to alter its properties are called as admixtures. Admixtures are additions to the mix before or
during mixing, and used to achieve certain goals.
Why to use admixtures?
Admixtures are used to give special properties to fresh and hardened concrete. These are used
to overcome situation like cool / hot weather, early strength requirements and decreased
hydration process requirements etc.
Here are the main admixture and what they aim to achieve.
i. Air entraining iv. Plasticizer
ii. Water reducer v. Accelerator
iii. Retarder
CE-106 Civil Engineering Materials and Concrete Technology
Air entraining admixtures
These are liquid chemical added to concrete during batching to produce microscopic air
bubbles, called as entrained air. These air bubbles improve concrete resistant to damages
caused by freeze and thaw action. Actually the water inside the concrete expands while
freezing and this expansions are covered by open gaps of these air bubbles and minimize
damages / cracks. For example Vinsol resin and Dadex
Role of air entraining admixtures;
i. Improves concrete workability
ii. Improve durability
iii. Minimize damages and cracks
ASTM C 260 is used for Air entraining admixtures incorporation in concrete mix
CE-106 Civil Engineering Materials and Concrete Technology
Water reducing admixture
Water reducing admixtures, reduces the amount of water needed in the concrete mix for the
given slump requirements. The water cement ratio will be lower while using water reducers
and strength will be comparatively. Low range water reducers reduce the water needed in the
mix by 5%-10%.
High Water reducing admixture
A special class of water reducer, also known as Super Plasticizer and can reduce the mix water
needed by 12% to 30% but are very expensive and rarely used in residential work. This type of
admixtures are used for high strength and good performance requiring less amount of water
for a given slump. Naphthalene, Poly carboxylate are well known super Plasticizer.
CE-106 Civil Engineering Materials and Concrete Technology
Retarder admixture
The word retard mean “To slow down or to stop”. These are used to delay the initial setting
time by an hour or more. The purpose of this is to have enough time for mixing, transporting,
placing and finishing concrete well before initial setting time. They are often used during hot
weather to control early setting affected by surrounding temperature.
Accelerator admixture
These admixture are used during cold weather. These admixture speed up the hydration of
cement so as to reduce the initial setting time and achieve sufficient hardness in concrete.
During cold condition the surrounding temperature is very low and if accelerators are not used
then concrete will remain in plastic state for more duration than usual and probability of
concrete deterioration increased due to delayed early setting and hardness.
CE-106 Civil Engineering Materials and Concrete Technology
What are Pozzolanic or mineral admixtures
Pozzolans are a broad class of siliceous or siliceous and aluminous materials which, in
themselves, possess little or no cementitious properties but which will, in finely divided form
and in the presence of water, react chemically with calcium hydroxide at ordinary temperature
to form compounds possessing cementitious properties. Pozzolanic activity is an index for
quantification of the capacity of a pozzolan to react with calcium hydroxide and
water. Pozzolana are naturally occurring pozzolans of volcanic origin. These are also known
as supplementary cementitious materials. These are used when special performance is needed:
Increase in strength, reduction in water demand, impermeability, low heat of hydration,
improved durability. There are many waste products that can be used as pozzolanic or mineral
admixtures.
Examples: iii. Fly ash
i. Metakaolin iv. Slag
ii. Silica fume v. VCAS (vitrified calcium alumino-silicate)
CE-106 Civil Engineering Materials and Concrete Technology
Fly Ash:
Pulverized coal is combusted in thermal power plants for electricity generation. A by-product
of this combustion reaction is fly ash and are accumulated. Fly ash is a very fine particle like
residue, which has pozzolanic properties. Hence it is often blended with cement.
Fly ash consists of silica (SiO2), alumina (Al2O3) and calcium oxide (CaO) as its major
components.
Fly ash can be of two types – C type and F type. C type fly ash is rich in calcium and
possesses both cementitious and pozzolanic properties whereas F type fly ash is low in
calcium content and possesses only pozzolanic properties.
CE-106 Civil Engineering Materials and Concrete Technology
Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS)
Blast furnace slag is a by-product of iron extraction process from iron ore. Amongst all
mineral admixtures, blast furnace slag has the highest specific gravity (2.8 to 3.0). Typically,
the slag fineness is slightly more than that of the cement.
It is a highly reactive and is usually quenched to form a hardened matter which is then ground
into particles of fineness almost same as that of cement. Hence the name, ground granulated
blast furnace slag.
GGBFS possesses both cementitious and pozzolanic properties.
CE-106 Civil Engineering Materials and Concrete Technology
Silica fume
Silica fume is basically very fine particles of amorphous (Irregular structure) silica. It is
produced as a by-product in electric arc furnaces in the production of elemental silica
(crystalline) or other silicon based compounds.
Silica fume is highly pozzolanic in nature.
Being of very fine nature, silica fume increases the water demand of concrete and hence a
superplasticizer is almost always used with it.
Silica fume makes the concrete mix stickier and more cohesive. Usually slump loss problems
arise due to addition of silica fume to the concrete.
CE-106 Civil Engineering Materials and Concrete Technology
Rice Husk Ash
During milling of the rice crop, a lot of rice husk is produced. This rice husk is mostly used as
a fuel. Rice husk ash is produced by burning the rice husk. It is about a quarter of the mass of
the husk. The rice husk ash is a big threat to the environment where it is dumped.
Rice husk ash contains a high amount of silica. Rice husk ash provides strength to the
concrete. It also reduces permeability because it is much smaller in size compared to cement
particles. It reduces the heat of hydration of concrete. Rice husk ash also improves the
concrete’s resistance to chloride and sulphate attacks.
CE-106 Civil Engineering Materials and Concrete Technology
Metakaolin
Ordinary clay and kaolin clay (potter’s earth) when thermally activated, is called metakaolin,
in the non-purified form. The particle size of metakaolin is smaller than cement particles.
Metakaolin is not an industrial by-product like the other admixtures.
Metakaolin provides strength to the concrete. It reduces permeability of the concrete. It helps
the concrete resist chemical attacks. It makes the concrete more durable. It helps in early
strength development in concrete. Bleeding of concrete is considerably reduced upon
metakaolin addition.
