Different types of Admixtures in concrete

1. Concrete Admixtures: Set-Retarding

Set retarding concrete admixtures are used to delay the chemical reaction that takes place when the
concrete starts the setting process. These types of concrete admixtures are commonly used to reduce
the effect of high temperatures that could produce a faster initial setting of concrete.
2. Concrete Admixtures: Air-Entrainment
Air entrained concrete can increase the freeze-thaw durability of concrete. This type of admixture
produces a more workable concrete than non-entrained concrete while reducing bleeding and
segregation of fresh concrete.
3. Concrete Admixtures: Water-Reducing
Water-reducing admixtures are chemical products that when added to concrete can create a
desired slump at a lower water cement ration than what is normally designed. Water-reducing
admixtures are used to obtain specific concrete strength using lower cement content.
4. Concrete Admixtures: Accelerating
Accelerating concrete admixtures are used to increase the rate of concrete strength development, or
to reduce concrete setting time.
5. Concrete Admixtures: Shrinkage Reducing
Shrinkage reducing concrete admixtures are added to concrete during initial mixing. This type of
admixture could reduce early and long term drying shrinkage.
6. Concrete Admixtures: Super plasticizers
The main purpose of using super plasticizers is to produce flowing concrete with very high slump in
the range of 7-9 inches to be used in heavily reinforced structures and in placements where adequate
consolidation by vibration cannot be readily achieved.
7. Concrete Admixtures: Corrosion-Inhibiting
Corrosion-inhibiting admixtures fall into the specialty admixture category and are used to slow
corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete. Corrosion inhibitors can significantly reduce maintenance
costs of reinforced concrete structures throughout a typical service life of 30 40 years.

Define:
Workability
A concrete which can be readily compacted is said to be workable, but to say merely that workability determines the
ease of placement and the resistance to segregation is too loose a description of this vital property of concrete.
slump cone

The slump cone is a right circular cone that is 12 inches high. The base of the cone is 8 inches in diameter and the
top of the cone is 4 inches in diameter. The cone is filled with fresh concrete in three layers of equal volume.
Consistency
the way in which a substance, typically a liquid, holds together; thickness or viscosity.

Procedure of workability by means of slump cone

Procedure:

First of all we have to prepare a mixture of concrete having ratio of: 1:2:4. That is one part
of cement,two parts sand, and four parts of crush.

Determine the volume of the cone in cubic feet. It is determined by taking the mean
diameter of thecone and with it finding the area of the cross section of cone. Then multiplying it
with the height of thecone which is 1 foot, will give the volume of the cone.

This is the volume of concrete which have to be prepared so that the cone is fully
compacted.

Than determine the total weight of the concrete, as the specific weight of concrete is 150
lb/ft3.

Then determine the weight of cement by multiplying the weight of concrete by 1/7,
as cement is one part out of total 7 parts.

Then determine the weight of sand by multiplying the weight of concrete by 2/7,
as sand is two parts out of total 7 parts.

Then determine the weight of crush by multiplying the weight of concrete by 4/7,
as crush is four parts out of total 7 parts.

After calculation of dry ingredients, calculate the amount of water as is given in the ASTM
Standard water-cement ratio. For 1:2:4 mixture the water-cement ratio is 0.6, so for weight of
water to be added, multiply this ratio with weight of cement.

After calculation of weights make a homogeneous mixture of dry ingredients, and then
add water carefully to make a paste.

Then take the slump-test apparatus and clean it from inside also apply oil to it and to the
bottomsurface. Then place it on the smooth metallic surface, and fix it firmly.

Then put one third of the concrete in the cone and press it with the help of a 5/8 inch, roundended, tampering rod. It should be tampered 25 times.

Then add the second one-third potion of concrete, and also tamper it 25 times with the help
oftampering rod.

At last add the remaining one-third portion, and also tamper it 25 times.

For the upper surface to be smooth work it with float, so that during measurement of slump it
is easy to take correct readings.

Immediately after filling the cone is slowly lifted, and the unsupported concrete will
now slump-hencethe name of the test. The decrease in the height of the centre of
the slumped concrete is called slump.
The slump test gives the following three results:

True Slump the only slump that can be measured in the test. The measurement is taken between the top
of the cone and the top of the concrete after the cones removal

Zero Slump Very dry mixes aim to have zero slump, and are used in road making.

Collapsed Slump This is an indication that the mix is too wet or that it is a high workability mix, for which
a clump test is not appropriate

Shear Slump This result is incomplete, and should be retested

Standard Values of Slump:

Description

Concrete for road construction

Slump in inches

to 1.5

Slabs

1 to 2

Normal RCC sections, e.g. slabs, beams, columns, walls etc.

2 to 6

Thin RCC structures

4 to 7

Vibrated concrete

to 1

Mass concrete

1 to 3

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