Admixtures

Accelerators

Functions
i.

ii.

More
rapid
gain of
strength.
More
rapid
setting.

Typical
compounds
Calcium chloride,
sodium nitrite.
Sodium sulphate,
Sodium aluminate,
sodium silicate,
sodium carbonate,
potassium
hydroxide.

Retarders

Delay setting

Hydroxycarboxylic
acids, sugars.

Accelerator
water-reducing

Increase
workability with
faster gain of
strength.
Increase
workability and
delay setting.

Mixtures of
calcium chloride
and
lignosulphonate
Mixtures of sugars
or
hydroxycarboxylic
acids and
lignosulphonate
Calcium and
sodium
lignosulphonate

Retarding waterreducing

Plasticizers
(water-reducers)

Increase
workability

Superplasticizers
( water-reducers)

Greatly increase
workability

Air entraining
admixture

Entrainments of
air into concrete

Sulphonated
melamine
formaldehyde resin
sulphonated
naphthaleneformaldehyde resin
Wood resins, fats,
lignosulphonates

Applications
~ Normal rate of
strength
development at low
temperature.
~ Shorter stripping
times
~ plugging of
pressure leaks.

Disadvantages
i.

ii.

Possible
cracking due
to heat
evolution.
Possibility of
corrosion of
embedded
reinforcement.

Sprayed concrete.
~ maintain
May promote
workability at high
bleeding.
temperatures.
~ Reduce rate of heat
evolution.
~ Extend placing
times.
Water reducers with Risk of corrosion.
faster strength
development.
Water reducers with
slower the loss of
workability.

~ Higher workability
i.
Retardation at
with strength
high dosages.
ii.
Tendency to
unchanged
segregate.
~ Higher strength
iii.
Premature
with workability
stiffing under
unchanged
certain
~ Less cement for
conditions.
same strength and
workability.
~ Water-reducers,
i.
Tendency to
but over a wider
segregate
ii.
May increase
range.
rate of loss of
~ Facilitate
workability.
production of
flowing concrete.
Increase durability to Careful control of air
frost without
content and mixing
increasing cement
time necessary
content

Table 2.0 : Common Types of Concrete Admixtures.