 Some waters that are not fit for drinking may be suitable

Module No. 4
for concrete making provided that they satisfy the
acceptance criteria laid by ASTM C 94
Table: Permissible limits for impurities in mixing water
Impurity ASTM C 94 (ppm) IS 456 (mg/l)
By Organic - 200
In organic - 3000
Dr. Fareed Ahmed Memon Sulphates (such as SO3) 3000 400
2000 (for plain concrete works)
Chlorides (such as Cl) 1000
500 (for RCC)
Alkalies (such as Na2O+0.658
600 -
K2O)
Total solids 50,000 2000

• Water is one of the most important and least expensive  Excessive impurities in mixing water affect:
ingredients of concrete and plays a significant role in the  Setting time and
cement-based concrete mix.  concrete strength
• It is needed for:
 It also causes:
✓ the hydration of cement
✓ and provides workability during mixing  efflorescence (deposits of white salts on surface of concrete)
 staining
 Only about 1/3 of water is utilized in the hydration of cement  corrosion of reinforcement
 The remaining water serves as lubricant b/w the fine and coarse  volume changes and
aggregates and makes the concrete workable  reduced durability

Prepared By: Prof. Dr. Fareed Ahmed Memon Prepared By: Prof. Dr. Fareed Ahmed Memon

S.No. Impurity Effect

1. Alkali carbonates and Acceleration or retardation of setting time,
 Water used in the concrete mix: bicarbonates Reduction in strength
 should be clean and free from undesirable impurities 2. Chlorides Corrosion of steel in concrete
3. Sulfates Expansive reactions and deterioration of
 should not contain any substance (such as oils, acids, alkalis,
concrete,
salts, sugars or organic materials) that could adversely affect Mild effect on corrosion of steel in concrete
the performance of concrete 4. Iron salts Reduction in strength
5. Miscellaneous inorganic salts Reduction in strength and large variations in
 Generally, water that is fit for
(zinc, copper, lead etc) setting time
drinking and has no pronounced 6. Organic substances Reduction in strength and large variations in
taste or odor is considered setting time
satisfactory for use in mixing 7. Sugar Severely retards the setting of cement
concrete 8. Silt or suspended particles Reduction in strength
9. Oils Reduction in strength
Prepared By: Prof. Dr. Fareed Ahmed Memon
 Use of Questionable water as Mixing water Use of Questionable water as Mixing water

➢ Sea Water ➢ Industrial waste Water

 Seawater containing up to 35,000 ppm of dissolved salts
is generally suitable as mixing water for plain concrete
 Seawater is not suitable for use in making steel
reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete due to high
risk of steel corrosion
Prepared By: Prof. Dr. Fareed Ahmed Memon
 Industrial wastewaters may be used as mixing water in
concrete as long as they only cause a very small
reduction in compressive strength, generally not greater
than 10 to 15 %.
 Wastewaters from paint factories, coke and chemical
plants may contain harmful impurities. Thus such
wastewaters should not be used as mixing water without
testing.
Prepared By: Prof. Dr. Fareed Ahmed Memon

Use of Questionable water as Mixing water

➢ Acid Water

 Acid water may be accepted as mixing water on the basis

of their pH values.

 Use of acid water with pH values less than 3.0 should be

avoided.

 Organic acids, such as tannic acid can have significant

effect on strength at higher concentrations.

Prepared By: Prof. Dr. Fareed Ahmed Memon

Use of Questionable water as Mixing water

➢ Alkaline Water

 Waters with sodium hydroxide concentrations up to 0.5

% and potassium hydroxide concentrations up to 1.2 %
by weight of cement has no significant effect on
strength.

 The possibility for increased alkali-aggregate reactivity

should be considered before using the alkaline water as
mixing water.
Prepared By: Prof. Dr. Fareed Ahmed Memon