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Effect of Sugar on Setting-Time and Compressive Strength of Concrete

Conference Paper · March 2017

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Mangalore Institute of Technology & Engineering, Moodbidri, INDIA

ISBN: 978-93-5267-355-1
www.mite.ac.in ICGCSC 2017, 17th -18th March, 2017

Effect of Sugar on Setting-Time and Compressive Strength of

Concrete
ARPANA BEERANNA DEVAKATE1, ACHARYA V T2 AND
KEERTHI GOWDA B S3
1&3
VTU-PG Center, Mysuru, Karnataka, India
2
SLN College of Engineering, Raichur, Karnataka, India
Email: arpana060616lde@gmail.com, keerthiresearch@yahoo.com

Abstract: Cement and Concrete are the most important engineering materials in the construction industry.
Atmospheric conditions play crucial roles on the properties of concrete. Hence admixtures are used to maintain
standard conditions. The use of sugar to delay setting of cement at construction site it is cheap and readily
available. The mix adopted for the experimentation was 1:1.22:2.78 with w/c ratio of 0.45. All the specimens
were water cured for 28days. The compressive strength specimens were of dimension 150 x150 x 150 mm. After
28 days the maximum compressive strength for 0.06 % of sugar and w/c ratio is 0.36, 0.45, 0.50 are 48.88
N/mm2, 44.44 N/mm2, 40.14N/mm2 respectively.
Keywords: OPC-Ordinary Portland Cement, Setting-time, Compressive Strength.

1. Introduction
Almost all civil engineering works are site work
based but concreting in hot weather i.e. above
100°F accelerates the early hydration of cement and
produce concrete having high strength at early ages,
but the later strength is reduced considerably.
Further, the rapid evaporation of water causes
plastic shrinkage in concrete and subsequent
cooling would cause tensile stresses and cracking.
Hence in order to maintain the standard condition,
admixtures are used. Retarders are admixture that
extend the hydration induction period, thereby
increasing the setting times.
Sugar is a carbohydrate, a substance composed of
carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. It can be useful
when concrete used in hot weather, when the
normal setting time of concrete is shortened by the
higher surrounding temperature such as Gujarat,
Rajasthan etc. Very small dosage of the order of
0.06 percent of sugar can delay initial setting time
by about 45 minutes 45 seconds. Usually eight
different percentage of sugar admixture was taken
as 0.0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.1, 0.2, 1.0 % by
weight of cement.
2. Objectives

The strength, durability and other characteristics of
concrete depends up on the properties of its
ingredients, on the proportion of mix, placing,
compaction and curing. Concrete block has its
superior properties like binding, strength and
durability, but it cannot be used in all places due to
different weather conditions in different countries.
Variation in weather condition and sessions causes
changes in the initial setting time of concrete.
Retarder and Accelerator are used to increase and
decrease the initial setting time of concrete
specially in winter sessions and summer sessions
respectively. With the help of different type of
admixture used such as Retarder- sugar and
gypsum etc. and Accelerator- calcium chloride
(cacl2) etc.
1. Sugar is used as a retarder for a concrete mix.
2. It is more advisable to use a commercial
admixture with known properties supplied by a
reputable procedure.
3. Mixing plain white sugar in concrete prevents
the cement from joining with the water and
slows the hardening of the minerals.
4. Sugar based solutions are sometimes added to
the mixture when workers need to keep concrete
moist.
5. Sugar helps to delay the setting of cement at
construction site.
6. It is cheap and readily available.
7. Compressive strength of cement paste.

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3. Materals and Methodology Table 1: Data Recorded for Setting Time of Cement

3.1 Materials Sugar

Initial Final
1. Cement: Portland cement is hydraulic cement content as
Setting Setting
that hardens in water to form a water-resistant S.N % of
time (min: time (min :
compound. The hydration products act as binder weight of
sec) sec)
to hold the aggregates together to form concrete. cement
2. Fine Aggregate: The fine aggregate is locally 1 0.0 40:00 390:00
available. And size of finer aggregate is below 2 0.02 47:00 420:00
4.75mm. 3 0.04 55:00 450:00
3. Coarse Aggregate: Coarse 4 0.06 65:45 495:00
aggregate consists of natural occurring stones 5 0.08 42.13 375.00
(crushed, uncrushed or broken). It should be 6 0.1 34.20 230.00
hard, strong, dense, durable, and clean. 7 0.2 09:15 76:30
4. Water: The water used in the manufacture of 8 1.0 02:13 31:20
concrete masonry units shall be free from matter
harmful to concrete or drinking water should be
4. Casting of Cubes
used to provide adequate strength and generally
the water-cement ratio is taken 0.45 in whole
experiments.
5. Admixture: Sugar was used in the concrete
production. A white crystalline solid easily
soluble in water and easily available in market
and used in the experimental works. Sugar was
added in concrete mix with three different
dosages as 0.0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.1, 0.2
and 1.0 % by weight of cement.

3.2 Methodology

53 grade OPC cement sample was taken to perform

the test. Sugar used to perform the experiment was
sucrose crystals (C12H22O11); it was dissolved in
required amount of water. In order to determine the
Consistency and setting time of cement paste vicat Figure 1. Picture Shows the Cube after Hydration
apparatus, conforming to IS: 5513-1976, was used. Process by Adding 0.2% of Sugar
The test was performed conforming to IS. The
standard consistency of a cement paste was
recorded as amount of water added that permits 5
to 7 mm penetration of vicat plunger from the
bottom of the vice mould (IS:4031(Part
4)1988).Similarly setting time was measured as per
IS:4031(Part 5),1988-initial setting time as the
period elapsed between the time of adding water to
the cement to the time when needle fails to pierce
the mould by 5±0.5mm;final setting time as period
elapsed between the time of adding water to the
cement to the time when the annular ring fails to
make the impression on the mould as the final
setting time. The test was conducted at a
temperature of 27±2°c and the relative humidity
within 65±5.
Figure 2. Picture Shows the Cube after Hydration
Process by Adding 1.0% of Sugar

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Sugar when used in correct proportion acts as Beyond 0.06% use of sugar it is found that the
retarder but when it is used in excessive amount it both initial and final setting times drastically
reverse its property i.e. acts as accelerator. So it reduces. Sugar when used in correct proportion
should be used in proper supervision. An amount of acts as retarder.
0.06% by weight of cement is found to delay both Sugar content of 0.06% by weight of cement
the setting time and also shows around 15% can improve compressive strength of concrete
increase in compressive strength at 28 days for 0.45 by 14.64 N/mm2 at 28 days and delay initial
w/c ratio. Sugar above 0.08% by weight of cement setting time by 45 minutes 45 seconds.
accelerated the setting time with nominal gain in x No adverse effect on concrete and cement paste
initial strength. Excessive volume expansion was have been observed at this level of sugar
noted in the sample as cracks were formed in the concentration (0.06%) for the concrete cubes
sample itself. So a careful use of sugar can be studied.
economical in comparison to commercially x The delay in setting of concrete at this level of
available set retarders. sugar content (0.06%) could be useful in
preventing cold joints and in reducing early
5. Experimental test results setting of cement in hot weather concreting.
Table 2: Average Compressive Strength of the x Sugar above 0.08% by weight of cement
Concrete for 0.45 W/C Ratio accelerated the setting time with nominal gain
Sugar content Average in initial strength. Excessive volume expansion
as % of weight Compressive was noted in the sample as cracks were formed
Sl.No
of cement Strength (N/mm2) in the sample itself.
1 0.0 29.77 x So a careful use of sugar can be economical in
2 0.02 33.18 comparison to commercially available set
3 0.04 35.85 retarder.
4 0.06 44.44
7. Reference
Table 3: Average Compressive Strength of the
Concrete for 0.36 W/C Ratio [1] IS 4031-4 (1988): Methods of physical tests for
Sugar content Average hydraulic cement, Part 4: Determination of
as % of Compressive consistency of standard cement paste [CED 2:
Sl.No
weight of Strength Civil Engineering]
cement (N/mm2) [2] IS 4031-5 (1988): Methods of physical tests for
1 0.0 34.07 hydraulic cement, Part 5: Determination of
2 0.02 37.03 initial and final setting times [CED 2: Civil
3 0.04 41.18 Engineering]
4 0.06 48.88 [3] IS 4031-6 (1988): Methods of physical tests for
hydraulic cement, Part 6: Determination of
Table 4: Average Compressive Strength of the compressive strength of hydraulic cement (other
Concrete for 0.50 W/C Ratio than masonry cement) [CED 2: Cement and
Sugar content Concrete]
Average [4] IS 650 (1991): Specification for Standard Sand
as % of
Sl.No Compressive for Testing of Cement [CED 2: Cement and
weight of
Strength (N/mm2) Concrete]
cement
1 0.0 28.59 [5] Lea, F.M.1988.The chemistry of cement and
2 0.02 31.55 concrete. 3rd Ed Edward Amold, London, UK.
[6] IOE.A course manual on concrete technology
3 0.04 32.44
for B.E in civil Engineering program.
4 0.06 40.14
[7] Akogu Elijah Abalaka.Effects of sugar on
physical properties of ordinary Portland cement
6. Conclusion
paste and concrete.
[8] Bazid Khan and Bulent Baradan. The effect of
From the result it is clear that a change in the
sugar on setting-time of various types of
properties of concrete takes place. When sugar is
cements.
mixed with concrete.
[9] A.M Neville and J.J.Brooks. Concrete
x The setting time of concrete increases with
Technology.
increase the percentage of sugar up to 0.06%.

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