7 Common Types of Concrete Admixtures in Saudi Arabia
What Is Admixture?
Admixture is commonly referred to as artificial material or natural substance which is merged into the concrete batch besides aggregate, water and cement to improve concrete quality before and during mingling concrete.
Why Is Admixture Used?
Admixtures are used in the concrete batch to improve the concrete properties and that is why they increase the performance of fresh concrete. They enhance resilience by entertainment of air and decrease the water required. They speed up setting and consolidating and hence to produce improved early strength. Admixtures are used as a remedial measure and water proofing property. In addition, they are used to retard setting and increase hardness. Admixtures are also used to decrease shrinkage during setting and hardening procedure. They ventilate mortar and concrete to produce useful products. They can quickly diminish chemical reaction and bleeding. Admixtures are used to reduce the growth of heat.
Types of Concrete Admixtures
There are many different kinds of concrete admixtures that can be used in concrete batches and mixtures in order to improve its properties. Admixture can be divided into following types:
1.Set Retarding Concrete Admixtures
These types of concrete admixtures are commonly used in a ready-mix concrete factory to reduce the chemical reaction that occurs when the concrete ascends the setting process. The set retarding concrete admixtures are used to mitigate the effects of heat that could ensure the early setting of concrete. The set retarders are employed during the concrete pavement construction and are also used to reduce additional costs to install a new concrete batch plant on the construction site. The set retarding concrete admixture also helps to remove cold joints in concrete. Set retarders can be further used to reduce cracking due to form diversion that can take place when horizontal slabs are fixed in sections. Retarders work as a water reducer and may cause to enter some air in concrete.
2.Air Entrained Concrete Admixtures
The air entrained concrete admixtures are often used to increase concrete efficiency. These types of concrete admixtures are used to produce a more effective concrete than non-entrained concrete. Not only this, they will also reduce bleeding and segregation of fresh concrete. As a result, an improved concrete will mitigate the chances of freeze and thaw cycles. Additionally these kinds of admixtures will provide high resistance to cycles of both drying and wetting. They will ensure high level of workability and durability. At last, air entrained concrete admixtures are compatible product with all other types of concrete admixtures.
3. Water Reducing Concrete Admixtures
When it comes to water reducing concrete admixture, it is a chemical based product that can be added to concrete to produce the desired slumps at a decreased water-cement proportion. The water reducing concrete admixtures are frequently used to enhance the concrete durability using lower cement proportion. Lower cement proportions result in reduced CO2 emissions and energy use per capacity of concrete produced. With these types of admixtures, concrete properties are improved greater than before and assist in placing the concrete under difficult circumstances. In recent years, mid-range water reducers have merged as admixture technology.
4. Accelerating Concrete Admixtures
Accelerating concrete admixtures can be used to boost the concrete strength or to mitigate concrete setting time. Calcium chloride can be used in this process as the major accelerator admixture component. These admixtures provide proper consolidation and enormous strength to prevent all types of corrosion issues. Today accelerating concrete admixtures are vibrant substance for modifying your concrete properties in cold weather.
5. Shrinkage Reducing Concrete Admixtures
As far as shrinkage reducing concrete admixture is concerned, it is used in concrete during initial mixing process. These types of concrete admixtures can greatly reduce initial and permanent drying shrinkage. Also they are often used in a situation where shrinkage cracking could lead durability concerns or where hefty shrinkage joints become adverse for economic and technical reasons. However, in some cases, these admixtures can decrease strength growth both at initial and later stages.
6. Super Plasticizers Concrete Admixtures
With the help of super plasticizers concrete admixtures, it becomes easy for you to produce elegant concrete with a high slump in the range of 7-9 inches. One of the most significant advantages of super plasticizers concrete admixture is that it will improve concrete workability as well as durability. That is why it is called as a high workability concrete which is made with a high freeze-thaw resistance, however air content must be improved regarding concrete without super plasticizer.
7. Corrosion-inhibiting Concrete Admixtures
Last, but not the least, corrosion-inhibiting concrete admixtures can be used to reduce deterioration and cracking of reinforcing steel in concrete. The corrosion inhibitors can decrease maintenance cost of reinforced concrete structures immensely by up to 30-40 years. These admixtures may ensure early strength development. Calcium nitrite is used in it to improve the setting time of concrete over a variety of curing temperatures until they are framed with a set retarder to offset the accelerating effect.
