Concrete bleeding

The later plastic state when the concrete may be transported, handled and placed and where changes in properties such as workability and the ability of the mix to resist segregation and bleeding may affect these operations. 

The stability of the concrete mix can be considered in terms of its cohesion , which is a subjective term used to describe its ability to maintain a homogeneous appearance when subjected to applied stress. Lack of cohesion leads to segregation of the mix components into layers relevant to their densities. A further term associated with mix stability is that of bleeding , which is the movement of water to the surface of the fresh concrete. This phenomenon can occur either in isolation or as a manifestation of segregation. Bleeding in excess is normally considered to be undesirable because of the dangers of water runs at the shutter/concrete interface and cracking due to plastic settlements, and there is also the possibility of adverse effect on the concrete-reinforcement bond due to the collection of water beneath the steel. 

Fig. 1.34 Rheology of concrete containing a normal plasticizer (300 kg m-3) (Hewlett). (b) Bleeding...

Concrete which is produced using fine aggregates deficient at the fine end of grading, e.g. sea dredged aggregates, exhibit a tendency to bleed and segregate. The presence of a small amount of entrained air (2-4% by volume) leads to an improvement in cohesion, or mix stability. Alternatively, with mixes which are adequate in this respect, a reduction in sand content can be made when air is entrained without loss of cohesion. The amount that can be removed is approximately equal on a volume basis and leads to a reduction in water-cement ratio to minimize the effect of entrained air on compressive strength. 

Table 3.14 Bleeding of plain concrete, air-entrained concrete and air-entrained concrete containing a water-reducing agent...

Fig. 4.3 Wax emulsions reduce the bleeding rate of concrete (Bruere).

Because of the high water retentivity, these admixtures induce in concrete, there is hardly any bleeding (Fig. 6.7). 

F/g. 6.7 Bleeding characteristics of washout-resistant concrete, total bleed = 0.0145 ml cm-2 (Rakitsky [41]). 

Typical uses include the production of non-dispersible underwater concrete and reduction of the accumulation of bleed water in mass concrete placed in deep forms. Consequently, AWAs are useful in mass concrete work because they prevent the formation of laitance on the surface of the concrete and thereby reduce the excessive cleaning between successive lifts. The admixtures also reduce the voids formed under horizontal reinforcing bars. Therefore, bond to steel increases and potential corrosion problems are reduced. The admixtures are also used in conjunction with WRAs in oil-well cementing grouts to reduce pipeline friction and rapid water loss and grouting of pre- and post-tensioned concrete ducts [47]. New valves and control devices under development in Europe and Japan used in conjunction with AWA will likely advance the field on underwater concrete. 

LMC is used in underwater concrete for both new construction and repair. The important requirements to obtain antiwashout capability, such as segregation resistance, flowability, self-leveling characteristics and lower bleeding are provided by the addition of viscosity-enhancing polymeric admixtures at polymer-cement ratios of 0.2-2.0%. These admixtures are water-soluble polymers, and classified under two groups, viz., cellulose types such as methyl cellulose and hydroxy ethyl cellulose and polyacrylamide types such as polyacrylamide and polyacrylamide-sodium acrylate [101]. 

Since HPC produces little or no bleed water, the use of an evaporation retarder such as misting of the concrete surface or the conventional method... 

Other applications include the construction of floor slabs where manipulation of the level of the admixture in the concrete will result in the production of bleed water should it be required to enhance finishing. The use of VEAs in grouting and underwater concrete applications is discussed below. 

The effectiveness of each admixture may vary, depending on its concentration in the concrete, the time of addition in the mixing cycle and various constituents of the concrete. Although each class of admixture is defined by its main effect (i.e. water reduction, set acceleration), it may have one or more secondary effects (retardation of set, increased bleeding, air entrainment) and its use may result in side effects. Side effects are those modifications of properties produced in the concrete that, even though unsought, are both inevitable and independent of an admixture s main function. Prior to selecting an admixture for an intended application, these... 

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