Workability superplasticizers

The superplasticizers are a special category of water-reducing agents in that they are formulated from materials that allow much greater water reductions, or alternatively extreme workability of concrete in which they are incorporated. This is achieved without undesirable side effects such as excessive air entrainment or set retardation. 

When the superplasticizer is used to produce highly workable concrete, more air will be entrained than a control concrete. This is particularly true of SNF and polyacrylate types (where air-detraining agents are sometimes intentionally added into the formulations) and less so with the SMF type. 

Superplasticizers cause dramatic increases in workability as measured by slump or flow table spread, or alternatively allow very large decreases in water-cement ratios to be made while maintaining workability. Figure... 

The newer polyacrylate-based materials hold promise as a way of holding the high slump over a longer time period, as shown in Fig. 2.18 for one product of this type [62], where it can be seen that the extreme workability is maintained for over two hours. It has been suggested that this is due to this type of superplasticizer operating by the steric hinderence mode of action rather than by electrostatic repulsion [63]. 

With a direct addition of superplasticizer to obtain highly workable concrete, initial and final setting times are invariably increased in the order SMF < SNF < polyacrylates. At normal dosages this increase rarely exceeds two hours for materials that are not intentionally formulated to retard. 

In general, superplasticizers will not have an adverse effect on strength, or strength development of concrete when added to produce highly workable concrete without reducing the water content. In fact several studies have indicated that an increase in strength may occur, and in some cases this can... 

Fig. 2.19 Strength development of high-strength flowing concrete containing melamine-based superplasticizer compared to concrete made with 400 kg of normal Portland cement per m in the stiff to low workability ranges (25-100 mm slump). 

Method B. Using a superplasticizer, a lower water-cement ratio is produced at a lower cement content with the same or increased workability. 

When high dosages of superplasticizer are used to effect low W/C ratio and high workability. 

Many concrete producers use a combination of superplasticizer and a conventional water-reducing, set-modifying or air-entraining admixture to achieve the desired performance. The superplasticizer provides the major portion of the required water reduction and the conventional admixture is added to achieve one or more of the following objectives (1) further water reduction (2) admixture economy (3) the desired air content (4) increased workability and (5) extension of set and workability. Coimnercial conventional admixture formulations used for this purpose are usually based on sodium lignosulfonates, hydroxycarboxylic acids or processed carbohydrates. Such combinations, besides reducing the dosage of the... 

One of the significant limitations of the use of first- and second-generation superplasticizers in ready-mixed flowing concrete is the rapid decrease in the initially achieved high workability and this constitutes one of the chief constraints to their wider acceptance. Therefore, a number of major producers of admixtures have sponsored active research to improve the workability retention characteristics of their superplasticizers. Some recent developments [48] have shown promise, among these are materials based on acrylate polymers (AP). The AP-based materials are reported to be more effective than SNF- or SMF-based surplasticizers in terms of water reduction, slump increase and slump retention. Figure 7.19 shows the remarkable improvement in the retention of workability produced by the AP type superplasticizer compared to an SNF type. 

Higher water reductions afforded by the use of superplasticizers enable the production of concrete having normal workability (75-90 mm slump) but... 

Previous work on superplasticized Portland cement concrete containing fly ash or blast furnace slag has shown that such mixes require 10% less admixture than reference Portland cement concrete to attain the same workability. Therefore, a given dosage may produce higher water reduction. The reason for the reduced admixture requirement has not been determined. It is probably due to the lowering (dilution) of the C3A content... 

The lower water-cement ratio afforded by the use of a superplasticizer may be used to increase existing compressive strengths or to reduce cement content. Thus the use of superplasticizers may enable the precast producer to use lower cement content without reduction in mix workability and rate of strength development. The actual amount of cement reduction achieved will depend on the cement type used and the mix proportion used in the concrete. Previous work [63] indicates that even with low cement content (306 kg m 3) a normal dose of superplasticizer can accelerate 3- and 28-day strengths by 90% and 55%, respectively, over levels attained with a plain mix. Cement reductions in the range of 11-20% have been achieved in mixes with a cement content of 415 kg m, while maintaining desired strength... 

High dosages of a superplasticizer permit the replacement of a large amount of the cement by fly ash, while maintaining workability and strength. This is typical high-volume fly ash concrete. 

The uncontrolled variation in the gypsum-hemihydrate or soluble anhydrite ratio (G-H or A) that occurs during production, storage and transportation of cement can cause compatibility problems with certain superplasticizers, particularly a reduction in workability. The extent of the reduction on workability properties is dependent on the G-H ratio (ranging from 80 20% to 20 80%), level of C3A and alkalis present in the cement and the fineness of... 

Segregation of the mix This mix can occur when larger doses of the admixture are added to offset the lack of initial fluidizing of the concrete or to reinstate workability. The segregation phenomenon is always related to a superplasticizer overdose, beyond the saturation point. In some instances the surface of the hardened concrete is covered with a white layer composed... 

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