Rapid Fire
Superplasticizers in Concrete
- 14 May 2024
- 2 min read
Superplasticizers are often added to dry-pressed concrete to make it easier to work with and to improve its density and surface finish.
- Superplasticizers are sulfonated melamine formaldehyde condensates or sulfonated naphthalene formaldehyde condensates.
- It is a water-reducing admixture used in making concrete.
- The water-cement ratio is an important factor in deciding the durability of concrete because concrete’s impermeability, strength and durability are directly proportional to the water-cement ratio.
- In regular cement pastes, when cement particles get close, they tend to stick together in big clumps because of the attraction between them. This means more water has to be added than necessary.
- These can be overcome by adding superplasticisers at the appropriate stage of mixing the ingredients of concrete which reduces the inter-particle attraction of cement particles.
- It helps to reduce inter-particle attraction between cement particles and to disperse the cement particles with less water.
- Superplasticizers are used to produce "flowing" concrete for placement in inaccessible locations, and also to produce high-strength concrete with normal workability but very low water/cement ratio to reduce the heat of hydration in mass concrete.
