March 2023

Superplasticizers are a category of water reducers that are growing in popularity because they improve the workability of concrete while decreasing the amount of water required.

The addition of a superplasticizer to concrete formed at a water: cement ratio of 0.3 produces a fluid cement paste. This fluidity is a very important advantage because it makes the concrete easy to handle and transport.

A good concrete producer should also consider the durability of his or her concrete. Studies of air-entrained flowing or high-strength concrete containing SMF, SNF and MLS-type superplasticizers have shown that this type of concrete is as durable as conventional concrete.

Moreover, the concrete produced in this way shows excellent resistance to freeze-thaw cycles and to other environmental influences. This is due to the lower water:cement ratio and, thereby, to the higher air-void spacing factor.

Fritz-Pak offers two strengths of superplasticizer: Supercizer 1 and Supercizer 5. These products offer a variety of uses, including high early strength and up to a 20% water reduction.

The best way to use superplasticizers is to apply them to wet concrete as soon as it is mixed and before the concrete sets. This will help you avoid bleeding and excessive drying shrinkage, two common problems with concrete.

In the summer, when concrete is prone to setting faster than usual, adding a delayed set admixture like superplasticizer can make your job go even smoother. This is why we developed our Supercizer 5 and Supercizer 7 - they provide the power of plasticizers, but with a little extra time to work.

lightweight concrete strength refers to the strength of a concrete made with lightweight aggregates. The density of this type of concrete is generally in the range of 90 to 115 lb/ft3 (140 to 1840 kg/m3), compared to normalweight concrete that has a density of 140 to 150 lb/ft3.

There are three basic types of lightweight concrete: no-fines, aerated or foamed, and lightweight aggregate concrete. The no-fines type is produced by omitting a fraction of the fine aggregate to produce air-filled voids (no-fines concrete). Aerated or foamed concretes, which include a small amount of bubbles of gas, are constructed by replacing wholly or partially natural aggregates with lightweight aggregates containing a large proportion of voids.

Moderate-strength lightweight concrete is produced by firing expanded shale, clay or slate materials in a rotary kiln to form a porous structure. Other products such as ash and air-cooled blast furnace slag may also be used.

Weaker-strength lightweight concrete is produced from spongy lava or scoria aggregate. Both spongy lava and scoria have a porous structure with isolated void pores. These types of concrete are typically used for low-strength applications.

Despite their low thermal conductivity, these types of concrete are often used to insulate buildings and walls and insulate steel structures against corrosion. They are also commonly used to construct interstate and traffic lanes.

Unlike structural lightweight concrete, which should be oven-dry to provide its required strength, insulating concrete does not require an equilibrium density or a maximum water-to-cementitious material ratio. However, if the concrete is to be exposed to moisture, it must have an equilibrium density of at least 1.0 percent of its total water content.

Admixtures are materials added to concrete prior or during the mixing process to modify one or more of the properties of concrete in its plastic or hardened state. They can be natural or synthetic and may be added in small quantities to produce a specific effect.

Water-Reducing Admixtures:

The reducing action of a water-reducing admixture can result in reduced water-cement ratios which, as a rule, allow concrete to be produced with higher strength levels and lower density than untreated concrete. Commonly, concrete containing a water-reducing admixture will require about 5 to 10 percent less water than concrete based on the same mix design and aggregates.

Retarding Admixtures:

The retarding action of a retarding admixture is often used in hot weather to increase the set time of concrete. This admixture can be added either during batching or at the jobsite. The effects of a retarding admixture may be diminished by prolonged haul times, so it is important to use it only when the haul schedule can be met.

Super-Plasticizers:

Another type of admixture, also known as high-range water reducers or MRWRs, are capable of reducing the water content of concrete by up to 30%. This provides a more fluid and workable mix that can be used in applications where vibration consolidation cannot be achieved.

Mineral Admixtures:

Natural pozzolans, such as volcanic ash and fly ash, can be used to improve the properties of concrete. Pozzolans are cementitious materials and can be used in place of Portland cement or blended with it. They affect the hardened concrete through hydraulic or pozzolanic activity, increasing the strength of concrete and reducing its early compressive strength development.

concrete water reducer plasticizer is a common additive that is used to lower the amount of water in a concrete mixture, increasing its strength. It can also be used to increase the fluidity of a concrete mix, which can improve its placement and workability.

Concrete Water Reducing Admixtures

There are two main types of water reducing admixtures: conventional and high range, or superplasticizers. These admixtures fall under the ASTM specifications C 494 Type A and F, respectively.

Conventional water reducers are designed to decrease the water to cement ratio in concrete, which translates into increased early strengths and greater durability for concrete produced with a low slump. They are typically used in driveways, sidewalks, foundation walls and footers.

Superplasticizers, on the other hand, are designed to increase the water to cement ratio in concrete. They can be used to produce concrete with a low slump, as well as high strength concrete, pumpable concrete and self-compacting concrete.

How Superplasticizers Works

The hydrophobic group in water-reducing admixtures is a large molecule hundreds of times larger than the water molecule (Figure 5.5). It sticks to the surface of cement particles, taking their charges and distracting them from electrical repulsion so that the free water can be released from floe.

The effect of normal water-reducing admixtures on the hydration of concrete is negligible and is therefore not recommended for most applications; however, they can improve dispersion of cement grains in mortars and concrete, which shortens the stiffening time and enhances early strengths at a constant w/c ratio. Some admixtures can even be used in combination with certain types of cements at high dosage levels, e.g., with low tricalcium aluminate content (C3A)-containing cements.

The lightweight block weight helps to build robust structures while keeping the overall weight of the building relatively lower than traditional brick-built structures. This is the reason why it is becoming increasingly popular among property owners in Bangladesh.

Lightweight concrete blocks are manufactured from cement together with one of a variety of natural or man-made expanded aggregates including: granulated / foamed blast-furnace slag, expanded clay or shale, furnace bottom ash (FBA), pulverised fuel ash (PFA) and the less common pumice (a volcanic material).

These aggregates give lightweight blocks their low unit weight, making them easy to handle and enabling time and material savings through easier handling and larger units. They are commonly used for interior walls or as infill blocks in beam and block flooring to provide a higher level of insulation.

Besides their insulating properties, these units also offer high fire resistance and sound reduction. They can be installed using thin-set adhesive.

Cinder blocks are the most common of the lightweight concrete block types, but they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Originally made from waste coal and steel ash from power plants, they are now usually made from other types of sand and aggregate.

A lighter cinder block can be up to 10-pounds lighter than a standard concrete block of similar dimensions and shape, which makes them easier for masons to lift and carry during brick-laying work. This is a plus for construction companies that want to minimize the risk of low back injuries that can result from heavy lifting.

A clc foam generator is a device that produces a high-quality foaming agent. It is used to produce a variety of foam concrete products, including CLC bricks, lightweight concrete blocks, and more.

Foaming agents are chemical substances that, when diluted with water, create a foam. The type of foaming agent that you use will have an effect on the quality of your cellular lightweight concrete (CLC).

Protein-based and Super protein-based foaming agents are used in CLC production as they are very safe for the environment, cause no harm to human beings, and have a high density when mixed with water. Synthetic-based foaming agents are also available that have more stability and pump-ability than protein-based, but they can be more expensive.

Choosing foaming agents for CLC is not an easy task as there are many different types on the market. Some are better suited to the manufacturing process, while others are more stable for long-term storage and have a longer shelf life.

Some people recommend adding Sodium Bicarbonate to the foaming agent for increased strength and to improve the flow properties of the concrete. However, this is a guessing game and it has not been scientifically proven.

CLC is a light-weight concrete, which can be manufactured using the same equipment and molds as regular concrete. It is made by mixing Portland cement, sand, fly ash, and foam in various proportions. It is used in construction, building foundations and disaster rehabilitative buildings.

set retarding admixture is used to delay the initial setting of concrete or to offset the accelerating effect of warm weather on the cement composition. It can also be used to increase the pumping time of a concrete composition and prevent premature thickening or setting before placement in a subterranean zone.

Uses for set retarding admixture include concrete pavement construction where it allows longer hauling distances, eliminating the need for moving a central mixing plant to the job site, and allowing more time for texturing or plastic grooving of concrete. It can also help to eliminate cold joints that occur when two batches of concrete are applied over a period of time and fail to mix.

Retarding admixtures slow down the initial reaction between concrete and water by reducing the rate of penetration to the cement particles and preventing the growth of hydration products. This results in a longer period during which the concrete is workable, minimizing bleeding and providing time for the strength to develop.

The length of this period depends on the temperature, consistence class, and water-cement ratio of the concrete as well as on the amount of retarder added. Retarding admixtures also reduce the initial water demand of concrete, resulting in improved workability and higher strengths.

Retarders are typically based on molasses, sugar or gluconate and often have a limited dosage range as they temporarily stall further hydration. They are effective under low dosages but overdosing can result in large extensions of set time.

Lightweight concrete is a type of concrete that has a density that is 25% to 50% lower than normal concrete. It is used for filling voids, leveling floors, and backfilling around ducts or cables in new or old buildings.

The lightweight aggregates that are used in this concrete are porous and voidy, which helps to decrease the weight of the concrete. Typical lightweight aggregates include pumice, thermally treated shale, diatomite, scoria, and volcanic cinder.

These lightweight aggregates are injected into the concrete during mixing to form air voids or entrainment, which increases the volume of the concrete and decreases its density. The voids help the concrete to hydrate faster, which leads to less cracking, spalling, and fire resistance.

Another common way to create lightweight concrete is to use aluminum powder. This will react with calcium hydroxide to produce hydrogen gas, which forms a bubble of air within the concrete mix.

This will increase the strength of the concrete. A lightweight concrete with aluminum powder in it is often called foamed concrete. It also exhibits appropriate thermal insulation, self-compaction, and does not require flattening.

Maxrete lightweight insulating concrete is designed using natural lightweight clay aggregates, cement and admixtures that offer excellent performance for indoor and outdoor applications including filling voids, levelling floors or slopes, backfilling around ducts, cables and pipework. The lightweight aggregates, insulating cement and admixtures work together to make this product four times lighter than traditional concrete or screed.

Interlocking blocks come in a range of shapes and sizes. They do not need mortar to hold them together and are often used in a variety of applications such as retaining walls, construction walls, storage bays, security fences and barriers.

They can be made from a wide range of materials such as metal, concrete, wood, glass, cement or plastic and are typically manufactured using a number of different methods including machining, casting, forming, joining, assembling or rapid prototyping.

One of the most common types of clc blocks is the V-Interlock block, which is known to be the go-to form for simple straight forward, get-it-done-now applications that don't require specialist labour. These blocks are ideal for industrial application such as batch plant fencing and product divider bins and are resistant to weather conditions, insects and fire damage.

The blocks are easy to install and require no special tools or training. They are also durable, low maintenance and can be easily cleaned if required.

These blocks can be used to create a wall of any configuration such as a gravity wall, piling wall, cantilever wall or an anchored wall. They are also used to build structures such as a retaining wall, storage bay or security barrier that is curved or angled.

These blocks can be connected to each other using a variety of hardware such as bolts, screws, nuts, threaded rods, washers, inserts and plastic plugs. The hardware is inserted into the at least one first connecting opening of the first side of the first interlocking block and into the at least one second connecting opening of the second side of the second interlocking block.