1.

Mineral Admixtures
Mineral admixtures are typically added to the concrete mix in powder
form and are often byproducts of industrial processes. These materials
enhance the concrete's strength, workability, and durability.
1.1 Fly Ash
• Source: A byproduct of coal combustion in thermal power plants.
• Types:
o Class F (low calcium, high in silica and alumina)
o Class C (high calcium)
• Uses:
o Improves Workability: Enhances the flowability of the mix.
o Reduces Water Demand: Helps lower the amount of water
needed for the same workability.
o Enhances Durability: Reduces permeability, making concrete
more resistant to sulfate attack and the ingress of harmful
chemicals.
o Increases Long-Term Strength: Fly ash enhances the long-
term strength development of concrete.
o Reduces Heat of Hydration: Useful in large mass concrete
structures (e.g., dams), where excessive heat can lead to
cracking.
1.2 Silica Fume (Microsilica)
• Source: A byproduct of silicon and ferrosilicon alloy production.
• Uses:
o Improves Strength: Increases compressive strength, especially
for high-strength concrete.
 o Enhances Durability: Significantly reduces permeability,
making concrete resistant to aggressive environments,
including chloride and sulfate attacks.
o Improves Bonding: The fine particles of silica fume fill voids,
leading to denser concrete with better bonding between
cement paste and aggregates.
o Used in High-Performance Concrete (HPC): Commonly used
in structures like bridges, skyscrapers, and tunnels.
1.3 Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS)
• Source: A byproduct of the steel manufacturing process.
• Uses:
o Enhances Durability: Improves resistance to sulfate attack,
chloride ingress, and alkali-silica reaction (ASR).
o Increases Strength: Increases the long-term strength of
concrete due to its latent hydraulic properties.
o Reduces Heat of Hydration: Suitable for large concrete
structures by reducing thermal stress and cracking.
o Improves Workability: Provides a smoother, more workable
mix.
1.4 Metakaolin
• Source: Produced by heating kaolinite clay.
• Uses:
o Improves Strength and Durability: Enhances both early and
long-term strength and improves resistance to chemical
attacks.
o Reduces Permeability: Finer particles fill gaps in the concrete
matrix, reducing porosity.
o Used in Architectural Concrete: Often used in white or
colored concrete due to its light color.
1.5 Rice Husk Ash
• Source: Derived from the combustion of rice husks.
• Uses:
o Enhances Strength and Durability: Acts as a pozzolan,
improving the concrete’s long-term strength.
o Improves Resistance to Chloride and Sulfate Attack: Reduces
permeability, thus enhancing durability in harsh
environments.

2. Chemical Admixtures
Chemical admixtures are added in small quantities to improve specific
properties of fresh or hardened concrete. They are typically liquid or
powder additives mixed with water before or during the concrete mixing
process.
2.1 Plasticizers (Water Reducers)
• Purpose: Reduce the water content required for concrete while
maintaining workability.
• Uses:
o Increased Strength: Reducing water content while
maintaining cement content increases the strength of
concrete.
o Improves Workability: Increases the fluidity of the concrete
mix without adding extra water.
o Applications: Useful for precast concrete, high-strength
concrete, and when placing concrete in congested areas.
2.2 Superplasticizers (High-Range Water Reducers)
• Purpose: Allow for a dramatic reduction in water content or a
significant increase in workability at the same water-cement ratio.
 • Uses:
o Increases Flowability: Enables the production of highly
flowable, self-consolidating concrete (SCC).
o Enhances Strength and Durability: Allows for lower water-
cement ratios, improving strength and reducing permeability.
o Applications: Ideal for high-performance concrete, complex
formwork, and heavily reinforced sections.
2.3 Accelerators
• Purpose: Speed up the hydration process of cement, resulting in
faster setting and early strength gain.
• Uses:
o Rapid Construction: Useful in cold weather, where concrete
setting time is slowed, or when early strength is required for
formwork removal.
o Improves Early Strength: Enhances early strength, allowing
for faster project timelines.
o Applications: Used in road repairs, precast concrete, and in
cold weather concreting.
2.4 Retarders
• Purpose: Delay the setting time of concrete, allowing more time for
placing and finishing, especially in hot weather.
• Uses:
o Prevents Early Setting: Prevents the premature setting of
concrete in hot climates or large pours.
o Improves Workability Time: Allows for longer handling and
transport times, important in mass concreting or complex
formworks.
o Applications: Used in large or slow-paced pours, such as
dams, bridge decks, and large slabs.
2.5 Air-Entraining Agents
• Purpose: Introduce microscopic air bubbles into the concrete mix to
improve freeze-thaw resistance.
• Uses:
o Enhances Durability in Freeze-Thaw Environments: Air
bubbles provide space for water to expand when it freezes,
reducing damage due to freezing and thawing cycles.
o Improves Workability: Provides a lubricating effect that
improves workability.
o Applications: Used in pavements, bridges, and structures
exposed to cold climates.
2.6 Pozzolans
• Purpose: React with calcium hydroxide released during cement
hydration to form additional cementitious compounds.
• Types:
o Fly ash, silica fume, GGBS, etc.
• Uses:
o Reduces Permeability: Pozzolans improve durability by
reducing the permeability of the concrete.
o Increases Long-Term Strength: Pozzolanic reactions enhance
long-term strength.
o Applications: Used in high-performance and durable
structures, like marine structures and wastewater treatment
plants.
2.7 Corrosion Inhibitors
• Purpose: Prevent or slow down the corrosion of steel reinforcement
in concrete.
• Uses:
 o Protects Steel Reinforcement: Prevents rusting of steel bars,
extending the life of reinforced concrete structures.
o Applications: Used in bridges, parking structures, and marine
environments where the risk of steel corrosion is high.
2.8 Shrinkage-Reducing Admixtures
• Purpose: Reduce drying shrinkage of concrete, minimizing the risk
of cracking.
• Uses:
o Reduces Cracking: Helps in reducing shrinkage-related
cracking, especially in large slabs or thin sections.
o Applications: Common in floors, pavements, and high-
performance concrete where shrinkage cracking is a concern.
2.9 Viscosity Modifying Admixtures (VMAs)
• Purpose: Improve the cohesiveness of the concrete mix, reducing
bleeding and segregation.
• Uses:
o Enhances Stability: Helps stabilize the mix in highly flowable
or self-compacting concrete (SCC).
o Applications: Ideal for underwater concreting and self-
compacting concrete.