Abstract
Super plasticizer or High range water reducer is a specific type of admixture that is used to produce low water-cement ratio high strength concrete with normal or enhanced workability. Therefore by using Super plasticizers, it became easier for contractors nowadays to place highly workable, durable, pump able concrete with higher strength, and even with less cost than using other ways to produce concrete with such properties. The effects of SPs on physical properties of hardened and fresh concrete is therefore studied in this research work by considering 1%, 2%, 3% and 4% of two types of Super plasticizers namely Conplast 430 and Dr Fixit which was referred as SP A and SP B respectively in this research. A mix ratio of 1:2:4 was used with a constant 0.5 water-cement ratio in order to determine the effect of SP on workability. A set of 72nos of 150mm x 150mm x 150mm concrete cubes specimens were casted and cured by complete immersion in water. Setting time test was carried out to determine the rate at which concrete hardens. The samples were further tested for compressive strengths at the ends of 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of curing. The result showed that the highest compressive strength for Conplast-430 (SP A) at 7 days was achieved at 1%, 14 days at 2%, 21 days at 2%and that of 28 days was achieved at 2%. While the highest compressive strength for Dr Fixit (SP B) at 7 days was achieved at 1%, 14 days at 1%, 21 days at 1% and that of 28 days was achieved at 3%. This therefore shows that use of super plasticizer has increased concrete strength and on time even at very low percentage introduction by volume.
Highlights
Concrete is the most commonly used material for building and civil engineering constructions in the world
Concrete develops an average of 26% of the 28 days strength in 1 day and 85% in 21 days and develops strength rapidly at Akaolisa Celestine Ezeagu and Ezeagu Ebuka Edwin: Influence of Super plasticizer on the Compressive Strength and Setting Time of Concrete early age compared to later ages [10]
The data of dimension, SP ratio in percentage and slump in mm were recorded. It showed a relation between dosages of SP and slump loss
Summary
Concrete is the most commonly used material for building and civil engineering constructions in the world. The word concrete comes from a Latin word concretus which means to grow together which implies that it is a composite of different materials It is composed of coarse granular material called aggregate or filler which is embedded in a hard matrix of material (cement or binder with water) binding the aggregates together and filling the space formed between them. An admixture, according to the ASTM C-125-97a standards, is a material other than water, aggregates or hydraulic cement that is used as an ingredient of concrete or mortar, and is added to the batch immediately before or during mixing. Ganiron defined admixture as a material other than water, aggregate or hydraulic cement that is used as an ingredient of concrete or mortar, and is added to the batch immediately before or during mixing [8].
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