Title: Trends in Concrete Chemical Admixtures for the 21st Century

Author(s): N. Spiratos and C. Jolicoeur

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 195

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 1-16

Keywords: admixture (water-reducing); admixtures; concrete

DOI: 10.14359/9901

Date: 7/1/2000

Abstract:
Chemical admixtures play a central role in modern concrete materials and technologies. In conjunction with mineral additives such as silica fume, chemical admixtures have enabled major improvements in many of the properties of concrete, particularly, compressive strength and durability. Chemical admixtures have also assisted in developing new concrete technologies, for example, concrete pumping and self-leveling, underwater concreting and shotcreting. Chemical admixtures have further promoted the use of secondary industrial materials (blast furnace slag and fly ash) in cementitious systems, contributing to resource conservation and environmental sustainability. In the continuing quest for more cost-efficient and environmentally acceptable materials and technologies, it may thus be expected that chemical admixtures will continue to play an important role in future generations of concrete. Probing into the future, how will concrete chemical admixtures evolve in the coming decades? What trends can be anticipated in future developments and use of these admixtures ? What will be the driving influences for these developments? This paper addresses some of the issues that are considered relevant driving forces to promote changes in the use of currently available chemical admixtures, or in the development of new admixtures. The trends already apparent in cementitious materials and concrete applications provide a reasonable basis for proposing probable trends in the evolution of concrete admixtures into the 2 lSt Century.