Product List Cont'd

• P100 (Trench Fill)
  
• Floor Screed SP225
  
• Floor Screed SP265
  
• Floor Screed SP300
  
• Floor Screed SP340
  
• Building Mortar
  
• Plastering Mortar

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Typical Uses

• C6/7.5 Kerb bedding/backing, mud mats
  
• C8/10 As above, foundations
  
• C10/12.5 As above
  
• C12/15 Foundations
  
• C16/20 Sub-floors, paths
  
• C20/25 General purpose floors
  
• C25/30 Lanes, Yards, industrial floors, steel stanchion bases
  
• C28/35 Silos, slurry tanks
  
• C32/40 Culverts, bridge construction

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Typical Uses Cont'd

• C16/20 to C32/40 also available in Pump & Fine
• Stone Mixes for restricted access and limited depth situations respectively
  
• P100 Trench fill
  
• Floor Screed SP225 & 265 Dwelling Floor
  
• Floor Screed SP300 & 340 Indust'l Floor
  
• Building Mortar Conc. Block & Brick laying
  
• Plastering Mortar Internal plaster & external render

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Cement Types & Combinations

• Portland Cement (PC)
  
• Sulphate Resisting (PC)
  
• Rapid Hardening PC
  
• Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA)
  
• Ground Granulated Blastfurance Slag (GGBS)

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Admixtures

What are Chemical Admixtures for Concrete?

EN 934 defines admixtures as follows: ‘Materials added during the mixing process of concrete in a quantity not more than 5% by mass of the cement to modify the properties of the mix in the fresh or hardened state.’

Types of Concrete Admixtures

• Water Reducers / Plasticisers
  
• Superplasticisers
  
• Accelerators
  
• Retarders
  
• Air Entraining Agents
  
• Waterproofers

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Water Reducers / Plasticisers

• Adsorbs onto cement particles
  
• Reduces inter-particle attraction
  
• Breaks up flocs
  
• Improves cement dispersion
  
• Reduces viscosity of mix
  
• More efficient use of water present
  
• Allows cement reduction while maintaining strength
  
• Overdosage effects - retardation

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Superplasticisers

• Similar action to normal plasticisers
  
• Electrostatic repulsion
  
• Higher efficiency
  
• Less side effects allowing higher dosage
  
• Very high water reduction or very high workability
  
• Overdosage effects – retardation and segregation

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Accelerators

• Increase early strength
  
• Offset effects of low temperatures
  
• Usually increase rate of rise in early temp
  
• May also increase rate of stiffening
  
• Enables early stripping of formwork or finishing of floors

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Retarders

• Adsorbs onto cement grains
  
• Slowing water penetration and hydration
  
• Eventually hydration begins
  
• Setting continues as normal
  
• Reduced risk of cold joints
  
• Reduce thermal cracking
  
• Allow long draws

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Air Entraining Agent

• Deliberate entrainment of air bubbles of about 0.1mm diameter
  
• 3 – 6% air content
  
• Improved handling of harsh mixes (improved ‘fattiness’)
  
• Improved freeze-thaw resistance
  
• Overdosage effects – strength reduction (5% air – up to 30% strength reduction)

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Waterproofers

• Function by lining or physically blocking pores
  
• Reduces size and number of pores
  
• Pore blocking type effective against a hydrostatic head
  
• Inhibit corrosion

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Other Additions

• Pigments
  
• Polypropylene Fibres
  
• Steel Fibres
  
• Micro-Silica

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Polypropylene Fibres

• Non-absorbent fibres added to the truck mixer at the plant or on site
  
• Designed to achieve maximum distribution and freedom from clustering
  
• Substantially reduce formation of plastic settlement and shrinkage cracks
  
• Inhibit bleeding to concrete surface

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Polypropylene Fibres Cont'd

• Lowers permeability of concrete i.e. more water resistant
  
• Resists impact and shatter forces
  
• Increases freeze-thaw durability
  
• Can replace top steel mesh reinforcing (not structural) in ground supported slabs

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Steel Fibres

• Made from hard-drawn steel wire, usually with hooked ends for anchorage
  
• Sometimes glued in bundles to help prevent balling
  
• Some systems are fibre only and some incorporate rebar
  
• Gives ductile concrete with a high load bearing capacity

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Steel Fibres Con'd

• Efficient crack control
  
• Durability
  
• Quick and relatively easy application
  
• Efficient and cost effective
  
• Reduction or elimination of joints in floors

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