Concrete Additives
Good quality concrete is the main building material that is needed for constructing strong and durable structures in urban areas. Fine particles of natural stones, sand, and cement mixture together form concrete mixture, which is applied over bricks and stones for gaining high durability. This longevity can be further increased by putting in concrete additives while erecting the required building structures. There are many advantages of using such materials in constructions, which prompt all builders to follow this trend.
Main causes of using concrete additives for construction purposes
Water conservation is a prime reason for including additives to the concrete mixture while constructing a building, irrespective of its size. A much lesser amount of water is needed for making the concrete paste when suitable concrete additives can be incorporated into it. Thus, builders can raise constructions in dry areas as well, with the help of these admixtures.
When water is added to the concrete mixture, bubbles are created that are retained by these additives within the paste. These bubbles can make the constructed structure more durable, by preventing the obvious shrinkage and thawing of concrete structures during the dry and chilling winter season.
The concrete paste settles down much faster due to the action of additives mixed with concrete, wherever applied throughout the building structure. Thus, lesser time is needed for completing a building project, which is a beneficial fact for every builder and they can deliver completed properties much faster to their clients.
Alternatively, the construction speed can be decreased to a convenient extent with the use of certain concrete admixtures. The chemical reactions take much longer time to occur between the ingredients of these additives with concrete mixture. Thus, the concrete paste takes more time to settle down on the surfaces of bricks or stones, making the construction works slower.
Prime categories of concrete admixtures used in buildings
Some chemicals are preferred as additives in constructions, among which Calcium chloride is the most popular one. It renders greater strength to a building and also known for accelerating the construction speed. Moreover, it prevents the corrosion of steel that is used for strengthening the pillars and foundation of a residential building. This type of additive is also ideal for building construction in colder regions.
Mineral additives are more popular among commercial builders, due to low costs and easy availability in the market. Fly ash, Silica fume, and Metakaolin are some prominent examples of mineral admixtures in concrete, which are rapidly used by all builders associated with commercial buildings. Most of these additives are produced as byproducts while manufacturing some other things in factories, from which incredible cheap prices can be offered on these materials.
Building constructions have now achieved a superior quality, due to the inclusion of these additives to the concrete mixture. Builders are benefitted with better reputation because of constructing much stronger buildings that are guaranteed to last many years. House owners prefer to hire only those contractors, who cannot think of buildings without the use of these additives.
