CAIT/Rutgers

32 Pages·2003·0.85 MB·English

by  Farhad Ansari

FHWA NJ 2001-021
Effects of Synthetic Air Entraining Agents on
Compressive Strength of Portland Cement Concrete –
Mechanism of Interaction and Remediation Strategy

FINAL REPORT
July 1999

Submitted by

Dr. Farhad Ansari * Allyn Luke **

Professor Research Engineer

Zhijin Zhang * Dr. Ali Maher ***
Doctoral Candidate Professor and Chairman

*Dept of Civil & Materials Engineering ** Dept of Civil & Environmental Engineering
University of Illinois at Chicago New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT)
Chicago, Illinois 60607-7023 Newark, NJ, 07102

*** Center for Advanced Infrastr ucture & Transportation (CAIT)
Civil & Environme ntal Engineering
Rutgers, The State University

Piscataway, NJ 08854-8014

NJDOT Research Project Manager
Mr. Nicholas Vitillo

In cooperation with

New Jersey

Department of Transportation
Division of Research and Technology
and
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
Disclaimer Statement

"The contents of this report reflect the views of the
author(s) who is (are) responsible for the facts and the
accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do
not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the
New Jersey Department of Transportation or the Federal
Highway Administration. This report does not constitute
a standard, specification, or regulation."

The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors,
who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the
information presented herein. This document is disseminated
under the sponsorship of the Department of Transportation,
University Transportation Centers Program, in the interest of
information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no
liability for the contents or use thereof.
TECHNICAL REPORT STANDARD TITLE PAGE
1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No.
FHWA 2001 – 021
4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date
Effects of Synthetic Air Entraining Agents on compressive Strength July 1999
of Portland Cement Concrete – Mechanism of Interaction and
6. Performing Organization Code
Remediation Strategy CAIT/Rutgers/NJIT
7. Autho r ( s ) Dr. Farhad Ansari, Zhijin Zhang, Allan Luke, 8. Performing Organization Report No.
FHWA 2001 - 021
and Dr. Ali Maher
9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No.

New Jersey Department of Transportation
CN 600 11. Contract or Grant No.

Trenton, NJ 08625
13. Type of Report and Period Covered
12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address Final Report
Federal Highway Administration 08/19/1997 - 12/31/1999
U.S. Department of Transportation
14. Sponsoring Agency Code
Washington,D.C.
15. Supplementary Notes

16. Abstract
This document reports the results of a comprehensive study pertaining to the determination of
causes and mechanisms resulting in a reduction of strength in concrete mixtures containing Synthetic
air entraining admixtures. The study involved experimentation with concrete mixtures containing both
the Synthetic and Vinsol resin admixtures. Tests involved determination of air content for fresh
concrete and air bubble characteristics including size and distribution for hardened concrete.
Compressive strength of concrete samples were determined at ages 7, 14, 28 & 56 days.
Petrographic analysis of the hardened samples revealed that the Vinsol resin admixture produces
more of the smaller bubbles desirable for protection against frost. However, Synthetic admixtures
induce more of the larger air bubbles with the cement paste. This explains the much lower
compressive strength associated with Synthetic air concretes. It is believed that the larger air bubbles
are produced due to the inability of the Synthetic air entraining agents to lower the surface tension in
the mixture. This will allow the smaller air bubbles to coalesce into larger ones. Based on the results
of the study, recommendations were made that follow up research should involve determination of
surface tension in such mixtures.

17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement
synthetic air, resin admixtures, strength
reduction, concrete
19. Security Classif (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No of Pages 22. Price
Unclassified Unclassified 32
Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-69)
Acknowledgements

The authors wish to express their appreciation to the New Jersey Department of
Transportation for the allotment of funds making this research possible. Special thanks
are extended to Mr. Nicholas Vitillo of NJDOT for his support and extending the
opportunity to participate in such a significant and extensive research program.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
Summary…...................................................................................................……… 1
Statement of the Problem....................................................................................…. 2
Research Objectives……………….........................................................…………... 2
Background……............................................................................................……… 2
Frost resistance of Concrete by Air Entrainment ................................................... 3
Air Entraining Admixtures…… ..................................................................………… 3
Methods for the Determination of Air Content in Concrete...............................…… 4
I-Gravimetric Method…….............................………....................................……..… 4
Volumetric Method...........................................................................................……. 5
Pressure Method………………………….................................................………….. 5
Linear Traverse Method………………………………………………………...………. 5
Point Count Method.....................................…………………………………………... 6
High Pressure Method....................................................…………………………….. 6
Investigative Procedures.................................………………………………………... 6
Mix Design Requirements and Criteria………………………………………………… 9
Experimental Results……………………………………………………………………. 13
Rationale …………………………………………………………………………………. 14
Conclusions…………………….................................................……………………... 15
LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Automated Linear Traverse System 10
Figure 2. Sliced Concrete for Automated image Analysis System 11
Figure 3. Output for Image Processing System 12
Figure 4. Comparison of compressive strengths for Synthetic(A0120)
and Vinsol(R0120) resin concretes(at 1.0 oz) 16
Figure 5. Comparison of compressive strengths for Synthetic(A0708)
and Vinsol(R0707) resin concretes(at 1.5 oz) 17
Figure 6. Comparison of compressive strengths for Synthetic(A0428)
and Vinsol(R0427) resin concretes(at 2.0 oz) 18
Figure 7. Bubble size distribution in the control sample 19
Figure 8. Comparison of bubble size distribution for samples containing
1.0 oz of air entraining admixture 20
Figure 9. Comparison of bubble size distribution for samples containing
2.0 oz of air entraining admixture 21
Figure 10. Air bubble size distribution at the same air content 24
Figure 11. Comparison of air and bubble size and distribution within the
Same area of paste 26

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. Experimental Program 8
Table 2. Mix Design 9
Table 3. Comparison of air bubble distribution in Synthetic and Vinsol
Resin mixtures at 1.0 oz 22
Table 4. Comparison of air bubble distribution in Synthetic and Vinsol
Resin mixtures at 2.0 oz 23
Table 5. Comparison of air bubble size distribution in Synthetic and Vinsol
Resin mixtures at the same air content 25
S TEGSCCVNTIEII NT FSNFEE RFSIOGHNIEEAATOARRNPTYMNSOEC
H TFGONERTS DN A TLENTTEREMOREPCCNO CM–SINAHCFEOM
N OYNIGOTEI CTTDAAANRRIAETDTSENMIER
YRAMMUS
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S TEGSCCVNTIEII NT FSNFEE RFSIOGHNIEEAATOARRNPTYMNSOEC
H TFGONERTS DN A TLENTTEREMOREPCCNO CM–SINAHCFEOM
N OYNIGOTEI CTTDAAANRRIAETDTSENMIER
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