Slump-Loss Improvement of Low-Heat High-Strength Concrete

This project has shown that it is possible to make concrete with low-heat and high-strength by properly exploiting the potentials of the materials used. The high-range water-reducing air-entraining agent (AE) used played an important role. However, there was a need to reduce the slump loss. A new high-range water-reducing AE agent was developed for this purpose. The agent is a compound of a polycarboxylate type copolymer and a special polymeric surface active agent. This paper describes strength and heat properties of concrete with the developed agent. A moderate heat portland cement and a super-ground granulated blast-furnace slag were used. The test results showed that the newly-developed high-range water-reducing AE agent makes it possible to reduce the slump loss of concrete without losing the properties of low-heat and high-strength. However, it was found that the low-heat property of the developed concrete is lost when the concrete is proportioned to be flowable.