What are the Types of Mineral Admixtures in Cement?

Mineral admixtures

• fly ash (FA)
• silica fume (SF)
• ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS)
• metakaolin (MK)
• rice husk ash (RHA)

which have definite characteristics through which they impact the properties of concrete in a different way.

There are two types of admixtures:

• Mineral admixtures
• Chemical admixtures

Mineral admixtures are mostly solids. Chemical admixtures are mostly liquids.

The most common mineral admixtures are:

• Fly ash
• Ground Granulated Blast furnace Slag (GGBS)
• Rice husk ask
• Metakaolin
• Silica fume
• Sugarcane bagasse or straw ash
• Palm oil fuel ash

The mineral admixtures are added majorly to modify the strength of the concrete and increase the compressive strength.. Since all these mineral admixtures are byproducts of some industrial process which otherwise would be dumped into landfills, it is also beneficial to the environment.

Commonly used mineral admixture are as follows:

• Fly ash
• Ground Granulated Blast Furnace slag (GGBFS)
• Silica fumes
• Rice Husk Ash
• Metakaoline

Commonly used mineral admixture are as follows:

• Fly ash :

Pulverized coal is combusted in thermal power plants for electricity generation. By product of this combustion reaction is fly ash

• Ground Granulated Blast Furnace slag (GGBFS)

It is the by product of iron extraction process from iron ore.

• Silica fumes

It is produced as the by product of electric arc furnaces in the production of elemental silica.

• Rice Husk Ash

Rice Husk Ash is produced by the burning of rice husk.

• Metakaoline

ordinary clay and kaoline clay when thermally activated is called metakaoline

The types of mineral admixtures are as follows :-

1. Water-reducing admixtures

2. Retarding admixtures

3 .Accelerating admixtures

4. Water-reducing and retarding admixtures

5. Water-reducing and accelerating admixtures

6. Water-reducing, high range admixtures

7. Water-reducing, high range, and retarding admixtures

First, let me clear this one of the basic concepts that when we use any extra ingredient besides the ingredient of concrete for improving its some property, it is known as an admixture.

When we use any extra ingredient in cement to improve some cement property, it is called an additive.

Important: Additives are added to the cement and not the admixture.

Thank You.