Guest Editorial Comments: Effective use of chemical admixtures

摘要

Ihe use of chemical admixtures in concrete has increased over the past 20 years slowly yet steadily, in both range and volume. More types of admixtures are being introduced in the market almost on a daily basis, with both specific and multiple functions. Furthermore, it can be stated, with only a slight exaggeration, that in most countries, all good quality concretes are manufactured with one or more chemical admixtures. While lignosulphonate plasticisers, air-entraining agents and retarders are still being used in thousands of tonnes every year, now mid-range water-reducing agents, polyacrylate superplasticisers, shotcrete admixtures, corrosion inhibitors and shrinkage-reducing admixtures are being applied with increasing frequency.