Difference Between Plasticizer And Superplasticizer in Civil

What Is Plasticizer In Civil?

Plasticizer us in concrete for workability, Strength, and Durability of concrete. Plasticizer in concrete for Water-reducing admixtures usually reduces the required water content for a concrete mixture by about 5 to 12 percent.

The use of water-reducing admixtures is defining as Type A in ASTM C 494. The WRA mainly affects the fresh properties of concrete.

Which is measured by the dilution indicated in ASTM C 143-90. Water-reducing admixtures that delay the initial setting time by more than three hours. It is classified as a water-reducing admixture with a debugging effect (Type D).

Commonly used water-reducing admixtures (WRA) are lignosulfonates and hydrocarboxylic acids. The use of hydrocarboxylic (HC) acids as WRA requires higher water content (w/c) compared to the lignosulfonates. Rapid bleeding is a problem for concrete treated with hydrocarboxylic (HC) acids.

The increase in a slump is different according to its type and dosage. The typical dosage rate is based upon the cementitious material content (milliliters per hundred kilograms). The figure below illustrates the influence of the dosage of Lignosulfonates and HC acid on a slump.

It is shown in the figure that hydrocarboxylic (HC) acids give a higher slump compared to lignosulfonates with the same dosage.

Water-Reducing Admixtures (WRA) has been used primarily in hot weather concrete pumping, placing, and tremie. Careful concrete placement is required, as an initial setting time of cement will take place an hour earlier.

It is also shown that the use of Water-Reducing Admixtures (WRA) will give a higher initial concrete compressive strength by 10% compared to the control mixture.

Another benefit of using Water-Reducing Admixtures (WRA) is that higher concrete density is achieved, which makes the concrete less permeable and has higher durability.

Also, read: How Cement is Made | Cement Ingredients | History of Cement 

What Is Superplasticizer In Civil?

This Superplasticizers, also known as high range water reducers, same as a plasticizer, are chemical admixtures used where well-dispersed particle suspension is required.

Polymers are used as dispersants to avoid particle segregation also to improve the flow characteristics of suspensions such as in concrete applications.

Their addition to mortar or concrete allows a reduction of the water to cement ratio (W/C), not affecting the workability of the mixture, and enables the production of high-performance concrete and self-consolidating concrete.

This effect drastically improves the performance of the fresh, hardening paste. Strength of concrete increases when a water to cement (W/C) ratio decreases.

Their working mechanisms lack a full understanding, revealing, into certain cases, cement-superplasticizer incompatibilities.

The addition of superplasticizer in during transit is a fairly new development within the industry.

Superplasticizer added in transit through automated slump management systems, such as Verify, allows concrete producers to maintain slump until without reducing concrete quality.

Also, read: What is Plum Concrete | Application | Mix Design | Methodology

Difference Between Plasticizer And Superplasticizer in Civil

Sr.No.	Plasticizer	Superplasticizer
1	To achieve a higher strength by decreasing the water-cement ratio at the same workability as an admixture free mix.	Superplasticizer by Self-leveling, Self-compacting concrete and also Penetration and compaction round dense reinforcement
2	To achieve the same workability by decreasing the cement content so as to reduce the heat of hydration in mass concrete.	Improved durability by removing water to reduce permeability and diffusion.
3	To increase the workability so as to ease placing inaccessible locations	Reduced shrinkage, especially if combined with reduced cement content.
4	Water reduction of more than 5% but less than 12%	Water reduction more than 6% but less than 25%
5	This Plasticizer called water reducer	This Superplasticizer called high rang water reducer
6	It is an additive used to improved the plasticity of a certain substance	It is a water- reducing admixture capable of producing large water reduction or great flammability
7	This is increase the plasticity matricidal such as water reducer in concrete mixture	This is further increase the water requirement for concrete mixture increase the strength and durability of concrete
8	Add plasticizer 0.1 - 0.5 % weight of cement	Add Superplasticizer 0.5 - 3% weight of cement