Durability Testing of High-Strength Concrete Containing High-Range, Water-Reducing Admixtures

This digest has been derived by excerpting the agency report for NCHRP Project 10-32A, Durability Testing of High-Strength Concrete Containing High-Range, Water-Reducing Admixtures. For this project, laboratory freezing and thawing tests were used to evaluate the durability of concretes containing high-range, water-reducing admixtures (i.e., superplasticizers). Two types of concretes were studied--the first had the desired range of slump and air-void system with the admixtures, the second had the desired range of slump and air- void system without the admixtures. To this second concrete, the admixtures were added in order to increase the slump significantly. Among the overall findings of this research was that the characteristics of a well-developed air void system normally associated with durable concretes also are required for durable concretes containing high-range water-reducing admixtures.