The world's foremost resource on decorative concrete
One of the glitches of combining glass aggregate with portland cement is that the combination may trigger alkali-silica reaction (ASR).
Unlike water and oil, glass and concrete do mix and can marry well under the right circumstances. On the other hand, the union may not remain solvent if the chemistry isn’t there to deter the main reason this coupling would meet its demise: alkali-silica reaction (ASR).
Something has to give when pigments interact with pozzolans, plasticizers and other additives in your mix.
Have you had this happen to your concrete stamping job?
Take the pressure off with air-entraining agents with a pressure release.
A primer on accelerators and their use in decorative concrete. Accelerators are one of the most popular kinds of chemical admixtures. Like water reducers, retarders and plasticizers, when added to a concrete batch either immediately before or during mixing.
Counter-Flo Concrete Countertop Admixture, an admixture from Fritz-Pak Corp., is intended to solve that problem. It’s a water reducer designed for use when creating concrete countertops and statuary. It helps concrete maintain an adequate flow rate with less water, allowing a contractor to lower the amount added to a mix.
Portland cement consists primarily of calcium silicates. When mixed with water, a chemical reaction known as hydration creates calcium silicate hydrate (CSH). Needle-like crystals of CSH interlock to hold concrete together, almost like a glue.
Decorative concrete contractors are discovering the many benefits of metakaolin, an admixture that makes concrete brighter, denser and more workable.
Discover ways admixtures can improve concrete’s ultimate durability and strength and make it easier to work with.
