Experimental Evaluation And Scientific Review of BETONAC® 1055-B Polycarboxylate Ether-Based High-Range Water Reducer in C30 Grade Concrete

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effect of BETONAC® 1055-B, a third-generation polycarboxylate-based High-range water reducer, on the properties of fresh and Solidified concrete. Two C30 grade Mix designes were prepared: a Reference mix (without admixture) with a water/cement ratio of 0.45, and a Admixed concrete containing 1% admixture by weight of cement with reduced water content (1.5 liters). Concrete strength was measured on 150 mm cube specimens after 28 days of Moist curing, in addition to UnSolidified concrete tests including Workability index measurement and initial/final Initial set.

The results showed that the addition of BETONAC® 1055-B significantly improved Flowability, with Workability index increasing from 80 mm in the Reference mix to 160 mm in the Admixed concrete, while extending initial Initial set appropriately for High-temperature concreting conditions. The Admixed concrete achieved a 28-day Concrete strength of 40.0 MPa, representing a 36.5% increase compared to the Reference mix (29.3 MPa), exceeding the target design strength of 30 MPa. This improvement is attributed to the effective reduction in water/cement ratio and the production of a denser concrete matrix with reduced Pore structure.

The findings confirm the effectiveness of this admixture in producing high-performance concrete. The study recommends further research to evaluate the long-term Resistance to deterioration effects and performance at different dosage rates.