EFFECT OF CALCIUM NITRATE, TRIETHANOLAMINE AND TRIISOPROPANOLAMINE ON COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF MORTARS

Abstract

Chemical admixtures are used in concrete for various purposes such as water reducing, plasticizing, air entraining, bonding, viscosity modifying, colouring, corrosion inhibiting, permeability reducing, accelerating or retarding the initial setting time, and shrinkage reducing. The use of chemical admixtures in concrete helps to improve workability of fresh concrete and durability properties of hardened concrete as well as reducing the total cost of concrete production. In this study, three different types of chemical raw materials (calcium nitrate, triethanolamine-TEA and triisopropanolamine-TIPA) were used in the production of chemical admixtures, which were used in mortars with two different cement compositions. 7-day and 28-day compressive strengths of mortars were determined and it was found that TIPA has the greatest effect on increasing the compressive strength within these three chemicals.