Verification of the presence of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) in fresh concrete: results of an interlaboratory study of RILEM TC 260-RSC

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Mateusz Wyrzykowski - , Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) (Author)
  • Christof Schroefl - , Chair of Construction Materials (Author)
  • Nikolajs Toropovs - , Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) (Author)
  • Pietro Lura - , Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), ETH Zurich (Author)
  • Didier Snoeck - , Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) (Author)
  • António Bettencourt Ribeiro - , National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (Author)
  • Patricia Kara De Maeijer - , University of Antwerp (Author)
  • Juhyuk Moon - , Seoul National University (Author)
  • Alexander Assmann - , BASF (Author)
  • Shin Ichi Igarashi - , Kanazawa University (Author)
  • Agnieszka Klemm - , Glasgow Caledonian University (Author)
  • Fernando C.R. Almeida - , Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (Author)
  • Billy Boshoff - , University of Pretoria (Author)
  • Kendra A. Erk - , Purdue University (Author)
  • Vyatcheslav Falikman - , Scientific Research Institute for Concrete and Reinforced Concrete (Author)
  • Livia Borba Agostinho - , Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (Author)
  • Viktor Mechtcherine - , Chair of Construction Materials (Author)

Abstract

New methods are proposed for the verification of the presence of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) in freshly mixed concrete and estimation of SAP quantity. The methods are in general based on flushing concrete with excess water. They allow separating the light, water-sorbed hydrogel particles from the mineral components in the fresh concrete and making these particles available for further tests. Two types of tests are proposed: Test 1 serves for a visual verification of the presence of SAP (qualitative test), while Test 2 enables quantifying the mass of the collected SAP as a proxy of their concentration in concrete (quantitative test). Different procedures are proposed for these two test methods and their performance is evaluated. The testing procedures were scrutinized in an interlaboratory study carried out by 14 participants from 12 countries. All participating groups detected the presence of SAP in the mix using the qualitative procedures (Test 1). Based on this outcome, we suggest that this method should be applied in the field. In contrast, while most participants obtained reasonably reliable results with the quantification procedure of Test 2, some participants reported large errors. Therefore, the quantification method needs to be further refined, starting from the experience gained in this interlaboratory study.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number69
Number of pages12
JournalMaterials and Structures/Materiaux et Constructions
Volume57 (2024)
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - 22 Apr 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0001-7703-6691/work/162843091

Keywords

Research priority areas of TU Dresden

DFG Classification of Subject Areas according to Review Boards

Subject groups, research areas, subject areas according to Destatis

Keywords

  • Characterization, Concrete admixture, Fresh concrete, Superabsorbent polymers, Testing