Admixtures

If you are planning to place the concrete by yourself and need someone to supply you the self compacting concrete, you can contact the local ready mix concrete companies in your area.

If you need the wall panels ready made, you will have to contact the precast concrete companies in your areas.

I typed “Ready mix concrete producers + Seattle” in Google and came across many ready mix companies in the Seattle area. You can do the same and contact these companies and ask if they can supply you SCC. You can also visit the “National ready mix company association” (NRMCA) website at www.nrmca.com or may be call them and ask for the local ready mix companies in Seattle area.

Concrete achieves its strength due to the chemical reaction that takes place between cement and the mix water. The main components formed due to this reaction are Calcium-silicate-hydrate (CSH) and Calcium hydroxide (CH). CSH is the component which is responsible for the strength of concrete.

I do not have any prior experience of making concrete using the liquids you have listed, so I do not know the exact answer to your question. But, when you add any liquids other than water in large amounts you alter the chemical reaction taking place in the concrete, which might be responsible for the different strength you might have observed.

Also, did you measure the density or the air content of the concrete mixtures containing these liquids?. Products like milk, glue, soda and latex might have an air entraining effect on the concrete reducing its density and strength. Latex possesses binding properties and salt water accelerates the hydration process of cement and might have an accelerating effect on the development of strength.

Dear Ravi,

There are a lot of treatments available to fix leaking roof slabs, which treatment would be applicable in your case would depends on the extent of leakage, the type of waterproofing treatment that was used on the roof during construction, the way it has failed, the reason why it has failed, has the reinforcement been damaged etc. Problems due to leakage can be of different types and so treatments vary from case to case. So it is very difficult to suggest something based on the limited information you have provided.

If cracks are clearly visible on the top of the roof slab, one commonly used treatment is to drill holes at close intervals along the crack and grout it using a non-shrink cement slurry or epoxy. The crack also should be widened, cleaned and sealed with appropriate repair material. If the reinforcement has corroded, it has to be cleaned and treated before patching with repair material.

If cracks are not clearly visible and the leakage is limited to a small area, the damaged area should be clearly marked on the roof and the existing waterproofing treatment should be removed and fixed.

If the leakage is extensive, the waterproofing treatment whether it is a brick-bat waterproofing or a bituminous waterproofing might have to be completely removed and completely redone.

But, remember any leakage from outside of the structure should be fixed from the outside, fixing leakages by removing concrete or plaster from inside of the structure will fix the problem temporarily but after some time the leakage will reappear.

Dear Vince,

Polymer modified mortar mixes are commonly used for concrete patch repairs. Polymers when used in concrete or mortar, improve the tensile strength, make the concrete more impermeable and improve the adhering properties of the new material on to the old material. Polymers, acrylic or latex based can also be applied on old concrete surface before placing the new concrete/mortar and used as bonding agents.

Pre-packed polymer modified repair products, which only require the addition of mixing water are available in the market.

If you want to make your own repair mortar, follow the instructions of the supplier on the dosage of the polymer and mix design.