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Determination of the Influence of an Absorbing Silica Gel in Concrete

Abstract:

The current study analyzed the effects of adding silica gel absorbent water in concrete, performing a verification of performance of the mixture according to the compressive strength and bending. An initial pattern mix has been developed and used as a basis for the development of different mixtures, adding an additive silica gel in various concentrations, comparing the weight of the used cement. This has been part of an initial standard dosage for a compressive strength of f ′c = 300 kg/cm2. In order to obtain that the silica gel grains obtain a greater specific surface, they were crushed until reaching sizes less than 150 µ. This occurred considering that it is a moisture reducer that can favor the increase of the strength of the hydraulic concrete by reducing the water/cement ratio. Furthermore, we determined the potential optimum percentage of the used additive, for the elaboration of a concrete based on its resistance to compression compared with the resistance of the initial master mix. Hereby, the silica gel is classified as a moisture absorbing polymer. We have been able to evidence the influence of silica gel on hydraulic concrete based on diffraction tests with X-rays and electron microscopy, with samples of concrete at ages of up to 28 days.