Application of Construction Chemicals in Building Construction

Abstract

The main object of this paper is to no concrete without construction chemicals. They are used in concrete at the time of construction or during maintenance/ repairs to produce several desirable properties. Twenty years ago, construction chemicals were rarely adopted in India, but today there is a great awareness among practicing Engineers, contractors and public about the use of construction chemicals. To suit the demand, in India, number of companies are emerging in the field of construction chemicals. Plenty of such products are available in the market. But there are no specifications and standards about their usage. In the absence of these norms, the companies advertise their products as Hi-tech and Super stuff. The only literature available is the manufacturers' brochures. Therefore, the user finds it very difficult to choose a particular product. A comprehensive study about these chemicals was made in this work to evaluate their performance by conducting a series of laboratory tests. Several crores of rupees are being spent throughout the world on rehabilitation and restoration of structures. In traditional methods of repairs, the same problems may occur within a short span of time due to i) Inadequate bonding of new concrete to old concrete or new plaster to old plaster ii) Corrosion of reinforcement bars not being totally removed. Today, construction chemicals play a vital role in repairs. They provide a long-term solution in the rehabilitation of distressed members.