Effect of added the polycarboxylate ether on slump retention and compressive strength of the high-performance concrete

It is well known that workability of high performance concrete (HPC) is dependent on slump value of concrete mixture. Moreover, slump retention is the most sensitive compared to a well-known slump value because it represents the durability of concrete mixture for its applications in the field of civil engineering. This research used the polycarboxylate ether (PCE) to increase slump value of concrete mixture and then verified the effect of PCE on the slump retention and compressive strength of different high-performance concretes. 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 2% of PCE were added into concrete mixture to yield a minimum compressive strength of f’c 50 MPa. The slump retention tests were performed at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60 and 75 minutes while the compressive strength tests were carried out at 3, 7, 14 and 28 days for every concrete sample. The result findings showed that the optimal concrete performance can be achieved by adding 2% of PCE to reach at a slump retention value of 45 minutes and a compressive strength of 53.84 MPa. Effect of PCE on the slump retention and compressive strength has been verified to contribute an insight into the application of a proper designed workability of HPC.