Experimental Study of Effects of Efflorescence Control Admixture in Cement Mortar

Abstract

This research work focuses on the effectiveness of efflorescence control admixture in reducing efflorescence on ordinary Portland cement mortar. Two different exposure conditions were set up to accelerate the development of efflorescence on mortar specimens. Efflorescence was quantified by digital image processing using MATLAB. A total of 132 mortar cubes of six-inch size were cast from 1:6 mortar with and without admixture. 108 specimens were left in waterlogged soil and 24 were partially submerged in sodium sulfate solution for 28, 56, and 90 days, and photographs of these specimens were processed. A comparison of 276 photographs of the specimens shows there is a considerable reduction in efflorescence in the case of specimens in waterlogged soil, whereas in sodium sulphate solution there was not much reduction in efflorescence. However, it is concluded that efflorescence control admixture can effectively prevent efflorescence in normal environmental conditions.