Evaluation of the Rheological, Microstructure and Strength Properties of Cement Mortar with Superabsorbent Polymers and Additional Water

초록

Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) possess the ability to absorb or release a significant amount of water based on environmental conditions. The incorporation of SAPs into cementitious materials may, however, cause a decrease in workability. Therefore, the addition of appropriate additional water to compensate for water absorption in SAPs becomes essential in SAP-added mixtures. The present study aims to assess the impact of SAPs and additional water on the rheology, microstructure, and strength properties of cementitious materials. Accordingly, the rheological properties of fresh mortars, with or without SAPs and with or without additional water, were analyzed. Strength and microstructure development with age were also investigated. The results indicated that the shear stress of SAP-added mortars with additional water, measured immediately after mixing, closely resembles that of the reference mixture without SAPs. Additionally, the microstructural development of SAP-added mortars with additional water tends to align with that of the reference mixture without SAPs. These findings underscore the importance of considering proper additional water when incorporating SAPs in cementitious materials. © 2023 by Korea Concrete Institute.

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