Minimizing water dosage of superplasticized mortars and concretes for a given consistency

Workability and consistency are fundamental properties of cement-based materials: their control ensures a correct and easy casting of the material without segregation of aggregates. The workability of cementitious systems depends on their rheological behavior (also called “consistency”), which varies with the material composition and the mixing parameters. In this work, a method based on the analysis of mini-cone and Abrams cone test results was developed to optimize the binder volume and minimize the mixing water fraction of superplasticized mortars and concretes for a given consistency. A three-parameter empirical equation was proposed to simulate the relationship between water content and slump value in large ranges of water-to-binder ratios and superplasticizer dosages.

► The optimization of cement paste composition for a given consistency is investigated.
► The use of limestone filler is rather beneficial to the flowability of the mixtures.
► An analytical equation enables to relate the minimal water content required and the slump value.
► This equation is applicable over large ranges of W/B ratios and admixture dosages.