Investigation of the Effect of Gum Arabic on the Production of Self Compacting Concrete

Abstract

In this study concrete mixes were investigated to study the effect of (Gum Arabic) on fresh and hardened concrete for trying to produce a self-compacting concrete (SCC).Results for trial concrete mixes were analyzed using the European guidelines for self-compacting concrete. The mixes were as follows:  Mix (M0) without additive as a reference mix.  Mix (M1) with 0.5% Super Plasticizer (SP901) as additive.  Mix (M2) with 0.2% gum Arabic liquid plus 0.5% Super plasticizer (SP901) as additive.  Mix (M3) with 0.6% Gum Arabic liquid plus 1.0 % Super plasticizer (SP901) as additive.  Mix (M4) with 1.2% gum Arabic liquid plus 1.5% super plasticizer as additive. The study shows that the four mixes M0, M1, M2 and M3 do not fulfill the requirements of the SCC mixes. In addition, the values of slump flows increased with the increasing of the dosage of super plasticizer and gum Arabic liquid. Mix M4 satisfies the requirements of SCC mixes, the use of super plasticizer and gum Arabic liquid as additive to concrete mixes may result in SCC. The value of compressive strength decreased slightly, when the increasing the value of gum Arabic liquid and SP dosage for M3, M4. Thus it is concluded from this study that there is possibility of the use of Gum Arabic in liquid state as local additive in the concrete mixes to produce self-compacting concrete provided that another additive that increases or stops the decrease in strength.