Investigating the effect of tartaric acid on concrete produced in tropical climates

Abstract

The perpetual gridlock of Metropolitan Lagos is well-known, particularly during chaotic rush hours. As such, construction projects encounter difficulties with material transportation as well as rapid delivery of ready-mix concrete to construction sites located in this city. To achieve concrete that allows for long-distance transportation and lessens the impact of hot weather on concrete, this study investigated the performance of TA in concrete produced in tropical and congested climates and recommended suitable dosages and appropriate times of addition for the desired outcome. The study produced a working sample of 117 concrete cubes using various doses of TA at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2%. Findings revealed that TA is time and dosage-dependent. The findings also revealed that the addition of TA at 31.5^oC causes set retardation and the setting time of each test sample was substantially increased with TA addition. Moreover, the compressive strength of concrete was increased by 70.8% when a 2% TA was added after a 3-minute delay. The study concludes that TA is an appropriate retarder for ready-mix concrete because it provides extended workability, slows the setting time in gridlocks, prevents concrete from hardening untimely, and counteracts the impact of hot weather by slowing the setting time.