ABSTRACT
Abstract Concrete admixtures are still too often perceived as mysterious ingredients for making concrete. Their unseen chemical nature, their mysterious modes of action too often cast them as the results of alchemy rather than high-tech chemistry. While some admixtures were originally industrial by-products and only marginally beneficial, more and more modern products are specially prepared or synthecized for the concrete industry. Their action is more specific and more engineered, making them more efficient. We can now state that the most recent technological developments in concrete technology rely on enhanced admixture efficiency rather than on improvements in cement manufacturing.
