AQUAGUARD™ TD-200 Concrete Admixture Reduces Drying Shrinkage While Maintaining Compressive Strength

The use of shrinking reducing admixtures (SRA) is on the rise given the construction industry’s interest in getting the most performance out of their concrete. Concrete shrinking can be caused by drying, internal chemical reactions and temperature fluctuations. If not properly controlled, shrinkage due to drying can form cracks and reduce the concrete’s structural integrity.

SRAs are chemical additives designed to improve concrete’s structural properties and reduce shrinking. Admixtures like Nippon Shokubai’s AQUAGUARD™ TD-200 substantially reduce the drying shrinkage of concrete with proprietary technology.

Glycol-based SRAs minimize shrinkage with a surface-activating action that reduces the surface tension of water inside the concrete capillaries. Utilizing novel technologies for this application, AQUAGUARD™ TD-200 retains the water inside the concrete capillaries by inhibiting evaporation. An additional benefit of AQUAGUARD™ TD-200 is that it has a minimal effect on air-entraining and defoaming admixtures because it features a low surface-activating action.

Unlike conventional SRAs, incorporating AQUAGUARD™ TD-200 does not interfere with the formation of micro air in the concrete, ensuring your concrete maintains excellent freeze-thaw resistance while also reducing shrinkage. This SRA also preserves concrete structural integrity and durability as it minimizes reductions to compressive strength. Additionally, AQUAGUARD™ TD-200 is non-hazardous, easily dissolves in water and minimally affects air content and fluidity so the concrete remains workable. AQUAGUARD™ TD-200 is also compatible with expansive additives, enabling concrete production with almost no drying shrinkage.

Values are representative and in no way guaranteed.

For comparison, we mixed 20 kg/m³ of AQUAGUARD™ into concrete and poured it adjacent to concrete with no additive. The concrete had a water-cement (W/C) ratio of 53% with a unit water content of 183 kg/m³ and a fine-aggregate ratio of 43.9%. Observing the concrete over five years, hardly any cracks formed in the AQUAGUARD™ concrete while several formed in the adjacent concrete.

Learn more on Nippon Shokubai's product page.