A low-density, high-strength concrete composition that is both self-compacting and lightweight, with a low weight-fraction of aggregate to total dry raw materials, and a highly-homogenous distribution of a non-absorptive and closed-cell lightweight aggregate such as glass microspheres or copolymer polymer beads or a combination thereof, and the steps of providing the composition or components. Lightweight concretes formed therefrom have low density, high strength-to-weight ratios, and high R-value. The concrete has strength similar to that ordinarily found in structural lightweight concrete but at an oven-dried density as low as 40 lbs./cu.ft. The concrete, at the density ordinarily found in structural lightweight concrete, has a higher strength and, at the strength ordinarily found in structural lightweight concrete, a lower density. Such strength-to-density ratios range approximately from above 30 cu.ft/sq.in. to above 110 cu.ft/sq.in., with a 28-day compressive strength ranging from about 3400 to 8000 psi.

A comb polymer is used for increasing the flow rate and/or reducing the viscosity of a mineral binder composition, where the comb polymer has a main chain including acid groups and there are pendent chains linked to the main chain, and where the average number-average molar mass of all of the pendent chains is from 120 to 1000 g/mol and the molar ratio of the acid groups to the side chains is in the range from 0.5 to 2.

A castable construction material with controlled flow and workability retention comprising (a) a binder comprising from 75% to 100% by weight of fly ashes comprising from 1.5% to 35% by weight of Ca O and a Lost on Ignition (LOI) value from 0.5% to 5.5% by weight, (b) an activator comprising an alkali hydroxide and an alkali silicate, wherein the activator is from 3% to 25% by weight with respect to the castable construction material, (c) sand, (d) fine aggregates, (e) coarse aggregates, (f) free water and (g) a workability retention agent wherein selected from the group consisting of polycarboxylate ether polymer (PCE), polyamines, polyethylene imines, polyacrylamides, polyacrylate (EO, PO) ester, polymethacrylate (EO, PO) ester, polyammonium derivatives and co-polymers thereof, polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride, benzalkonium chlorides, substituted quaternary ammonium salts, chitosans, caseins and cationically modified colloidal silica.

Adding a small amount of lightweight course aggregate to a normal weight concrete mix to produce a clean, rough top surface so that manual or mechanical roughing of the top surface is not necessary. The lightweight course aggregate will float to the surface, and make a rough surface so that the bond and shear resistance of the interface (cold joint) between previously placed and newly placed concrete will be as strong as a manually roughened joint.

The invention relates to an addition for producing thermally conductive mortars and structural concrete, said addition being a specific powdery formulation in each case, which, when added as an addition to a conventional concrete or mortar, allows the production of a structural concrete or mortar with improved thermal characteristics (thermal conductivity ). If the addition is added to a conventional concrete in a plant, a structural concrete with increased thermal conductivities is produced, which can adapt to the thermal requirements of the building, thereby being highly suitable for the heat activation of structures or the geothermal activation of foundations. The concrete containing the addition takes on special rheological characteristics which, inter alia, allows a self-compacting concrete to be produced. If the addition is added to a conventional mortar in a mixer, a mortar is produced with very high thermal conductivities which make it highly suitable for geothermal probes.

Construction castable material with controllable flow or slump comprising (a) a binder comprising fly ashes comprising from 1.5% to 35% by weight of CaO and a Lost on Ignition (LOI) value from 0.5% to 5.5% by weight, representing from 10% to 60% of the binder weight and ground granulated blast furnace slag comprising from 40% to 70% by weight of CaO and from 30 to 60% by weight of SiO2, representing from 40% to 90% of the binder weight, (b) an activator comprising alkaline reagents selected from the group composed by water glass, preferably in solution with 30 to 50% by weight solid content, sodium metasilicates and sodium hydroxide, (c) sand, fine and coarse aggregates and (d) organic acids or conjugated salts of organic acids in a dosage from 0.001% to 3% by weight with respect to the binder.

A low-density, high-strength concrete composition that is both self-compacting and lightweight, with a low weight-fraction of aggregate to total dry raw materials, and a highly-homogenous distribution of a non-absorptive and closed-cell lightweight aggregate such as glass microspheres or copolymer polymer beads or a combination thereof, and the steps of providing the composition or components. Lightweight concretes formed therefrom have low density, high strength-to-weight ratios, and high R-value. The concrete has strength similar to that ordinarily found in structural lightweight concrete but at an oven-dried density as low as 40 lbs./cu.ft. The concrete, at the density ordinarily found in structural lightweight concrete, has a higher strength and, at the strength ordinarily found in structural lightweight concrete, a lower density. Such strength-to-density ratios range approximately from above 30 cu.ft/sq.in. to above 110 cu.ft/sq.in., with a 28-day compressive strength ranging from about 3400 to 8000 psi.

The invention relates to an anti-filming surface adjuvant for hydraulic binders comprising at least one fat and at least one anti-caking agent, to its preparation method as well as to a method for preparing a hydraulic binder composition suitable for making screeds or self-compacting concretes (SCC) including the step consisting of adding to the hydraulic binder the adjuvant according to the invention at a dosage comprised between 50 and 1,500 g/m.sup.3 of screed or of concrete.

This invention relates to compositions that have utility, amongst others, in the stabilization of suspension particles or gas bubbles in fluid water-based compositions and/or in conferring shear thinning behavior to such fluid water-based compositions. The inventors have developed parenchymal cellulose based materials, which comprise cell wall derived networks of cellulose based fibers and nanofibrils, can advantageously be used for stabilization of suspended solid particles in fluid water-based compositions. Specific aspects of the invention concern the parenchymal cellulose based materials, their production and their use in fluid water-based compositions, as well as the resulting fluid water-based compositions per se.

A low-density, high-strength concrete composition that is lightweight and self-compacting or non-self-compacting, with a low weight-fraction of aggregate to total dry raw materials, and a highly-homogenous distribution of a non-absorptive and closed-cell lightweight aggregate such as glass microspheres or copolymer polymer beads or a combination thereof, and the steps of providing the composition or components. Lightweight concretes formed therefrom have low density, high strength-to-weight ratios, and high R-value. The concrete has strength similar to that ordinarily found in structural lightweight concrete but at a lower density, such as an oven-dried density as low as 40 lbs./cu.ft. Such strength-to-density ratios range approximately from above 30 cu.ft/sq.in. to above 110 cu.ft/sq.in., with a 28-day compressive strength ranging from about 3400 to 8000 psi.