Icrete By Amazecrete Enhances Strength & Durability of Concrete

Icrete has emerged as a new age material for Concrete Construction given its efficacy in increasing the strength and durability of concrete, bringing value additions and greater profitability to the users.
V. R. Kowshika - Executive Director Amazecrete

What are the benefits of Icrete?

Icrete is a new concrete additive made from industrial by-products. It is a carefully selected blend of micro minerals available in powder form. (It conforms to ASTM C 1797). It chemically reacts with intermediate phases of cement to increase its strength and durability. Though not a super-plasticizer, it helps to make low cement content systems with increased durability and sustainability. The dosage of Icrete is between 0.7 to 2.25%. Its features and benefits are:

• Stronger and denser than conventionally produced concrete, partially due to the filling on concrete pores by the reaction products of Icrete.
• High ultimate strength.
• Decreased permeability to water and other corrosive chemicals.
• Better economics when compared with similar materials.
• Reduces cementitious materials needed to achieve a specific strength.
• Lowers cement and increases SCM loading.
• Because of the ability of Icrete reaction to hold extra water, the concrete produced by adding Icrete undergoes lesser problems associated with shrinkage and bleed water.
• Reduces shrinkage and permeability, while increasing the durability of concrete.

How does Icrete reduce cement requirement?

Icrete works by promoting the dissolution of alumina and iron present in the supplementary cementitious materials and cement. It accelerates the hydration of intermediate phases present in cement and hence increases the rate of silicate reaction, forming additional binding phases other than C-S-H. It aids in the formation of additional binding phases, thereby reducing the pore size. By this unique action, Icrete increases the strength even at reduced cement/cementitious content.

What tests have been conducted to prove the above-mentioned properties of Icrete and the conclusions drawn?

Icrete is produced at a production facility in Trichy through proprietary processes invented by Dr. Ramkumar, Director, Navodaya Sciences, who has worked for almost two decades to bring this product to the domestic market and has also introduced it to concrete world markets. The processes are closely monitored by modern QA/QC systems and there is constant evaluation of raw materials and the processes till the finished product is ready, followed by tests both at our in-house laboratory and at third party labs like the Bureau Veritas. More than 6000 trials have been done so far to make the product reach its current efficiency level. Our R&D involves both basic testing of concrete and intensive research on the hardened properties of concrete, especially related to durability.

Many tests conducted by Dr. Ramkumar and the independent third party on Icrete have proved the permeability reduction capability of the product, which is to the tune of 50% or even more in many tests. The unique reactions triggered by Icrete in the concrete system reduce capillary pore size which enhances permeability. The product therefore can be utilized as an integral waterproofing compound to enhance impermeability of concrete, mortars, or any cement-based systems. In fact, tests have shown that Icrete complies with IS 2645 as an integral waterproofing compound.

As per the observations made, it was found that we can get increased strengths when we use OPC+GGBS or OPC+PFA incorporated with Icrete. We can reduce the total cementitious content or we can increase use of SCMs with use of Icrete with the same cementitious content. In fact, Icrete allows very high loading of GGBS and PFA in conventional concrete mixtures.

Icrete modifies the micro-structure of concrete by interacting with cementitious products. We have seen in numerous trials concrete’s increase in strength compared to reference concrete. Icrete, by its unique action, gives comparable strengths and durability even when the cement reductions are in the order of 50 to 100 kgs per cubic meter at different dosage levels, and with different mix designs.

Icrete also increases the content of flyash and GGBS in concrete. It works on alumina and iron present in cementitious products like flyash and GGBS and makes compounds which fill up capillary pores and also makes concrete denser and stronger. Hence, we have seen many possibilities in the usage of SCMs - both in lab trials and field applications. Icrete can provide 20 - 30% reduction in cement content in concrete thereby reducing CO2 emissions and thus being an alternative for an eco-friendly solution like GGBS and flyash.

What has been the market response to Icrete?

The benefits of Icrete are being appreciated by many concrete producers, who are our customers. In fact, we have been successful in introducing Icrete to many customers across India, who have shared their experiences on the benefits of Icrete and the value additions it brings. In a recent plant trial in a ready-mix company where a popular product was used at 6%, Icrete was tried at 2% and the results were found to be encouraging. The customer has already started using Icrete for M60 grade concrete.

In the past several years, we have had many success stories where customers have expressed their satisfaction with Icrete’s performance and the economic benefits they have enjoyed, plus the value addition induced by Icrete. Each customer has unique requirements and ingredients, and to convince them we conduct trials and build awareness of the benefits.

In the future, our company Amazecrete will be introducing many such beneficial products for the concrete industry. Currently, the company is providing readymix concrete, precast concrete, and ready-to-use plasters which can be pumped. Amazecrete undertakes a lot of R&D to come up with new products for the benefit of the concrete industry. With our principal scientist, Dr. Ram Kumar, we will be introducing AMAZECURE, a new technology for self-curing concrete. When incorporated into concrete mixes, it will eliminate the need for further external curing. This is a significant step towards sustainable concrete solutions as it conserves precious drinkable water.

The Concrete Industry of India has always been open to new technologies and innovations. We are therefore confident that our innovative products will have a disruptive impact on the way concreting is done.