Review on chemical (organic) admixtures in the cementitious materials

In the present review, we have tried to define the different families of chemical admixtures used in the formulations of cementitious materials, namely: plasticizers, superplasticizers, setting accelerators, setting retarders, air entraining, etc…. We have also presented the different families of each type of those polymeric admixtures and their mechanisms of action.These admixtures can be used either to improve the physical properties of the fresh cement paste including the workability, the fluidity, the setting time (depending on the climatic conditions of its installation in winter and/or summer) and the water content, and used either to improve the mechanical performance of mortar and / or concrete in the hardened state, to know the compressive strength, the porosity, the capillary absorption, and the durability. Or the both at the same time, in the fresh and hardened state, reduction of the quantity of mixing water and subsequently improves its mechanical resistance of compression and its durability.