The ordinary Portland cement is one of the best binders in the construction industry, it causes a lot of damage to the environment while production and hydration process to attain strength. There is a need of protecting the environment at least by decreasing the utilization OPC. The sodium polyacrylate (SPA) is also called as a super absorbent polymer , capable of increases its volume to 400-500 times by addition of water. In this paper, cement is replaced with SPA, the properties of cement mortar as well as concrete had investigated at fresh & hardened state. The use of SPA in M20 grade concrete at varies percentages in 0.1 to 0.9 in the interval of 0.3. The setting time in cement mortars as well as concretes increases by increasing percentage SPA. The volume increases proportionally by increasing the SPA percentage in cement mortars as well as concretes. The concrete showed better strength in blended mixes with SPA by ambient curing than curing with water. Strength and unit weight of blended mixes decreasing by increasing the SPA percentage by comparing nominal mix. SPA mixes show good results against NaCl and MgSO4 , very poor results against H2SO4.

1. http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 498 editor@iaeme.com
International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET)
Volume 8, Issue 1, January 2017, pp. 498–503, Article ID: IJCIET_08_01_057
Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=8&IType=1
ISSN Print: 0976-6308 and ISSN Online: 0976-6316
© IAEME Publication
EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON STRENGTH AND
DURABILITY PARAMETERS OF CONCRETE BY
PARTIAL REPLACEMENT OF CEMENT WITH
SODIUM POLYACRYLATE
V. Suresh
M. Tech Student, Civil Engineering Department, K L University, India
M. Suresh Babu
Associate Professor, Civil Engineering Department, K L University, India
M. Achyutha Kumar Reddy
Research Scholar, Civil Engineering Department, K L University, India
ABSTRACT
The ordinary Portland cement is one of the best binders in the construction industry, it causes a
lot of damage to the environment while production and hydration process to attain strength. There
is a need of protecting the environment at least by decreasing the utilization OPC. The sodium
polyacrylate (SPA) is also called as a super absorbent polymer , capable of increases its volume to
400-500 times by addition of water. In this paper, cement is replaced with SPA, the properties of
cement mortar as well as concrete had investigated at fresh & hardened state. The use of SPA in
M20 grade concrete at varies percentages in 0.1 to 0.9 in the interval of 0.3. The setting time in
cement mortars as well as concretes increases by increasing percentage SPA. The volume
increases proportionally by increasing the SPA percentage in cement mortars as well as concretes.
The concrete showed better strength in blended mixes with SPA by ambient curing than curing with
water. Strength and unit weight of blended mixes decreasing by increasing the SPA percentage by
comparing nominal mix. SPA mixes show good results against NaCl and MgSO4 , very poor results
against H2SO4.
Key words: Sodium polyacrylate, volume expansion, setting time, Unit weight, self-curing and
compressive strength
Cite this Article: V. Suresh, M. Suresh Babu and M. Achyutha Kumar Reddy, Experimental Study
on Strength and Durability Parameters of Concrete by Partial Replacement of Cement with Sodium
Polyacrylate. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 8(1), 2017, pp. 498–503.
http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=8&IType=1
1. INTRODUCTION
The developing country like India had facing a lot of social problems, one of the problems is population
increasing rapidly. The utilization of OPC increasing rapidly to make shelter, which is one of the basic
needs of all humans. The construction industry produces nearly 7% of CO2 emissions around the word,

2. Experimental Study on Strength and Durability Parameters of Concrete by Partial Replacement of Cement with
Sodium Polyacrylate
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very dangerous to environment1
. The raw materials of OPC keep on decreasing, there is a need to securing
of raw materials by the usage of special technique, by increasing volume of concrete with SPA (-CH2-CH
(COONa)-)n
2
. SPA is tend to increase its volume by 400-500 times by addition of water3
. The introduction
of SPA in cement mortar as well as concretes was studied in this experimental investigation. This
technique was used by partial replacement of coarse aggregate with expanded polystyrene, shown good
workability properties and strengths are decreasing gradually4
. The SPA concrete shown good compressive
strength properties5
and durability properties6-7
.
2. MATERIALS
Opc 43-grade cement used in the concrete, and its experimental investigation of specific gravity is 3.15,
standard consistency is 34.intial setting time 43 minutes and final setting time is 123 minutes are within
limits8
. Standard sand was used for determination of the compressive strength of SPA concrete mixes, fine
aggregate of zone-39
, 20 mm coarse aggregate and water of 6.2 PH were used. Sodium polyacrylate having
specific gravity 2.16, white granular form, purchased from Chemzest Enterprizers, Chennai, Tamilnadu,
having volume expansion at 400 to 500 times, shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 Sodium Polyacrylate (SPA)
3. EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION
In this experimental investigation of blended concrete by partial replacement of cement with sodium
polyacrylate, the partial replacement was done with 1%,3%,6% and 9%. The variables in this investigation
are % cement replaced with SPA and types of curing. The nomenclature of mixes ends with 1-9 followed
by SPA, ie SPA1 indicates 1% of cement was replaced by SPA in concrete.
4. THE EFFECT OF SPA IN CEMENT MORTAR
The initial and final setting times increasing extremely by increasing the % of replacement of cement with
SPA. A admixture, Conplast Sp 430 DIS was used for decreasing final setting time. The final setting time
of SPA5 shown nearly 4 days, very difficult to cast a cube, shown in Figure 2. The SPA mixes shown high
volume, proportional to water content, shown in Table 1.

3. V. Suresh, M. Suresh Babu and M. Achyutha Kumar Reddy
http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 500 editor@iaeme.com
Figure 2 Compressive strength of cement testing moulds
Table 1 Volume increase of SPA mixes
Si no Mix name
Cement in
Grams
SPA in
Grams
Sand in
Grams
Water
in ml
Volume
Cubic cm
1 SPA0 185 0 555 81 668.09
2 SPA5 175.75 9.25 555 81 673.47
3 SPA10 166.5 18.5 555 81 680.02
4 SPA15 157.25 27.75 555 81 681.94
5 SPA20 148 37 555 81 686.40
5. THE EFFECT OF SPA IN CONCRETE
5.1. Compressive Strength
M20 grade concrete was used for casting10
, The 6 sets of cubes were cast and tested to failure at the age of
3, 7 and 28 days, each set includes 15 cubes 3 of SPA0, SPA1,SPA3,SPA6 and SPA9. The mould to find
compressive strength of SPA concrete mixes was shown in Figure 3., a set of specimens are shown in
Figure 4. The percentage of volume expansion was shown in Table2. The two types of curing were done,
self-curing and water curing, the compressive strengths of all SPA mixes were shown in Table 2 and Table
3.
Figure 3 Compressive strength of concrete testing moulds

4. Experimental Study on Strength and Durability Parameters of Concrete by Partial Replacement of Cement with
Sodium Polyacrylate
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Figure 4 A set of specimens for conducting compressive strength of SPA mixes
Table 2 Volume expansion of SPA concrete mixes
Name of Mix Volume Expansion
SPA 0 0
SPA 1 1.279%
SPA 3 2.598%
SPA 6 9.397%
SPA 9 15.780%
Table 3 Compressive strength and weight of SPA mixes with water curing
Mix name
Weight of concrete cube
In grams
Compressive strength in MPa
3 days 7 days 28 days
SPA 0 8600 25.16 27.18 36.186
SPA 1 8100 18.312 22.672 33.136
SPA 3 7750 8.284 12.208 16.568
SPA 6 7100 3.924 8.284 13.08
SPA 9 6400 1.526 2.18 3.70
Table 4 Compressive strength and weight of SPA mixes with self-curing
Mix name
Weight of concrete cube
In grams
Compressive strength in MPa
3 days 7 days 32.186
SPA 0 8600 23.18 25.16 34.444
SPA 1 8250 19.838 23.544 17.445
SPA 3 7900 8.72 12.644 13.734
SPA 6 7252 4.578 9.374 3.700
SPA 9 6748 1.744 2.616 32.186
5.2. Durability
In this paper, three types of durability tests were perfumed, NaCl attack, MgSO4 attack and H2SO4 attack.
All specimens were immersed in Nacl, MgSO4 and H2SO4 solutions for 30 days after 28 days of ambient

5. V. Suresh, M. Suresh Babu and M. Achyutha Kumar Reddy
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curing, a set of specimens were shown in Figure 5. The weights and compressive strengths SPA mixes
were shown in Table 5.
Figure 5 A set of specimens for conducting durability tests of SPA mixes
Table 5 Compressive strength and weight of SPA mixes by NaCl, MgSO4 and H2SO4 attacks for 30 days after 28 of
self curing
Mix name
Weight of concrete cube
In grams
Compressive strength with attacks for 30
days after 28 of self curing in MPa
NaCl MgSO4 H2SO4 NaCl MgSO4 H2SO4
SPA 0 8520 8490 8300 34.13 30.14 28.34
SPA 1 8315 8375 8095 37.4 32.04 21.48
SPA 3 8020 8060 7845 19.62 16.78 8.93
SPA 6 7270 7320 7200 6.54 5.014 3.57
6. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The compressive strength of SPA concrete mixes tested to failure at the age of 28 days, comparison
between self-curing and water curing. The compressive strengths by self curing of SPA1 shown 34.444
MPa, 0.44 increased than the SPA0. SPA3 shown 17.44 MPa, 32.27% decreased then the SPA0. SPA6
shown 13.734 MPa, 42.61% decreased then SPA0. SPA 9 shown 3.7 MPa80.44% decreased then the
SPA0. The compressive strengths by water curing, SPA1 shown 33.136 MPa,4.40% increases than the
SPA0, SPA3 shown 16.568 MPa, 37.19% decreased then the SPA0, SPA6 shown 13.008 MPa, 47.11%
decreased then the SPA0, SPA 9% shown 3.7 MPa, 81.44% decreased then the SPA0.
The compressive strengths after 30 days cured by NaCl after 28 days self curing, SPA1 shown 37.496
MPa, decreased 4.69% compare with SPA0, SPA3 shown 19.620 MPa, decreased 27.02% compare with
SPA0, SPA6 shown 6.54 MPa, decreased 67.84% compare with SPA0. The compressive strengths after 30
days cured by MgSO4 after 28 days self curing, SPA1 shown 32.046 MPa, decreased 3.15% compare with
SPA0, SPA3 shown 16.786 Ma, decreased 34.07% compare with SPA0, SPA6 shown 5.01 Mpa,
decreased 74.38% compare with SPA0. The compressive strengths after 30 days cured by H2SO4 after 28
days self curing, SPA1 shown 21.41 MPa, decreased 22.89% compare with SPA0, SPA3 shown 8.93 Ma,
decreased 58.49% compare with SPA0, SPA6 shown 3.57 Mpa, decreased 81.06% compare with SPA0.
The weight of SPA concrete mixes after 30 days cured NaCl after 28 days self curing, SPA 1 shown
8315 grams, 1.68% decreased by comparing with SPA0, SPA 3 shown 8020 grams,3.48% decreased by
comparing with SPA0, SPA 6 shown 7270 grams,8.38% decreased by comparing with SPA0. The weight
of SPA concrete mixes after 30 days cured MgSO4 after 28 days self curing, SPA1 shown 8020
grams,1.32% decreased by comparing with SPA0, SPA 3 shown 8060 grams, 3.24% decreased by
comparing with SPA0, SPA 6 shown 7320 grams, 8.04% decreased by comparing with SPA0. The weight
of SPA concrete mixes after 30 days cured H2SO4 after 28 days self curing, SPA 1 shown 8315 grams,

6. Experimental Study on Strength and Durability Parameters of Concrete by Partial Replacement of Cement with
Sodium Polyacrylate
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3.02% decreased by comparing with SPA0, SPA 3 shown 7845grams, 4.59% decreased by comparing
with SPA0, SPA 6 shown 7020 grams, 10.11% decreased by comparing with SPA0.
7. CONCLUSIONS
The following conclusions are made after the end of the experimental work
• SPA mixes shown higher compressive strength at the age of 28 days by self-curing than water curing, SPA1
shown 34.44 MPa.
• The weight of SPA concrete decreasing gradually, least was observed for SPA9, 6748 grams for self curing
and 6400 for water curing .
• The volume of SPA concrete mixes increased gradually, the maximum was observed for SPA9 of 15.78%.
• The highest compressive strength of 37.4 MPa observed by NaCl attack for SPA1, 32.04 MPa by MgSO4
attack for SPA1 and 28.24 MPa by H2SO4 for SPA0.
• The weights are decreasing gradually after all attacks, the least was observed for SPA6, 7270,7370 and 7200
for NaCl, MgSO4 and H2SO4 attacks respectively.
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