EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF EFFECT OF SODIUM SILICATE (NA2SIO3) ON PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE

This paper aims to investigate the effect of use of sodium silicate in cold weather concreting. In order to illustrate such effect, a series of laboratory tests were conducted. Workability tests, compressive strength tests, flexural tests and split tensile strength tests were carried out on concrete specimens having different percentage of sodium silicate and the results thus obtained were compared with those of normal concrete. The results indicated that the Sodium silicate does not contribute to an increase in strength of concrete, rather it has reverse effects .However it does increase Compaction Factor, thereby enhancing workability of concrete.