Effect of Absorbent Polymer Balls (APBs) with Varying Contents on the Mechanical and Shrinkage Properties of Internally Cured

Oxide	Test result [%]	I.Q.S. 5:1984 Limits
CaO	64.04	_
SiO₂	20.8	_
Al₂O₃	4.0	_
Fe₂O₃	4.82	_
MgO	1.43	<5.0
SO₃	2.52	<2.8
Loss On Ignition (L.O.I.)	1.73	<4.0
Lime Saturation Factor (L.S.F.)	0.91	0.66 – 1.02
Insoluble Residue (I.R.)	0.67	1.5 [%]
Free Lime (F.L.) total	99.42	_
Compound composition
C₃S%	54.0	_
C₂S%	19.12	_
C₃A%	6.0	_
C₄AF%	12.17	_

Table 2:

Physical properties of O.P.C

Physical properties	Test results	I.Q.S.5:1984 Limits
Fineness, blaine [cm²/gm]	3300	>2300
Setting time
Initial hours.; min.	2; 0	≥45 min
Final hours.; min	3; 0	≤10 hours
Compressive strength [MPa]
3-days	24	≥15
28-days	35	≥23

* The cement test results were obtained from the factory.

Table 3:

Physical and chemical properties of coarse aggregate

Properties	Test results	I.Q.S.45:1984: Limits
Apparent specific gravity	2.6	-
Bulk density kg/m³	1700	-
Absorption %	0.85	-
Clay %	0.5	1.0 (max)
Sulphate content (SO₃) %	0.09	0.10 (max)

Table 4:

Grading of coarse aggregate

Sieve size [mm]	Passing [%]
14	100
10	65
5	10
2.36	0

Table 5:

Physical and chemical properties of sand

Properties	Test results	I.Q.S.45:1984: Limits
Grading zone	three	-
Fineness modulus	2.46	-
Apparent specific gravity	2.65	-
Bulk density [kg/m³]	1580	-
Sulphate content (SO₃) [%]	0.242	0.50 (max)
Clay [%]	2.3	3.0 (max)

Table 6:

Grading of fine aggregate

Sieve size [mm]	Passing [%]	I.Q.S: 1984 Limits zone (3)
5	98	90 – 100
2.36	90	85 – 100
1.18	81	75 – 100
0.6	62	60 – 79
0.3	33	12 – 40
0.15	2	0 – 10

(a) APBs after soaking 24hrs, (b) comparison between APBs before and after soaking in water 24 hrs

Table 7:

Mix design proportions

Component	Control	0.5% APBs	1% APBs	1.5% APBs	2% APBs	2.5% APBs	3% APBs	3.5% APBs	4% APBs	4.5% APBs	5% APBs
Cement [Kg/m³]	400	400	400	400	400	400	400	400	400	400	400
Sand [Kg/m³]	600	600	600	600	600	600	600	600	600	600	600
Gravel [Kg/m³]	1200	1200	1200	1200	1200	1200	1200	1200	1200	1200	1200
Water [Kg/m³]	180	180	180	180	180	180	180	180	180	180	180
APBs [Kg/m³]	0	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20

(a) The apparatus used, (b) Drying shrinkage test

Table 8:

Experimental testing program

Test category	Property evaluated	Standard specification	Specimen size [mm]	Testing ages [Days]	Replicates per age	Total specimens
Fresh concrete	Workability (Slump)	ASTM C143	N/A	Fresh state	1	11
Mechanical properties	Compressive strength	B.S. 1881: Part 116	100 × 100 × 100	7, 14, 28, 56, 90	3	165
Mechanical properties	Splitting tensile strength	ASTM C496	100 (dia.) × 200	7, 14, 28, 56, 90	3	165
Volume stability	Drying shrinkage	ASTM C490	75 × 75 × 285	Continuous (up to 90)	2	22
Grand total						363

Table 9:

Result slump [mm] vs APBs [%] for different incorporation methods

APBs [%]	Incorporation method	Slump [mm]
Control	-	75
0.5	Pre-soaking	80
	Dry blending	78
	Surface coating	79
1.0	Pre-soaking	82
	Dry blending	81
	Surface coating	80
1.5	Pre-soaking	85
	Dry blending	83
	Surface coating	84
2	Pre-soaking	86
	Dry blending	84
	Surface coating	85
2.5	Pre-soaking	88
	Dry blending	86
	Surface coating	87
3.0	Pre-soaking	90
	Dry blending	88
	Surface coating	89
3.5	Pre-soaking	92
	Dry blending	91
	Surface coating	90
4.0	Pre-soaking	89
	Dry blending	87
	Surface coating	88
4.5	Pre-soaking	86
	Dry blending	85
	Surface coating	84
5.0	Pre-soaking	83
	Dry blending	81
	Surface coating	82

Compressive strength vs APBs for pre-soaking method

Compressive strength vs APBs for dry blending method

Compressive strength vs APBs for coating surface method

Table 10:

Results of the compressive strength [MPa] vs APBs content

APBs content [%]	Incorporation method	7 days [MPa]	14 days [MPa]	28 days [MPa]	56 days [MPa]	90 days [MPa]
Control		25	28	30	32	34
0.5	Pre-soaking	26	29	31	33	35
	Dry blending	25	28	30	32	34
	Surface coating	26	29	31	33	34
1.0	Pre-soaking	27	30	32	34	36
	Dry blending	26	29	31	32	34
	Surface coating	27	30	32	33	35
1.5	Pre-soaking	28	31	33	35	37
	Dry blending	27	30	32	34	36
	Surface coating	28	31	33	34	36
2.0	Pre-soaking	28	30	34	36	38
	Dry blending	27	29	32	34	36
	Surface coating	27	29	33	35	37
2.5	Pre-soaking	29	32	35	37	39
	Dry blending	28	31	34	35	37
	Surface coating	29	32	34	36	38
3.0	Pre-soaking	30	33	36	38	40
	Dry blending	29	32	35	36	38
	Surface coating	30	33	36	37	39
3.5	Pre-soaking	31	34	37	39	41
	Dry blending	30	33	36	38	39
	Surface coating	31	34	37	38	40
4.0	Pre-soaking	32	35	38	40	42
	Dry blending	31	34	37	39	41
	Surface coating	32	35	38	39	42
4.5	Pre-soaking	31	34	37	39	41
	Dry blending	30	33	36	38	39
	Surface coating	31	34	37	38	40
5.0	Pre-soaking	30	33	36	38	40
	Dry blending	29	32	35	37	38
	Surface coating	30	33	36	37	39

Absorbent Polymer Balls explosion during test

Table 11:

Results of the splitting tensile strength (MPa) vs APBs content

APBs content [%]	Incorporation method	7 days [MPa]	14 days [MPa]	28 days [MPa]	56 days [MPa]	90 days [MPa]
Control	-	2.4	2.5	2.5	2.6	2.7
0.5	Pre-soaking	2.5	2.6	2.7	2.8	2.9
	Dry blending	2.4	2.5	2.5	2.6	2.7
	Surface coating	2.5	2.6	2.7	2.8	2.8
1.0	Pre-soaking	2.6	2.7	2.8	2.9	3.0
	Dry blending	2.5	2.6	2.7	2.8	2.9
	Surface coating	2.6	2.7	2.8	2.9	3.0
1.5	Pre-soaking	2.7	2.8	2.9	3.0	3.1
	Dry blending	2.6	2.7	2.8	2.9	3.0
	Surface coating	2.7	2.8	2.9	3.0	3.1
2.0	Pre-soaking	3.0	3.5	4.0	4.5	4.8
	Dry blending	2.8	3.3	3.8	4.3	4.6
	Surface coating	2.9	3.4	3.9	4.4	4.5
2.5	Pre-soaking	2.8	2.9	3.0	3.1	3.2
	Dry blending	2.7	2.8	2.9	3.0	3.1
	Surface coating	2.8	2.9	3.0	3.1	3.2
3.0	Pre-soaking	2.9	3.0	3.1	3.2	3.3
	Dry blending	2.8	2.9	3.0	3.1	3.2
	Surface coating	2.9	3.0	3.1	3.2	3.4
3.5	Pre-soaking	3.0	3.1	3.2	3.3	3.4
	Dry blending	2.9	3.0	3.1	3.2	3.3
	Surface coating	3.0	3.1	3.2	3.3	3.4
4.0	Pre-soaking	3.1	3.2	3.3	3.4	3.5
	Dry blending	3.0	3.1	3.2	3.3	3.4
	Surface coating	3.1	3.2	3.3	3.4	3.5
4.5	Pre-soaking	3.0	3.1	3.2	3.3	3.4
	Dry blending	2.9	3.0	3.1	3.2	3.3
	Surface coating	3.0	3.1	3.2	3.3	3.4
5.0	Pre-soaking	2.9	3.0	3.1	3.2	3.3
	Dry blending	2.8	2.9	3.0	3.1	3.2
	Surface coating	2.9	3.0	3.1	3.2	3.3

Splitting tensile strength vs APBs for different corporation (pre-soaking) method

Splitting tensile strength vs APBs for different incorporation (dry blending) method

Splitting tensile strength vs APBs incorporation (surface coating) method

Table 12:

Shrinkage vs APBs content

APBs content [%]	Incorporation method	Shrinkage (µε) at 7 days	Shrinkage (µε) at 14 days	Shrinkage (µε) at 28 days	Shrinkage (µε) at 56 days	Shrinkage (µε) at 90 days
Control	-	350	400	500	550	630
0.5	Pre-soaking	340	380	480	530	570
	Dry blending	345	390	490	540	590
	Surface coating	348	395	495	545	595
1.0	Pre-soaking	330	360	460	510	550
	Dry blending	335	365	470	520	560
	Surface coating	337	368	475	525	565
1.5	Pre-soaking	320	340	440	490	530
	Dry blending	325	345	450	500	540
	Surface coating	327	348	455	505	545
2.0	Pre-soaking	310	320	420	470	510
	Dry blending	315	325	430	480	500
	Surface coating	317	328	435	485	505
2.5	Pre-soaking	300	310	400	450	490
	Dry blending	305	315	410	460	496
	Surface coating	307	318	415	465	500
3.0	Pre-soaking	290	300	380	430	470
	Dry blending	295	305	390	440	477
	Surface coating	297	308	395	445	480
3.5	Pre-soaking	280	290	360	410	450
	Dry blending	285	295	370	420	455
	Surface coating	287	298	375	425	460
4.0	Pre-soaking	270	280	350	400	430
	Dry blending	275	285	360	410	440
	Surface coating	277	288	365	415	445
4.5	Pre-soaking	280	290	360	410	440
	Dry blending	285	298	378	427	455
	Surface coating	287	307	375	432	467
5.0	Pre-soaking	290	300	370	420	454
	Dry blending	295	305	380	430	461
	Surface coating	297	309	385	437	468

Shrinkage (micro strain) vs APBs for different incorporation (pre-soaking)

Shrinkage (micro strain) vs APBs for different incorporation (dry blending) method

Shrinkage (micro strain) vs APBs for different incorporation surface coating method conclusion

References

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/cee-2027-0016 | Journal eISSN: 2199-6512 (formerly 1336-5835) | Journal ISSN: 1336-5835

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Language: English

Submitted on: Mar 18, 2026

Accepted on: May 7, 2026

Published on: Sep 16, 2026

Published by: University of Žilina

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: 4 issues per year

Keywords:

Absorbent polymer,

Internal curing,

Drying shrinkage,

Absorbent Polymer Balls (APBs),

Mechanical properties

Related subjects:

Business and economics,

Business management,

Industries,

Environmental management

© 2026 Kamal Ali Mohammed, Nadia Moneem Al-Abdaly, Husein Ali Zeini, published by University of Žilina
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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Effect of Absorbent Polymer Balls (APBs) with Varying Contents on the Mechanical and Shrinkage Properties of Internally Cured

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