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Influence of superplasticiser additives on the properties of high-performance concrete: a systematic review Cover

Influence of superplasticiser additives on the properties of high-performance concrete: a systematic review

Open Access
|Dec 2025

Figures & Tables

Fig. 1:

Graphical representation of the PRISMA method.
Source: Authors. PRISMA, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses; WoS, Web of Science.
Graphical representation of the PRISMA method. Source: Authors. PRISMA, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses; WoS, Web of Science.

Fig. 2:

Appraisal of the AMSTAR 2 critical domains (N = 75).
Source: Authors.
Appraisal of the AMSTAR 2 critical domains (N = 75). Source: Authors.

Fig. 3:

Network diagram of keyword co-occurrence analysis.
Source: Software VOSviever.
Network diagram of keyword co-occurrence analysis. Source: Software VOSviever.

Fig. 4:

Nube de palabras clave.
Source: Bibliometrix.
Nube de palabras clave. Source: Bibliometrix.

Fig. 5:

Journals with the highest impact.
Source: Bibliometrix.
Journals with the highest impact. Source: Bibliometrix.

Fig. 6:

Type of research.
Source: Authors.
Type of research. Source: Authors.

Fig. 7:

Thematic map.
Source: Bibliometrix.
Thematic map. Source: Bibliometrix.

Fig. 8:

Analysis of correspondence.
Source: Bibliometrix.
Analysis of correspondence. Source: Bibliometrix.

Classification and comparative analysis of superplasticiser additives_

Additive typeChemical familyDosage Range (by binder)*Typical Price (US$/kg)**Compressive strength gain (70)***Key featuresAdvantagesDisadvantages
Polycarboxylate etherPolycarboxylate0.5%–1.5%2.0–4.0Upto+80%Highest water reduction, rapid dispersion, most favoured for UHPC/SCCProvides greater water reduction (upto 357%–487%), low slump loss, and greater rheological control.High cost; can cause segregation if overdosed.
Naphthalene sulphonateNaphthalene formaldehyde0.4%–1.2%1.5–2.2+30%–60%High water reduction, rapid initial strength, moderate slump retentionGood cost/performance ratio, improved workability and mix compatibility.Lower water reduction efficiency than PCE and greater tendency to slump loss in hot mixes.
LignosulphonateLignin derivative0.2%–0.8%0.7–1.0+15%–30%Limited strength gain, mostly for workability improvementOpción económica para mejorar la trabajabilidadLower water reduction and low strength gain compared to PCE and SNF.

Excluded documents from the analysis_

TitleType of materialUse and type of admixtures/additionsExclusion criteria
Multiscale X-ray tomography of cementitious materials: A review (Brisard et al. 2020)Conventional concreteNot applicableInclusion of elements not relevant to the research: focus on X-ray tomography techniques and applications.
Sustainable composite material based on surface-modified rape straw and environment-friendly adhesive (Dušek et al. 2021)Construction material other than concreteUse of sodium lignosulfonate-based adhesive as a binderInclusion of elements not relevant to the research: does not include concrete in its experimental design.
Evaluation of UV aging resistance of bitumen containing lignosulfonate grafted layered double hydroxides (He et al. 2023)PavementUse of layered double hydroxides grafted with lignosulfonate (LS-g-LMB)Inclusion of elements not relevant to the research: does not include concrete in its experimental design.
PaHs sorption to biochar colloids changes their mobility over time (Yang et al. 2021b)BiocharNaphthalene as a PAHInclusion of elements not relevant to the research: does not include concrete in its experimental design.
Sonocatalytic removal of naphthalene from an aqueous solution using ZnO nanoparticles (Suresh et al. 2022)NaphthaleneNot applicableInclusion of elements not relevant to the research: does not include concrete in its experimental design.
Structural build-up and breakdown of alkali-activated slag pastes with different order of lignosulfonate and activator addition (Bílek et al. 2023)LignosulfonateAAS pastesInclusion of elements not relevant to the research: does not include concrete in its experimental design.
Compressive behavior of large-size square PEN FRP-concrete-steel hybrid multi-tube concrete columns (Bai et al. 2021a)Hybrid multi-tube concrete column (MTCC)Not applicableInclusion of elements not relevant to the research: does not include concrete as the main subject of study, nor the use of superplasticizer admixtures.
PaHs (naphthalene) removal from stormwater runoff by organoclay amended pervious concrete (Shang and Sun 2019)Permeable concrete (MGPC)Not applicableInclusion of elements not relevant to the research: use of MGPC for substantial pollutant removal.
Evaluation of the impact of fiber reinforcement on the durability of lignosulfonate stabilized clayey sand under wet-dry condition (Roshan et al. 2020)LignosulfonateClayey sandInclusion of elements not relevant to the research: material type different from concrete and its derivatives.
Strength and post-freeze-thaw behavior of a marl soil modified by lignosulfonate and polypropylene fiber: An environmentally friendly approach (Vakili et al. 2022)LignosulfonateModified mango soilInclusion of elements not relevant to the research: material type different from concrete and its derivatives.
The effect of adding polypropylene fibers on the freeze-thaw cycle durability of lignosulfonate stabilised clayey sand (Roshan et al. 2022)LignosulfonateClayey sandInclusion of elements not relevant to the research: material type different from concrete and its derivatives.
Performance of calcium lignosulfonate as a stabiliser of highly expansive clay (Fernández et al. 2021)Highly expansive claysLignosulfonateInclusion of elements not relevant to the research: material type different from concrete and its derivatives.
Behavioral evaluation on the engineering properties of lignin-stabilized loess: Reuse of renewable materials (Dong et al. 2023)Not specifiedLigninInclusion of elements not relevant to the research: material type different from concrete and its derivatives.
High-performance naphthalene epoxy resins cured by catalyst for packaging materials (Liu et al. 2022)ResinsNaphthaleneInclusion of elements not relevant to the research: material type different from concrete and its derivatives.

Summary of results according to the search strategy_

TitleYearJournalReferenceKeywords
Recycling of steel fibres and spent equilibrium catalyst in ultra-high-performance concrete: Literature review, research gaps, and future development2021Construction and Building MaterialsAbdolpour et al. (2021)HPC, steel fiber, recycling, sustainable development.
Factors affecting the price of recycled concrete: A critical review2021Journal of Building EngineeringMa et al. (2022)Recycled concrete price, recycling, critical review.
Precast concrete sandwich panels (PCSP): An analytical review and evaluation of CO2 equivalent2022Construction and Building MaterialsFaria Oliveira et al. (2022)PCSP, thermal performance, mechanical performance.
The role of performance metrics in comparative LCA of concrete mixtures incorporating solid waste: A critical review and guideline proposal2022Waste ManagementHossein et al. (2022)LCA, concrete, functional equivalence, uncertainty, solid waste management.
Adopting recycled aggregates as sustainable construction materials: A review of the scientific literature2019Construction and Building MaterialsChen et al. (2019)Circular economy, recycled aggregate, construction waste, sustainable concrete, literature review.
Recycled fibers in reinforced concrete: A systematic literature review2019Journal of Cleaner ProductionMerli et al. (2020)Concrete, recycled fiber, fiber-reinforced concrete, sustainability, circular economy.
Investigation of the Cementing Efficiency of Fly Ash Activated by Microsilica in Low-Cement Concrete2023MaterialsDvorkin et al. (2023)Additives, calculation, cementation efficiency, experimental-statistical models, low-cement concrete.
Multi-response optimization on hydrated calcium aluminate rich ternary binders using Taguchi design of experiments and principal component analysis2023BuildingsMyftarago et al. (2023)Experimental design, hydration, Taguchi design, polycarboxylate superplasticizer.
The effects of silica fume and superplasticizer type on the properties and microstructure of reactive powder concrete2023MaterialsŠoukal et al. (2023)Reactive powder concrete, silica fume, superplasticizer, UHPC.
Mix proportion optimization and early strength development in modified foam concrete: an experimental study2023Materials Research Express.Shi et al. (2023)Compressive strength, matrix analysis, optimization combination, orthogonal experiment.
Calcined clays from Nigeria—Properties and performance of supplementary cementitious materials suitable for producing level 1 concrete2023MaterialsMuhammad et al. (2023)Hydration mechanism, workability, metakaolin, superplasticizer.
Investigation of the use of waste mineral additives in ultra-high-performance concrete2023GradjevinarMemiş and Ramroom (2023)Compressive strength, polycarboxylate ether-based superplasticizer, steel fiber, UHPC.
Engineering properties of green and ecofriendly grouting materials with different sand filling ratios2023MaterialsJuang and Kuo (2023)Superplasticizers, workability, compressive strength, density, polycarboxylate.
Utilization of fly ash as a viscosity-modifying agent to produce cost-effective, self-compacting concrete: A sustainable solution2022SustainabilityHameed et al. (2022)Fly ash, SCC, viscosity-modifying admixture, waste management.
The mechanism of anticorrosion performance and mechanical property differences between seawater sea-sand and freshwater river-sand ultra-high-performance polymer cement mortar (UHPC)2022PolymersLi et al. (2022)Anticorrosion analysis, material characterization, UHPC, compressive strength, polycarboxylate.
Using experimental statistical models for predicting strength and deformability of self-compacting concrete with ground blast-furnace slag2022MaterialsZhitkovsky et al. (2022)SCC, blast furnace slag, experimental-statistical model, modulus of elasticity, superplasticizer, polycarboxylate.
Sulphate corrosion mechanism of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) prepared with seawater and sea sand2022PolymersSun et al. (2022)UHPC, sulfate corrosion, corrosion analysis, polycarboxylate.
Workability and mechanical properties of superplasticized microfine cement grouts2022MaterialsSha et al. (2022)Rheological behavior, superplasticizer, naphthalene, polycarboxylate.
Effect of the mix composition with superplasticizer admixture on mechanical properties of high–strength concrete based on reactive powders2022Archives of Civil EngineeringSiwiński et al. (2022)Concrete design, high-strength concrete, reactive powder concrete, ductility, superplasticizer, polycarboxylate, modified polycarboxylate.
Statistical analysis on mechanical behavior of ternary blended high strength concrete2022Cement, WapnoRobinson and Srisanthi (2022)Fly ash, high-strength concrete, mini slump, silica fume, polycarboxylate.
Utilization of acacia modesta gum powder as viscosity-modifying agent in self-compacting paste systems2022Engineering ProceedingsMalik and Rizwan (2022)Compressive strength, SCC paste, viscosity-modifying admixture.
Workability adjustment and sensitivity of different fine cement mixtures to polycarboxylate ether-based superplasticizer2022Journal of Applied Engineering ScienceHussein et al. (2022)Compressive strength, polycarboxylate ether-based superplasticizer, silica fume, workability.
Evaluations of all-in-one, polycarboxylate-based superplasticizers with viscosity modifying agents for the application of normal-strength, high-fluidity concrete2021Applied SciencesKong et al. (2021)High-flow concrete, polycarboxylate-based superplasticizer, rheology, viscosity, workability.
Particle size effect of oyster shell on mortar: Experimental investigation and modeling2021MaterialsLiao et al. (2021)Compressive strength, flexural strength, mortar, modulus of elasticity.
A comprehensive study on the hardening features and performance of self-compacting concrete with high-volume fly ash and slag2021MaterialsYang et al. (2021a)Fly ash, chloride permeability, SCC, polycarboxylate, viscosity modifier.
Effect of ultrafine metakaolin on the properties of mortar and concrete2021CrystalsZhang et al. (2021)Durability, silica fume, ultrafine metakaolin, polycarboxylate, compressive and tensile strength.
Essential improvements in gypsum mortar characteristics2021International Journal of EngineeringHashempour et al. (2021)Cement, compressive strength, mortar, nano silica, polycarboxylate.
Experimental contribution to the study of the physic-mechanical behavior and durability of high-performance concretes based on ternary binder (cement, silica fume and granulated2021Frattur ed Integrita StrutturaleRahim et al. (2021)Durability, environment, GGBFS, HPC, silica fume, polycarboxylate.
Evaluation of the influence of the viscosity modifying admixture on the properties of self-compacting concrete2021Revista Materiade Oliveira Evaristo et al. (2021)SCC, superplasticizer, viscosity modifier.
An experimental assessment of the water permeability of concrete with a superplasticizer and admixtures2020MaterialsSkutnik et al. (2020)Admixtures, permeability coefficient, compressive strength, superplasticizer, polycarboxylate.
Effect of multicomponent modifier on the properties of cement pastes formulated from self-compacting concrete2020Magazine of Civil EngineeringMarshdi et al. (2020)Cement paste, GGBFS, rheological properties, SCC, shrinkage-reducing admixture, superplasticizer.
Hydration and mechanical properties of UHPC matrix containing limestone and different levels of metakaolin2020Construction and Building MaterialsMo et al. (2020)Hydration process, limestone filler, compressive strength, metakaolin, UHPC.
Reactive powder concrete containing basalt fibers: Strength, abrasion and porosity2020MaterialsGrzeszczyk et al. (2020)Basalt fibers, porosity, reactive powder concrete, compressive strength, polycarboxylate, flexural strength.
Combination of polymeric superplasticizers, water repellents and pozzolanic agents to improve air lime-based grouts for historic masonry repair2020PolymersGonzález-Sánchez et al. (2020)Polymeric superplasticizers, compressive strength, fluidity, stability, durability, polycarboxylate, micro silica, metakaolin.
Evaluation of chloride resistance of early-strength concrete using blended binder and polycarboxylate-based chemical admixture2020Applied SciencesLee and Lee (2020)Chloride resistance, durability, Portland cement, early strength, GGBFS.
Investigation of the incompatibilities of cement and superplasticizers and their influence on the rheological behavior2020MaterialsPott et al. (2020)Hydration, superplasticizer incompatibility, penetration, rheology, flow test.
Effect of temperature on early-age properties of self-consolidating concrete equivalent mortar2020Rilem Technical LettersFarzadnia et al. (2020)Early-age properties, SCC, temperature, compressive strength, polycarboxylate.
Performance evaluation of commercial superplasticizing additives based on polycarboxylate on the mechanical and microstructural properties of Portland cement pastes2020Revista MateriaRibero et al. (2020)Polycarboxylate, Portland cement, superplasticizer, performance.
Effects of retarding admixture, superplasticizer and supplementary cementitious material on the rheology and mechanical properties of high strength calcium sulfoaluminate cement paste2020Journal of Advanced Concrete TechnologyKe and Zhang (2020)Cements, elasticity, fly ash, silica fume, polycarboxylate, superplasticizer, water/cement ratio.
Introduction of calcium lignosulfonate to delay aging in bituminous mixtures2023Construction and Building MaterialsZiaee et al. (2023)Calcium lignosulfonate, fracture, flexural test.
The pros and cons of using calcium lignosulfonate as a recycled anti-aging additive on engineering properties of bituminous mastics2021Case Studies in Construction MaterialsFatemi et al. (2021)Calcium lignosulfonate, recycled anti-aging admixture, rheological behavior, fatigue failure.
Insights into the efficiency loss of naphthalene superplasticizer in alkali-activated slag pastes2023Journal of Building EngineeringTian et al. (2023)NS, alkali-activated slag, solubility, stability, diffusion.
Crushed rocks stabilized with organo-silane and lignosulfonate in pavement unbound layers: Repeated load triaxial tests2021Frontiers of Structural and Civil EngineeringBarbieri et al. (2021)Lignosulfonate, crushed rocks, pavement layers, repeated load triaxial test, finite element analysis.
Organosilane and lignosulfonate as innovative stabilization techniques for crushed rocks used in road unbound layers2020Transportation GeotechnicsBarbieri et al. (2020)Lignosulfonate, pavement, repeated load triaxial test, dynamic cone penetrometer.
Mix design of the green self-consolidating concrete: Incorporating the waste glass powder2019Construction and Building MaterialsHendi et al. (2019)Sodium lignosulfonate plasticizer, green SCC, glass powder, mix design.
A novel low-density thermal insulation gypsum reinforced with superplasticizers2021Construction and Building MaterialsCao et al. (2021)Thermal insulating gypsum, polycarboxylate superplasticizer, sulfonated naphthalene formaldehyde, superplasticizers, hydration, adsorption.
Mechanical behavior of large-rupture-strain (LRS) polyethylene naphthalene fiber bundles at different strain rates and temperatures2021Construction and Building MaterialsBai et al. 2021b)Strain rate, temperature effect, polyethylene naphthalene fiber, tensile mechanical properties.
Research of nano-modified plain cement concrete mixtures and cement-based concrete2023Research of nano-modified plain cement concrete mixtures and cement-based concreteYang et al. (2023)Concrete, cement, nano-modification, polymeric admixture, carbon nanotubes.
Structural behavior of ultra-high strength concrete columns reinforced with basalt bars under axial loading2023International Journal of Concrete Structures an MaterialsEl-Sayed et al. (2023)UHPC, compressive strength.
Fundamental insights into the compressive and flexural response of binder- and aggregate-optimized ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC)2019Cement and Concrete CompositesArora et al. (2019)UHPC, compressive strength, flexural strength, critical stress states.

Summary of articles ranked by total citations_

ReferenceYearTitleCitations
Arora et al. (2019)2019Fundamental insights into the compressive and flexural response of binder- and aggregate-optimized ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC)89
Mo et al. (2020)2020Hydration and mechanical properties of UHPC matrix containing limestone and different levels of metakaolin74
Hendi et al. (2019)2019Mix design of the green self-consolidating concrete: Incorporating the waste glass powder60
Pott et al. (2020)2020Investigation of the incompatibilities of cement and superplasticizers and their influence on the rheological behavior26
Ke and Zhang (2020)2020Effects of retarding admixture, superplasticizer and supplementary cementitious material on the rheology and mechanical properties of high strength calcium sulfoaluminate21
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/otmcj-2025-0015 | Journal eISSN: 1847-6228 | Journal ISSN: 1847-5450
Language: English
Page range: 260 - 278
Submitted on: Dec 11, 2024
|
Accepted on: Oct 27, 2025
|
Published on: Dec 31, 2025
Published by: University of Zagreb
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 1 issue per year

© 2025 María Yazmín Abril-Fernández, Óscar Gutiérrez-Junco, Juan José Alarcon, published by University of Zagreb
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.