Study of casting gypsum properties with addition of a water-repellent additive

Abstract

Gypsum is a widely used material in civil construction, but its use is restricted to areas with low humidity or water action. The study shows the influence of the application of a commercial water-repellent additive in production of gypsum pastes. The total immersion water absorption test defined the contents used for the characterization of fresh and hardened plasters. The water absorption decreased in 1.0% and returned to increase in 2.0%, revealing that the optimal content of the water repellent used must be between 0.3% and 1.0% According to the capillary water absorption test, the water repellent additive showed the best results when used the content of 1.0% and was classified as water-preventive. The compressive strength decreased by 3.6% and the surface hardness by up to 6.2% in the pastes, when compared to the reference ones. The additive caused a change in the properties of gypsum pastes in the fresh and hardened state. The waterproofing barrier was not verified, the use of higher levels of water repellent may be unfeasible due to the high cost of the additive.