Page 15 - ICJ Jan 2026

TECHNICAL PAPER

performance-based design practices. Additional IS: 1199 and durability enhancers and integral waterproofing additives
IS: 516 standards are under development to further support remain outside its scope. Testing requirements also do not fully
comprehensive assessment of fresh and hardened concrete address compatibility with SCM-rich binders, high-performance
properties. Some of the IS: 1199 standards that are under the concrete, ultra-low w/b ratios, or long-term durability
stage of formulation are as follows: performance. Moreover, IS: 9103 is not fully harmonized with
international frameworks such as ASTM C494, ASTM C260,
Standard Title
ASTM C1582, EN 934 series, or ISO admixture standards, which
IS: 1199 Part 8 Determination of water soluble and acid soluble
chlorides in fresh mortar and concrete provide broader classification, clearer performance criteria
IS: 1199 Part 9 Field tests for capturing heat signature and pumpability and more rigorous testing protocols. These gaps highlight the
urgent need for a comprehensive scientific revision of IS: 9103
New standards related to IS: 516 that are under the to incorporate advanced admixture chemistry, performance-
development stage based upon the work carried out at NCCBM based evaluation, durability‑driven specifications and global
are as follows: harmonization, ensuring that Indian concrete practice remains

aligned with international standards. As discussed in 3.7 w.r.t
Standard Title
advancement in the field of chemical admixtures, it is proposed
IS: 516 Part 1/Sec1 Determination of compressive strength of to draft standards to cover recent advances in the field of
concrete using portions of beams broken in
flexure (Equivalent cube method) chemical admixtures, they are as follows:
IS: 516 Part 2/Sec8 Test method for electrical indication of concrete’s
ability to resist chloride ion penetration Standard Title
IS: 516 Part 2/Sec9 Determination of chloride diffusion coefficient IS: 9103 Part 1 Specification for normal, mid‑range, and high‑range
water-reducing admixtures for concrete
IS: 516 Part 3 Making, curing and determining compressive
strength of accelerated cured concrete test IS: 9103 Part 2 Specification for accelerator, set‑retarder and
specimens extended set-controller admixtures for concrete
IS: 516 Part 5/Sec5 Concrete cover measurement IS: 9103 Part 3 Specification for viscosity modifying admixtures
including anti wash out admixtures for concrete
IS: 516 Part 5/Sec7 Creep of concrete cylinders in compression
IS: 9103 Part 4 Specification for air entraining admixtures for concrete
IS: 516 Part 8/Sec2 Determination of modulus of elasticity by IS: 9103 Part 5 Specification for shrinkage reducing admixtures for
electrodynamic method
concrete
IS: 516 Part 9/Sec1 Determination of wear resistance : Underwater IS: 9103 Part 6 Specification for corrosion inhibitor for concrete
concrete
IS: 9103 Part 7 Specification for permeability reducing admixtures for
IS: 516 Part 9/Sec2 Determination of wear resistance : Pavement concrete
concrete by revolving disc method
IS: 516 Part 12 Determination of water soluble and acid soluble 4.7 Revision/formulation of standards
chlorides in hardened mortar and concrete
for thermal properties of concrete and
IS: 516 Part2/Sec5 Surface resistivity of concrete temperature control of mass concrete
IS: 516 Part2/Sec6 Bulk resistivity of concrete Indian Standards on thermal properties and temperature
IS: 516 Part2/Sec7 Volume of permeable voids and determination of control in mass concrete-covering dams, deep rafts, and piled
permeability
foundations-require a shift from empirical rules to performance-
4.6 Revision of IS: 9103 specifications of based management. Current codes such as IS: 456, IS: 16700,
IS: 2911, and IS: 14591 provide limited guidance on hydration
chemical admixtures for concrete
heat, thermal diffusivity, cracking risk, staged construction,
IS: 9103, first published in 1979 and revised in 1999 with later and soil-structure restraint, lagging behind international
updated in 2013 and 2022, reflects the evolution of concrete references like USACE EM 1110-2-2201, ACI 207, and ICOLD
admixture technology but still has significant scientific Bulletins. Advances in hydration modelling, finite‑element
limitations. The standard continues to focus mainly on water thermal analysis, and low-heat binders demand explicit
reducers, superplasticizers and set-controlling admixtures, standards addressing heat of hydration, thermal conductivity,
while important modern categories such as corrosion inhibitors, creep-shrinkage interaction, construction sequencing, and
viscosity‑modifying admixtures (VMA), rheology modifiers, differentiation between transient and steady-state thermal
permeability-reducing admixtures (PRA), shrinkage reducers, stresses. Comprehensive revisions are therefore needed

94 THE INDIAN CONCRETE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2026