Admixture Improvement Effects on GRC Performance and Analysis of Prohibited Admixture Types

In the field of modern architectural decoration, material performance optimization and safety compliance have always been core concerns of the industry. As an industry leader with 28 years of deep expertise in UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP materials, Qinglong Group fully understands the critical role of admixtures in enhancing GRC product performance, while also clearly recognizing the potential risks that prohibited admixtures pose to engineering quality. From the dual perspectives of technical principles and engineering practice, this article analyzes the improvement mechanisms of admixtures on GRC performance, clarifies the types and hazards of prohibited admixtures, and provides professional reference for designers, owners, and contractors.

GRC Material Performance Optimization: Scientific Application and Technical Value of Admixtures

GRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete), as a lightweight, high-strength new decorative material, relies on precise admixture regulation for its performance enhancement. During design development and manufacturing, Qinglong Group has achieved breakthroughs in multiple key indicators of GRC products through the judicious selection of functional admixtures such as water reducers, retarders, and water-retaining agents. The incorporation of water reducers effectively lowers the water-cement ratio, improving compressive strength by more than 20% while maintaining workability; retarders solve construction challenges in high-temperature environments, extending initial setting time to 4-6 hours and ensuring the pouring quality of complex-shaped components; the addition of water-retaining agents reduces moisture loss of GRC slurry by 15% during transport and molding, significantly lowering the risk of surface cracking. These technical innovations are reflected not only in laboratory data but have also been verified in the GRC exterior wall panels and light-transmitting components of benchmark projects such as the Dongguan Women and Children's Activity Center and Nanjing East Road Century Plaza, fully demonstrating the comprehensive enhancement effects of admixtures on the mechanical properties, constructability, and durability of GRC materials.

Industry Red Lines: Analysis of Prohibited Admixture Types and Risk Warnings

Although admixtures are an important means of GRC performance optimization, not all additives are suitable for engineering practice. According to the Technical Standard for Building Application of Glass Fiber Reinforced Cement (GRC) (JGJ/T423-2018) and the summary of Qinglong Group's 28 years of engineering experience, the following types of admixtures are strictly prohibited: First, chloride-based accelerating hardeners, whose introduced chloride ions accelerate steel reinforcement corrosion, causing internal structural damage to GRC components and shortening service life by more than 50% in humid environments; second, rapid-setting agents with high alkali content, where excessive alkali chemically reacts with glass fibers, reducing interfacial bond strength and decreasing GRC flexural performance by 30%; third, admixtures containing harmful heavy metals or volatile organic compounds, which not only pollute the environment but also affect indoor air quality, seriously contradicting Qinglong Group's corporate philosophy of "environmental protection and innovation". Notably, some small GRC manufacturers still illegally use such admixtures in pursuit of low costs or rapid construction, which is also a major cause of quality accidents such as cracking and peeling of GRC components in the market.

Full-Chain Assurance: Qinglong GRC's Admixture Control System and Quality Commitment

As a National High-Tech Enterprise and a participant in the formulation of GRC industry standards, Qinglong Group has established a full-chain admixture control system spanning from raw material screening to finished product testing. During the design development stage, the technical team simulates the effects of different admixture combinations using BIM technology based on the climate conditions of the project location and the functional requirements of components; the manufacturing process employs automated metering systems to ensure admixture dosage errors are controlled within ±0.5%; before construction and installation, each batch of GRC components must pass 28 indicator tests including flexural strength, elastic modulus, and frost resistance, with chloride ion content strictly controlled below 0.06%. This rigorous quality control process enables Qinglong GRC products to maintain excellent durability even when facing extreme temperature differences and high-humidity environments in overseas projects such as airports in Malaysia and commercial complexes in Saudi Arabia. In line with Qinglong Group's motto of "meticulousness and the pursuit of excellence", the scientific selection and strict control of every admixture is precisely the cornerstone of GRC engineering quality assurance.

The proper application of admixtures is the "finishing touch" in enhancing GRC material performance, while firmly rejecting prohibited admixtures is the "lifeline" of engineering safety. Qinglong Group will continue to rely on its 28 years of full-chain experience and the technical advantages of its national-level R&D center to provide designers with more innovative GRC solutions and create architectural works combining aesthetic value and structural safety for owners, promoting the high-quality application of UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP materials in the architectural decoration field both domestically and internationally.