Dry building mixes with a silica-based modifying additive

Introduction. The use of dry building mixes has broad potential for use in construction due to their stability of properties, the ability to provide a specific set of quality characteristics to the material, and reduced production waste. When developing compositions of floor dry building mixes, it is necessary to ensure high mechanical properties, reduce shrinkage deformations, crack formation, and provide high adhesion to the concrete base. Expanding the range of dry building mixes, using local raw materials and modifying additives for various functional purposes for their production is an urgent task for the construction industry. Materials and methods. To ensure the rheological and technological properties of the dry building mixes, low water demand binders were produced based on Portland cement, volcanic slag, fly ash and dry superplasticizer on a polycarboxylate basis. To regulate the technological properties and increase mechanical properties of dry building mixes, a reinforcing additive in the form of basalt fiber and nanosilica was used. Results and discussion. The compositions of self-leveling dry building mixes were optimized according to the criteria for achieving the highest mechanical properties. The water-holding capacity of the mixes, compressive and flexural strength, water absorption, crack width, abrasion, and adhesion strength to the concrete base were determined. The microstructure of the mortar was studied using scanning electron microscopy. An assessment was made of the influence of modifying additives on changes in the properties of flooring dry building mixes. Conclusion. The resulting compositions of dry building mixes comply with the requirements of state standard for self-leveling flooring building mixes. With the use of a complex of mineral, plasticizing, micro-reinforcing, nano-sized additives, high performance indicators of flooring building mixes have been achieved.