The effect of treatment way of wash water form ready-mixed concrete plant on the properties of mortar

The settling time of wash water from a ready-mixed concrete plant in a tank will affect its solid content and ion concentrations, which will further influence the properties of new concrete mixed using that wash water. However, the effects of settling time and ion concentration have received scant attention. A method of simulating wash water formation in a ready-mixed concrete plant was provided in this article. Different settling times were designed, and a retarding component (RC) was added to change the solid content and ionic concentrations. The fluidity, strength, and hydration of mortar mixed with wash water were studied. The results show that a long wash water settling time can improve the strength of mortar, but the RC will increase the solid content and reduce the ion concentrations in the wash water. As a result, a longer settling time is required. In a word, a suitable wash water settling time is beneficial to mortar properties.