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Enhancing White and Colored Concrete With MetaMax

MetaMax is a white supplementary cementitious material that can brighten white and colored concrete. It helps produce brilliant white concrete when used with white portland cement, lightens the shade of concrete used with grey portland cement, and creates more vibrant colors when used with integrally colored concrete. MetaMax improves the aesthetics of concrete by making it brighter while also improving its functional performance, for example by increasing the albedo of concrete paving to reduce the urban heat island effect. It is compatible with mineral oxide pigments for colored concrete but can reduce the permeability of concrete, which may impact how well stains penetrate the surface. Special considerations are needed for using chemically active stains with MetaMax.

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136 views3 pages

Enhancing White and Colored Concrete With MetaMax

MetaMax is a white supplementary cementitious material that can brighten white and colored concrete. It helps produce brilliant white concrete when used with white portland cement, lightens the shade of concrete used with grey portland cement, and creates more vibrant colors when used with integrally colored concrete. MetaMax improves the aesthetics of concrete by making it brighter while also improving its functional performance, for example by increasing the albedo of concrete paving to reduce the urban heat island effect. It is compatible with mineral oxide pigments for colored concrete but can reduce the permeability of concrete, which may impact how well stains penetrate the surface. Special considerations are needed for using chemically active stains with MetaMax.

Uploaded by

m.shahbaghi
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Enhancing White and Colored Concrete with MetaMax

Unlike other supplementary cementitious materials, MetaMax HRM is white and helps
to brighten concrete. Use it with:
White portland cement to produce brilliant white concrete.
Ordinary grey portland cement to lighten the shade of the concrete.
Integrally colored concrete for more vibrant colors and hues.

MetaMax brightens white and colored concrete. Samples are made


with white portland cement; the column on the right has integral
coloring. From bottom to top, samples are made 1. without
admixtures, 2. with MetaMax HRM, 3. with silica fume, and 4. with
fly ash.
WHITE CEMENT
In addition to the aesthetic advantages of MetaMax, its white color can also improve
concretes functional performance. In concrete paving, for example, light colored
concrete has a higher albedo and reflects more of the suns energy to avoid the heatisland effect associated with dark concrete. For similar reasons, MetaMax can also
conserve energy by reducing the wattage required to illuminate spaces with light-colored
concrete paving or floors. And light-colored concrete also improves safety when used in
highway barriers and bridge abutments.
INTEGRALLY COLORED CONCRETE

MetaMax is compatible with mineral oxide pigments complying with ASTM C979
Pigments for Integrally Colored Concrete. The final appearance of colored concrete is
determined by many factors, including the color of the cementitious materials in a
mixture. Because MetaMax is white, it can lighten the appearance of concrete made with
ordinary gray portland cement. Similarly, MetaMax can brighten the appearance of
concrete made with integral colorants.

Photo Davis Colors www.daviscolors.com


Colored concrete can be significantly brightened by using white portland cement and
light colored aggregates. MetaMax can be used in white cement mixtures to the improve
the concretes strength and durability without compromising appearance.
MetaMax helps create a creamy cement paste that makes it easier to finish concrete; this
can reduce mottling and other surface blemishes to improve the appearance of concrete.
MetaMax also reduces the potential for efflorescence; a white powdery deposit that could
otherwise be especially visible against the surface of a colored concrete.
STAINED CONCRETE
Highly reactive pozzolans such as MetaMax also reduce the porosity concrete. While this
is usually a desirable feature that improves the durability of concrete, the reduced
permeability may reduce the ability of both chemically-active stains and semi-transparent
stains to penetrate beneath the surface of the concrete to fully develop color.

Special consideration must also be observed when using chemically-active stains on


concrete made with any pozzolanic admixture, including MetaMax. Pozzolans react with
calcium hydroxide (lime) produced when portland cement hydrates to form additional
cementitious binder. If a high level of pozzolans is used in a concrete mixture, most of
the calcium hydroxide could be consumed. This could reduce or even stop the color
producing reaction of chemically-active stains that require calcium hydroxide in order to
develop color.
GUIDELINES
Follow recommendations of colorant manufacturer. With any colored concrete, it is
always advisable to prepare a trial batch of concrete with proposed materials and to place,
finish, and cure the concrete using anticipated workmanship and techniques. When
feasible, prepare field mock-ups prior to continuing construction. Allow samples to cure
28 days to develop final appearance of the concrete.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Case Study: Pennsylvania Turnpike uses White Concrete with MetaMax to Improve
Safety
Case Study: Tale of Two Concretes MetaMax is used improve the brightness and
appearance of two very different types of concretes.
Brighter, Brighter, Whiter Concrete Article from Construction Specifier
Brighter and Better Concrete ACI Slide Show Lecture

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