A method of producing cementitious mixtures containing fly ash as one of
the cementitious components, under air entrainment conditions. The method
involves forming a mixture comprising water, cement, fly ash, optionally
other cementitious materials, aggregate, conventional chemical
admixtures, and an air entrainment agent and agitating the mixture to
entrain air therein. Additionally, at least one sacrificial agent is also
included in the mixture. The sacrificial agent is a material or mixture
of materials that is not required to act as an air entrainment agent but
interacts preferentially with components of the fly ash that otherwise
neutralize, repress or depress the activity of the air entrainment agent.
The invention includes cementitious mixtures and hardened concretes
resulting from the method and fly ash treated with sacrificial agent, or
air entrainment agent/sacrificial agent combinations, and processes for
selecting suitable sacrificial agents.