One theory suggests that when the concrete mixture contains sugar, the sugarmolecules attach themselves to the hydrating cement and inhibit the chemicalreactions involved in stiffening. ... Hydration slows down the process and theconcrete takes longer to set. For this reason, sugar is known as a retarder.

One theory suggests that when the concrete mixture contains sugar, the sugarmolecules attach themselves to the hydrating cement and inhibit the chemicalreactions involved in stiffening. ... Hydration slows down the process and theconcrete takes longer to set. For this reason, sugar is known as a retarder.

In the case of sugar, the setting process is slowed down because it interferes with the chemical reaction that causes cement to set when water is added. Concrete is made using cement, which is a combination of crushed and heated limestone, clay and gypsum; aggregate, such as gravel and sand; and water

Conference Paper Effect of Sugar on Setting-Time and Compressive Strength of Concrete

Thank you so much Nirmala S.V.S.G ma'am for the answer. This helped much.

Nirmala S.V.S.G has put it very well. May I add: surface reactions related to the dissolution and re-precipitation are extremely complex and often the mechanisms are not exactly known or not quantifiable using known methods. If you can develop a way to quantify these phenomena, I know we'd all be very grateful!

Yonathan Reches True. This might be a good topic to study on.

Following

Adding water causes a chemical reaction called hydration, where hydrogen from the water combines with calcium, sulphate, aluminium and silicon from the cement.Sugar, however, is composed of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen atoms which can interfere with the hydration process by binding with the minerals and slow down the reaction.

Thank you Mr. Pawan Bhattarai for your lucid explanation.