Working in extreme heat? Temperature differentials between the concrete and the ambient environment can have very negative impacts on concrete strength and quality.
Building in summer?
Concrete curing in high ambient temperatures (above 32°C) is at risk of uneven and defective hydration. This in turn potentially results in excessive cracking and long-term durability issues. But thermal curing protection doesn’t just refer to the air temperature.
Building with depth?
Mass concrete such as thick foundations on wind turbines, runway pavement, and bridge headstocks can create high heat in the centre of the concrete – this is due to concrete’s self-generated heat of hydration. When the temperature differential between the core and the surface is too great, the surface cooling at a higher rate than the core can contract and crack. This is called Thermal Cracking, may result in lower structural durability.
What is the solution?
Many methods of insulating the curing concrete are time-consuming and difficult.
Curing with a compound can be messy, with a lot of use-once-only wastage.
MARKHAM offers CONQOR TCB, the effective and easy-to-use solution to maintaining curing temperatures in concrete.
This lightweight cover is easy to install, can be re-used many times over, and is also available in custom shapes or sizes.
- Protect against low or high temperatures
- Durability enhanced – allows the concrete to achieve the desired strength in a shorter time frame.
- CONQOR TCB will protect the concrete while curing.
- CONQOR TCB reduces the temperature differential between the core and surface curing temperatures.
- CONQOR TCB also assists in reducing shrinkage, from ambient temperatures and windy conditions.
Use Thermal Curing Blankets to even the temperature differential – this will allow the core and surface of mass concrete to cool and contract at a closer rate.
For regular slabs in hot weather, the protection that the blanket provides will reduce evaporation rates, reducing the likelihood of shrinkage cracking.
And for cold weather – hold onto the blankets for winter!
At temperatures below 10°C, concrete strength takes a longer curing period to achieve. For example, concrete cured at 10°C takes twice as long to achieve compressive strength as concrete cured at 22°C. By maintaining curing temperatures in cold weather, the quality and strength of concrete can be achieved more quickly. This is also achieved with CONQOR TCB.
Curing concrete in extreme temperatures? Contact us today!
Header photo by Fabio Partenheimer from Pexels
