Check out these tips for cold weather concreting.
Waiting for a cold snap to break is not always an option for construction companies that need to pour concrete over the winter months. The curing process of concrete can suffer several consequences when poured in very cold weather. Specifically, cold curing can result in the degradation of sustainability and integrity of concrete meaning it’s less stable and more prone to breakage. There are a few different options for making cold weather curing possible which we will go over today.
Methods For Winter Concreting
During the winter season, the potential for rapid freezing before the concrete has fully set is a serious threat to the construction process. There have been a few methods that fight this and have been proven to help concrete cure in the cold successfully. Most work in one of two ways- either speeding the curing process or keeping the entire area heated to allow for slower, normalized drying time. Chemical additives like concrete accelerators can be provided within a cold weather concrete mix, or chemicals can be mixed into the concrete at the construction site. Alternatives include covering the concrete with insulating blankets, film cover, straw, and burlap, or electric powered heating blankets.
Disadvantages
Unfortunately, concrete accelerators and chemicals can come with a variety of side effects that are less than desirable. These have a dehydrating and corrosive nature that can cause the concrete to cure too quickly, resulting in a lack of strength. This issue can also cause the concrete to be more prone to cracks and damage.
Recommended Methods
With the downsides of chemical methods in mind, it’s often better to stick with covering methods. Heated blankets, in particular, are a highly effective method. Not only will they help concrete to cure 2.8 times faster without any disadvantages, but there are also no harsh side effects that you will need to counteract.
Maintenance You Can Trust from PTG Enterprises
If you want to protect your pavement and ensure it has a long lifespan, choose PTG Enterprises for your community sidewalks, parking lots and pavement maintenance needs. We offer commercial concrete, asphalt, masonry, paving, consultation and survey report services throughout Baltimore, Harford, Anne Arundel, Howard, and P.G. Counties. If you are interested in hearing how we can help you, contact us online or give us a call at (410) 636-8777. For more tips and tricks, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Google+, and Flickr.
Tags: Baltimore, Concrete, Pavement Maintenance, PTG Enterprises
