Hot weather concreting
Hot weather concreteing. Higher temperatures for the fresh concrete will lead to more rapid hydration and higher early age maximum temperatures.
For sole traders, students and anyone interested in concrete.
Assessing as-struck in-situ concrete surface finishes
Assessing the quality of concrete surface finishes is a matter of opinion since it is subjective rather than objective.
Surface finish quality
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Dark discolouration on smooth formed concrete surfaces (mottling)
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Superabsorbent Polymers
Superabsorbent Polymers (SAPs) can act as internal curing agents in concrete. They absorb and store much more water than their own weight and form a system of evenly distributed water-filled cavities in the hardened cement paste. The concept has been explored for over 20 years but there are currently no commercially available systems for concrete.
CUSUM (cumulative sum control chart)
CUSUM (or cumulative sum control chart) is a sequential analysis statistical technique developed in the 1950s and widely used in the concrete industry.
Entrained air – BS 8500 requirements
For freeze-thaw resisting concrete, the minimum specified entrained air content depends on the maximum aggregate size and is shown below. The allowable test result range is also given.
Adding water to ready-mixed concrete
Generally, it is not a good idea to add extra water to ready-mixed concrete once it has arrived on site.
Surface regularity – Free and Defined Movement
In warehouses the materials handling equipment (MHE) such as forklifts, counterbalance trucks etc, operate in two distinct areas of traffic movement; Free movement and Defined movement.
Surface regularity – straightedge method
The current method is described in BS 8204 Screeds, bases and in situ floorings, which uses a 2m long straightedge placed directly in contact with the surface and the maximum deviations below the straightedge recorded.