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FUNDAMENTALS OF CONCRETE. Presented By: Kevin J. Brigandi Construction Services Department Manager kjbrigandi@terracon.com Debra A. Nunes Construction Services Department Manager danunes@terracon.com. CONCRETE BASICS. Uses of Concrete:
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FUNDAMENTALS OF CONCRETE Presented By: Kevin J. Brigandi Construction Services Department Manager kjbrigandi@terracon.com Debra A. Nunes Construction Services Department Manager danunes@terracon.com
CONCRETE BASICS • Uses of Concrete: • Concrete can be formed in almost any color, shape and texture, while serving as an acoustic and thermal barrier • Concrete can be placed in all environments and conditions • Concrete is resistant to fire, chemical exposure and weather • Concrete is environmentally safe and recyclable • Concrete is efficient to construction and can be produced with a variety of durability characteristics and strengths
How Should Concrete Be Specified? • Strength • Water / Cement Ratio • Air % • Minimum Cement Factor • Slump / Durability
Water / Cement Ratio Calculations 30 Gal 8.33 lb. 250 lb. ----------- X ------------ = ---------- = .44 W/C 6 Sack 94 lb. 564 lb.
Nominal max size of aggregate, in. Severe Exposure Moderate Exposure Mild Exposure 5 Less than 3/8 9 7 3/8 7.5 6 4.5 1/2 7 5.5 4 3/4 6 5 3.5 1 6 4.5 3 1-1/2 5.5 4.5 2.5 2 5 4 2 Entraining Air in Concrete
Concrete Quality Control • All Field Technicians should be certified • And have a working knowledge of the following ASTM standards: • C31 • C1064 • C143 • C172 • C173 • C231 • C138
ASTM C 172:Standard Method for Sampling Freshly Mixed Concrete • Sample from middle portion of the batch • Sample at two or more regularly spaced intervals, not to exceed 15 min • Combine and remix sample thoroughly • Cover Sample to protect from drying
ASTM C 143:Standard Test Method for Slump of Portland Cement Concrete
ASTM C 231: Standard Test Method for Air Content of Freshly Mixed Concrete by the Pressure Method
ASTM C 173:Standard Test method for Air Content of Freshly Mixed Concrete by the Volumetric Method
Basic Techniques for Finishing Flatwork • Strike-off • Bull Floating • Darbying • Floating • Troweling • Brooming • Jointing • Edging • Curing
Curing • Performed as soon as possible after final finishing is completed • Performed to prevent the loss of moisture from concrete • Helps in maintaining a favorable concrete temperature for a definite period of time • Will make concrete stronger • More impermeable • More resistant to stress • More resistant to abrasion • More resistant to freezing and thawing conditions
Curing Methods and Materials • Ponding or immersion • Spraying or Fogging • Wet Coverings • Impervious Paper • Plastic Sheets* • Membrane-Forming Curing Compounds • Steam • Insulating Blankets or Covers *discoloration can occur if not used properly
Common Concrete Problems Discoloration Dusting Cracking Plastic shrinkage cracking Crazing Scaling Curling Blisters Delamination Pop Outs
Prevention of Discoloration • Do not Use Calcium Chloride • Type, kind and condition of formwork • can influence color • Eliminate “Burning” of concrete • Proper curing - Caution with Plastic • Uniform sub-grade moisture
What is Dusting? Powders under any type of traffic Easily scratched with a nail or even by sweeping Very weak wearing surface
What Causes Dusting? • Finishing operation performed while bleed water is on the surface or before bleeding has finished • Insufficient curing • Placement of non-absorptive sub grade or polyethylene vapor barrier • Floating/Troweling after the condensation of moisture from warm humid air is on cold concrete
Prevention of Dusting • Do not place concrete directly on polyethylene vapor barriers or non-absorptive sub grades • Proper curing • Cold weather concrete practices • Vent exhaust to the outside to provide adequate ventilation
Cracking The one thing I can guarantee is that your concrete will crack!
Repairing Scaled Concrete • Clean surface thoroughly • Resurface • Repair mortar • Portland Cement concrete
What Is Curling? Slab Curling The distortion of a slab into a curved shape due to temperature gradients throughout the depth of the concrete
Why Do Slabs Curl? Other Factors That Cause Curling: Bleeding / Poor curing / Joint spacing Shrinkage of the top relative to the bottom of the slab Moisture gradients in slab Temperature gradients within the slab
Minimization of Curling • Lowest practical slump • Largest practical aggregate size • Largest practical aggregate content • Avoid excessive bleeding • Avoid vapor barriers • Avoid higher than needed cement contents • Proper Curing • Adequate Joint spacing • Increase Slab Thickness
Blisters An irregular hollow bump that appears on the surface during or right after finishing operations
How Do You Prevent Blisters? • Delay final finish as long as possible • Avoid surface drying • Initial float done with flat blades
Delaminations • The top 1/8 inch of the surface is densified and separated from the base slab by a thin layer of air or water • Forms during final troweling • Most frequent in early spring and late fall
What Are Pop Outs? A Conical Fragment that breaks out of the surface
Green Concrete Technology Benefits of Pervious Concrete • Environmental Benefits • Economic Benefits • Structural Benefits
Mix Designs of Pervious Concrete • Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) • Coarse Aggregates • Water • Admixtures
Testing and Inspection of Pervious Concrete • Density Testing (ASTM C29) • No Slump • No Air
Self Consolidating Concrete • The use of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) has grown tremendously since its inception in the 1980s. • Because of the material performance in its fresh state, the existing testing methods for conventional concrete are no longer suitable for SCC.
Mix Designs for SCC • SCC mixtures can be designed to provide the required hardened concrete properties for an application, similar to regular concrete.