Temperature problems in concreting

Main Reference 1. Neville A et al "Concrete Technology", revised reprint 1990, Longman Scientific and Technical. (Chapters 2, 9, 10 and 13 are particularly relevant). 2. Sample specification concerning the requirement for temperature in concrete (attached). Concept and data related to temperature problem Specific heat (capacity): energy (heat) required to raise temperature of a material of unit mass by one degree. Normal Concrete: 1~1.5 kJ/kgC. Water 1 Cal/kgC = 4.18 kJ/kgC Latent heat: heat lost or gained when a substance change state (e.g. from liquid to vapour) without change of temperature. Coefficient of thermal expansion (10-6/C): Concrete: gravel 12, granite 9, limestone 6 Cement paste: 11 ~ 20 Temperature problems associated with heat from two sources: External source: weather Internal source: heat of cement hydration a. Problems in hot weather: Strength reduction due to rapid cement hydration Loss of workability due to rapid evaporation Surface cracking du to plastic shrinkage caused by rapid evaporation Strength reduction of air entrained concrete due to swelling of air bubbles b. Problems associated with heat of cement hydration Strength reduction and cracking due to high temperature Strength reduction and cracking due to temperature differentials c. Problems in cold weather: Strength reduction due to freezing before concrete hardening, forming porous structures Damage due to freezing after concrete set Delayed settling time Delayed strength development

Temp - 1

Heat of cement hydration Cement hydration is an exothermic process. Compound C3A C3S C2S C3AF Minor Compound Typical content 10.8 54.1 16.6 9.1 Heat of hydration kJ/kg (Cal/kg) 867 (207) 502 (120) 260 (62) 419 (100)

Heat generated from hydration of 1 kg cement is about H = 0.108 867 + 0.541 502 + 0.166 260 + 0.091 419 = 446 kJ/kg The specific heat of concrete is around, say 1.3 kJ/kg C. Assuming the concrete cured in an adiabatic condition, cement content per cubic meter of concrete is 100kg, and density of the concrete 2400kg/m3, the temperature increased due to hydration heat is
T=

( 446kJ / kg ) 100kg / m 3

2400kg / m 3 1.3kJ / kg C

= 14 C

(1)

The real situation, no matter how big is the concrete pour, concrete is not in adiabatic condition. Temperature rise due to cement hydration is always lower than the derived value from the compound hydration heat assuming adiabatic condition. It would be a rough guess that 100kg OPC per cubic meter of concrete would raise the temperature inside large concrete pour by around 10C. Cracks caused by thermal deformation (movement) Concrete is weak in tension. Tensile strength of grade 20 - 40 concrete is 3- 5N/mm2, about 1/10 of compressive strength. Modulus of elasticity of hardened concrete ranges from 15 to 35 kN/mm2.
Rigid support

Concrete prison
Fig. 1

Consider a concrete prison shown in Fig. 1, which is firmly restrained at its two ends (no movement at the ends). Assuming modulus of elasticity of the concrete is 20kN/mm2, coefficient of thermal expansion is 10 10-6 1/C, then a drop of temperature of 25C would induce a tensile stress of (10 10-6 1/C) 25C 20kN/mm2 = 5N/mm2 (2)

Temp - 2

in the concrete prison. This stress would be high enough to cause tension crack in the concrete. Concrete inside a structure subject to restraint from variety of sources: reinforcement, support, adjacent members, and also from adjacent concrete if differential temperature exist. Stress due to differential temperature is illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 shows the section of a large-sized structural member. The temperature of the concrete in the core zone is higher than peripheral concrete when the concrete initially hardens at, say about one day. As the temperature in the member gradually leveled off, concrete in the core zone tends to shrink more that surrounding concrete, whereas peripheral concrete tends to resists the shrinkage of the core concrete. Compressive stress is, therefore, introduced in peripheral concrete and tensile stress is induced in the core area. Tension crack will result in the core zone if the tensile stress induced reaches concrete tensile strength.
Core zone, high temp, say 70 C Peripheral zone, lower temp, say 30 C Core zone, Peripheral zone, normal temp, say 25 normal temp, say 25

Tensile cracks

24 hr after casting
Fig. 2

120 hr after casting

Typical requirement in Hong Kong concerning concrete temperature Limit placing temperature (32C for Hong Kong). Limit maximum temperature (85C). Limit temperature difference (25C). For sections greater than 1.5m, peak temperature be calculated and measured. Trials

Measures to achieve temperature requirement in hot weather a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. Use low heat cement Use pozzolan, PFA, silica fume, etc. Use water reducing agent Lower mix temperature (ice, cooling aggregates)) Internal cooling system for mass concrete Apply thermal insulation on formwork Lower formwork temperature Sheltering
Temp - 3

Temperature of fresh mix Temperature of fresh concrete is calculated by

T=

0.22( Ta Wa + Tc Wc ) + Tw Ww + Ta Wwa 0.22( Wa + Wc ) + Ww + Wwa

Temperature of fresh mix using ice as part of free water is calculated by

T=

0.22( Ta Wa + Tc Wc ) + Tw Ww + Ta Wwa LWi 0.22( Wa + Wc ) + Ww + Wwa + Wi

Questions 1. Why the rate of heat development is more important than the total heat of cement hydration for practical purpose? 2. If a concrete mix for mass concrete pour contains 500kg OPC per cubic meter of concrete and placing temperature is 30C, estimate the possible peak temperature of the concrete. 3. If the maximum temperature in the concrete in previous question exceeds specified maximum temperature, what measures you may take to bring the temperature down? 4. When would you place ice in concrete mix? 5. State the measures used to minimize temperature gradient. 6. How temperature affect the strength development? 7. Discuss the influence of formwork striking time on the risk of thermal cracking. 8. What are the thermal problems in mass concrete? 9. Why insulation sometimes use in placing large concrete pours? 10. What are the effects of hot whether on fresh concrete? 11. Estimate peak temperature for a mass concrete based on the following information. Cement (OPC): 300kg/m3. Density: 2350kg/ m3. Specific heat: 1.2 J/kgC OPC contains 60% C3S, 20% C2S, 10% C3A and 10% impurities.

Temp - 4