GUIDELINES ON USE OF READY MIXED CONCRETE

10. Temperature of concrete:

Concrete is not recommended to be placed at a temperature above 40 o C

and below 5o C without proper precaution as laid down in IS: 7861 (Pt.I or
pt. II as the case may be ). IS:7861 pt. I deals with hot weather concreting
and Pt.II deals with cold weather concreting.

10.1 Hot weather concrete:

10.1.1 Any operation of concreting done at atmospheric temperature above 40 oC

may be put under hot weather concreting. In the absence of special
precautions as laid down under IS: 7861 (Pt.I), the effect of hot weather
may be as follows:

a) Accelerated setting: A higher temperature of fresh concrete

results in a more rapid hydration and leads to reduced workability/
accelerated setting. This reduces the handling time of concrete.

b) Reduction in strength: Concrete mixed, placed and cured at

higher temperature normally develops higher early strength than
concrete produced and cured at normal temperature but at 28 days
or later the strength are generally lower.

c) Increased tendency to crack: Rapid evaporation may cause

plastic shrinkage and cracking and subsequent cooling of hardened
concrete would introduce tensile stresses.

10.1.2 In order to avoid harmful effect of hot weather concreting IS: 7861 (Pt.1)
recommends that temperature of ingredients should be controlled so that
the temperature of produced concrete is lower. Mixing water has the
greatest effect on lowering of temperature of concrete. The use of
chilled water/ flaked ice in mixing produces adequate reduction in
concrete temperature.

10.1.3 In order to control the temperature of concrete and to avoid adverse

effect of hot weather, it is desirable to limit the maximum temperature of
concrete as 35o C to keep margin for increase in temperature during
transit.

10.2 Cold weather concreting:

10.2.1 Any concreting operation done at a temperature below 5 o C is termed

as cold weather concreting. IS: 7861 (Pt.II) recommends special
precautions to be taken during cold weather concreting.
 GUIDELINES ON USE OF READY MIXED CONCRETE

10.2.2 In the absence of special precautions, the effect of cold weather

concreting may be as follows:

a) Delayed setting:- When the temperature is falling to about 5 oC or

below, the development of strength of concrete is retarded
compared with development at normal temperature. Thus, the
time period for removal of form work has to be increased.
b) Freezing of concrete at early stage:- The permanent damage
may occur when the concrete in fresh stage is exposed to freeze
before certain pre-hardening period. Concrete may suffer
irreparable loss in its properties to an extant that compressive
strength may get reduced to 50% of what could be expected for
normal temperature concrete.
c) Stresses due to temperature differentials:- Large temperature
differentials within the concrete member may promote cracking and
affect its durability adversely.

10.2.3 In view of above, it is desirable to limit the lowest temperature of

concrete as 5o C