concrete Flashcards
_____ is the process of maintaining satisfactory moisture content and temperature in the concrete for a definite period of time.
curing
____ is a long-term process and requires water and proper temperature.
hydration of cement
What happens to concrete is not cured and is allowed to dry in air?
it will gain only about 50% of the strength of continuously cured concrete
What happens if concrete is cured for only 3 days?
it will reach about 60% of the strength of continuously cured concrete
What happens of concrete is cured for 7 days?
it will reach 80% of the strength of continuously cured concrete
What happens if curing stops for some time and then resumes again?
the strength gain will also stop and reactivate
_____ increases the rate of hydration and, consequently, the rate of strength of development.
increasing temperature
_____ is usually emphasized and controlled since it is an indication of the concrete quality.
strength
Proper ____ not only increases strength but also provides other desirable properties such as durability, water tightness, abrasion resistance, volume stability, resistance to freeze and thaw, and resistance to deicing chemicals.
curing
What happens if concrete is not cured after setting?
concrete will shrink, causing cracks
_____ can be prevented if ample water is provided for a long period of time.
drying shrinkage
Curing can be performed by any of the following approaches: ____, ____, ____
maintaining the presence of water in the concrete during early ages, preventing loss of mixing water from the concrete by sealing the surface, accelerating the strength gain by supplying heat and additional moisture to the concrete
Methods to maintain the water pressure include ____, _____, _____
ponding or immersion, spraying or fogging, wet coverings
Methods to prevent water loss include _____, ____, _____
impervious papers or plastic sheets, membrane-forming compounds, leaving the forms in place
Accelerated curing methods include ____, ____, _____
curing, insulating blankets or covers, various heating techniques
_____ involves covering the exposed surface of the concrete structure with water.
ponding
This method is suitable for flat surfaces such as floors and pavements, especially for small jobs.
ponding
_____ is used to cure test specimens in the laboratory, as well as other concrete members, as appropriate.
immersion
This method requires a large amount of water and could be expensive. It is most suitable in high temperature and low humidity environments.
spraying or fogging
Moisture-retaining fabric coverings saturated with water, such as burlap, cotton mats, and rugs, are used in many applications.
wet coverings
Evaporation of moisture from concrete can be reduced using _____, such as kraft papers, or plastic sheets, such as polyethylene film.
impervious papers
____ are suitable for horizontal surfaces and simply shaped concrete structures, while ____ are effective and easily applied to various shapes.
impervious papers, plastic sheets
Various types of liquid membrane-forming compounds can be applied to the concrete surface to reduce or retard moisture loss.
membrane-forming compounds
Loss of moisture can be reduced by _____ as long as practical, provided that the top concrete exposed surface is kept wet.
leaving the forms in place
_____ is used when early strength gain in concrete is required or additional heat is needed during cold weather.
steam curing
When the temperature falls below freezing, concrete should be insulated using layers of dry, porous material such as hay or straw.
insulating blankets or covers
____ includes electrically heated steel forms, and electrically heated blankets.
electrical curing
Steel forms can also be heated by circulating ____ around the outside of the structure.
hot oil
The minimum time of curing period depends on several factors, such as _____, ___, ____, ____, ____, ____, _____
type of cement, mixture proportions, required strength, ambient weather, size and shape of the structure, future exposure conditions, and method of curing
The main properties of hardened concrete that are of interest to civil and constructions engineers include the ___, ___, ____, ____
early volume change, creep, permeability, stress-strain relationship
When the cement past is still plastic, it undergoes a slight decrease in volume of about 1%. This shrinkage is known as ____ and is due to the loss of water from the cement paste, either from evaporation or from suction by dry concrete below the fresh concrete.
plastic shrinkage
____ may cause cracking; it can be prevented or reduced by controlling water loss.
plastic shrinkage
If concrete is not properly cured and is allowed to dry, it will shrink. This shrinkage is referred to as ____, and it also causes cracks.
drying shrinkage
Shrinkage is ____ proportional with time.
inversely
Shrinkage and shrinkage-induced cracking are increased by several factors, including ___, ____, ____, ____, ____, ____
lack of curing, high water-cement ratio, high cement content, low coarse aggregate content, existence of steel reinforcement, aging
On the other hand, if concrete is cured continuously in water after setting, ______
concrete will swell very slightly due to the absorption of water
____ is accompanied by a slight increase in weight.
swelling
The heat of hydration can produce two mechanisms that will limit the performance of concrete: _____, _____
if the internal temperature of the hydrating concrete exceeds 158°F, if the thermal differential in the concrete exceeds 35°F thermal cracking can develop
If the internal temperature of the hydrating concrete exceeds 158°F which can result in ______
a delayed ettringite formation, causing long-term durability issues
The ____ indicates thermal control plan should be developed when the minimum dimension of greater than 3 ft.
PCA, Portland Cement Association
Measures that can be taken to minimize the potential for thermally induced stressed include: ___, ___, ____, ___, ____, ____
using a mix design with a low initial heat of hydration by substituting fly ash and/or silica fume for cement, reducing the temperature during mixing by substituting ice for water, placing the concrete in think lifts, insulate forms, embed cooling pipers into the structure, scheduling concrete placement so that the development of the heat of hydration does not correspond with increasing environmental temperatures
____ is defined as the gradual increase in strain, with time, under sustained load.
creep
In simply supported reinforced concrete beams, creep increases the _____, and therefore, increases the stress in the steel.
deflection
_____ is an important factor that largely affects the durability of hardened concrete.
permeability
________ allows water and chemicals to penetrate, which, in turn, reduces the resistance of the concrete structure to frost, alkali-silica reactivity, and other chemical attacks.
permeable concrete