Hot-Weather Concreting (20 marks)

The temperature of the concrete, made on side or delivered, should be kept low, preferably
not above 16 ˚C (60 ˚F), with an upper limit of 32 ˚C (90 ˚F). The temperature of freshly mixed
concrete can easily be calculated from that of its ingredients, using the expression

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

T=
0.22(Wa +Wc )+Ww +Wwa

where,
T = temperature of fresh mixed concrete
Ta, Tc, Tw = temperature of aggregate, cement and mixing water
Wa, Wc, Ww, Wwa = weight of aggregate, cement, mixing water and free water on
aggregate

The value 0.22 is the approximate ratio of the specific heat of the dry ingredients to that of
water. The actual temperature of the concrete will be higher than indicated by the above
expression. It can be seen that, because of the relatively small quantity of the aggregate in the mix,
a greater temperature drop is required for cement than for the other ingredients. Moreover, it is
much easier to cool the water than the cement or the aggregate.

It is possible to use ice as part of the mixing water. This is more effective because more
heat is abstracted from the other ingredients to provide the latent heat of fusion of ice. In this case,
the temperature of the fresh concrete is given by

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

T=
0.22(Wa +Wc )+Ww +Wwa +𝑊𝑖

where,
Wi = weight of ice
L = the ratio of the latent heat of fusion of ice to the specific heat of water

A useful reduction in the placing temperature of concrete can be achieved simply and
cheaply by shading the aggregate stockpiles from the direct rays of the sun and by controlled
sprinkling of the stockpiles so that heat is lost by evaporation.

With regard to the choice of suitable mix proportions in order to reduce the effects of a
high air temperature, the cement content should be as low as possible so that the total heat of
hydration is low. To reduce the loss of workability and to increase the setting time, a set-retarding
admixture can be used.

After placing, evaporation of water from the mix has to be prevented. The rate of
evaporation depends upon the air temperature, the concrete temperature, the relative humidity of
the air and the wind speed. The concrete surface should be protected from direct exposure to the
sun. Thermal cracking can occur due to the restraint to contraction. The extent of cracking is
directly related to the difference in temperature between the concrete and the surrounding air.

In dry weather, wetting the concrete and allowing evaporation to take place results in
effective cooling as well as effective curing. If plastic sheeting or membranes are used, they should
be white so as to reflect the rays of the sun. The placing and curing of concrete in highways and
runways should be carefully planned and executed.