Concrete Durability ACI Intermountain ACI March 12 2024

ACI Intermountain Chapter
Concrete Durability
Lunch Seminar, March 12, 2024
Surface Scaling
www.aciintermountain.com
by
Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

KB Engineering, LLC
kbasham@KBEngLLC.com
ACI Intermountain Chapter Lunch Seminar

March 12, 2024
Karen Gail Miller Conference Center
1/53
Surface Scaling
2/53

KB Engineering, LLC
kbasham@KBEngLLC.com 1
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Popouts
Mortar
Flaking
3/53
4/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
“Skin Failure” Due to

Improper Finishing
5/53
“Meat Failure”
Deterioration
goes deeper
than surface
or skin
6/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Inadequate Air Entrainment 7/53
Scaling Causes
1. High w/cm ratios - too much water
2. Inadequate air void system
3. Improper finishing
• finishing water into top surface
• trapping bleed water
• overworking of wet concrete
4. Inadequate curing & air drying
5. Exposure
• deicing chemicals
• poor drainage
• early age freezing & thawing
8/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Damage caused by water, freezing and thawing.
Drainage ?
9/53
Effects of Deicing
Chemicals
1. Increases degree of surface saturation

2. Exacerbates effects of osmotic & hydraulic
pressures with pore structure
3. Increases the number of freeze-thaw cycles
4. Thermal shock
5. Layer by layer freezing due to salt gradients
6. Possible salt crystal growth in pore structure
10/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
2024 International Building Code (IBC)
11/53
ACI 318- 19 (22) Building Code

Requirements for Structural Concrete
Tables R19.3.1 & 19.3.2.1 – Requirements for concrete by exposure class
Exposure Examples Max. Min.

Class w/cm f’c , psi
F0 Not exposed to freezing n/a 2,500
F1 Not subject to snow and ice 0.55 3,500
accumulation
F2 Subject to snow and ice accumulation 0.45 4,500
F3 Subject to snow and ice accumulation 0.40 5,000*

and exposed to deicing chemicals
(for corrosion protection of steel reinforcing)
* Plain (Unreinforced) concrete: max. w/cm = 0.45 , Min. f’c = 4,500 psi
Max. w/cm ratio of 0.45 is to reduce permeability of concrete

12/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
American Concrete Paving Association
IS184.03P Design of Concrete pavement for Streets and Roads

13/53
Utah Department
of Transportation
Pavements
Alt.
14/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
2024 Internation Residential Code
15/53
ACI 332-20 Code Requirements for

Residential Concrete
12:15 16/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
ACI 332-20 Code Requirements for

Residential Concrete
17/53
Entrained Air Bubbles
18/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Adequate Air-entrainment
Air Void System

1. Amount of air voids
2. Spacing factor
3. Size of the bubble
Provides freeze/thaw resistance by providing

means to relieve hydraulic pressure
Water Ice 9% Expansion Entrained Air Relieve
19/53
Total Air Content for Frost Resistant

Concrete (IBC, ACI, ACPA)
Max. Aggregate Air Content, percent*
Size (inch) Severe exposure Moderate exposure
3/8 7.5 6.0

1/2 7.0 5.5
3/4 6.0 5.0
1 6.0 4.5
1½ 5.5 4.5
* tolerance = ± 1½ %
20/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Cycles of Freezing
Type I cement
w/cm Ratio
21/53
22/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Improper Finishing & Curing

1. Premature finishing
a. Finishing bleed water, added water or rain water into the surface
Creates soft, weak surface prone to premature wear and scaling
a. Trapping bleedwater and air beneath surface

Creates weak zone beneath surface - top surface prone to scaling
2. Overworking the surface (especially wet concrete)

a. Damages the air void system along the top surface
Reduces freeze/thaw resistance – increases risk of scaling
3. Late Finishing
May not achieve desired surface texture
4. Inadequate Curing
Plastic shrinkage cracking
Surface crusting
Mortar flaking
Premature surface wear and increases risk of surface scaling 23/53
Petrographic Analysis
Air void analysis
- total air content
- spacing factor
- bubble size
w/cm ratio
- at surface vs. body
Finishing defects
- premature finishing
- soft surface from adding
water or finishing
bleedwater into surface
- overworking surface
24/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
25/53
Overworking
wet concrete
No air in top surface

26/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Bleeding 27/53
28/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Adding & Trapping Water

Finishing Water Trapping Bleed
into Surface Water & Air
Beneath Surface
Weak or soft Sealed or densified
surface surface
WATER
Scaling & Delaminations
29/53
Do NOT Finish Bleedwater,

Rainwater or Added Water
Into Concrete Surface
Remove water from surface before
floating and texturing
Use broom, squeegee, air compressor or

water hose to remove surface water
30/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Trapping water and air just below densified/sealed surface promotes scaling.
This surface was finished with a fresno & exposed to deicing chemicals.
31/53
Steel Trowel
vs Fresno
Steel Trowel
= Fresno
12:30 32/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Use magnesium floats, do not use fresno or trowel.
Wait until bleeding has stopped

and bleedwater has evaporated.
Do not overwork wet surface. 33/53
Don’t use fresnos or steel trowels to smooth surface,

especially if concrete exposed to winter conditions.
34/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
35/53
Float and broom after bleeding stops
36/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Power Floating?
What about the air entrainment along top surface?
What about the angle of the float blades?
Ok, if concrete is not exposed to winter conditions
37/53
What about the angle of this bull float?
Use caution with vibratory screeds. Excessive vibration can bring too
much paste to surface and may damage the microscopic air bubbles
reducing the scale resistance of the concrete.
Increasing blade angle, reduces

contact area and increases surface
pressure. Increasing pressure
increases potential to densify and seal
surface trapping bleed water and air.
38/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Minimize hand finishing of slipform curb and gutter.

39/53
Proper CURING Required

Increases …
• Strength
• Watertightness
• Abrasion resistance
• Freeze-thaw resistance
• Resistance to effects of
deicing chemicals
• Volume stability Curing reduces permeability
of concrete surface
40/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Curing-affected Zone
Top surface
Evaporation from top surface
Near surface (just below top surface)
Curing-affected zone
(1/4” to 3/4”)
Bleed water
Saturated
Water
Concrete Slab
41/53
W/C Ratio & Curing & Leakage

Permeability
Approximate Age for
Capillary Pore System to
Become Discontinuous
w/cm Time
Ratio Required
0.40 3 days
0.45 7 days
0.50 14 days
0.60 6 months
0.70 1 year
> 0.70 impossible
Permeability strongly affected by connectivity of the capillary pore system.

42/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Slab Drying Profile

One-sided Drying Profiles in a Slab on Ground
Slab Depth to Thickness Ratio Relative Humidity (RH), percent
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110
0
0.1 Curing
0.2 2 1.1
0.3
For hydration to occur, RH > 80%
0.4
0.5
0.6
1. Initial RH Profile
0.7
0.8 2. Drying RH Profile
0.9
1
43/53
Final Curing
• Moist Curing
• Plastic Sheeting
• Insulation Blankets
• Curing Compounds
• Curing & Sealing 44/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Sheet Curing Can Cause

Slab Discoloration
Salt Deposited on Surface via Evaporation

Water evaporates, condenses & keeps
concrete sealed where no wrinkles
Bleedwater with salts

45/53
Insulated Blankets (& Tarps)

46/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Spray-on Curing Compounds

Spray-on curing compounds typically last 60 to 90 days
47/53
Not like this!
12:45 48/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Late Fall Curing Options

1. Concrete needs 30 days of air drying before
exposed to freezing & thawing
2. Use sheet (plastic) or insulation blankets for 7

days; air dry for 21 days; optional – then apply
silane or siloxane penetrating water repellent
3. Use exterior grade spray-on cure/sealer
49/53
Apply Silane or Siloxane Water Repellent

50/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Penetrates surface about 1/8 inch

Reacts with cementitious products
Non-membrane forming
Dries clear (may darken surface)
Can last up to 5 to 7 years
51/53
For new concrete…

1. Max. w/cm ratio of 0.45; Min. strength 4,500 psi
2. Total air content of 6% ± 1.5% air for ¾” rock
3. Drainage slopes (1% min., 2% preferred)
4. Don’t finished bleed, added or rain water into surface
5. Don’t overwork the surface & destroy air bubbles
6. Don’t finish too soon and trap air & water below surface
7. Don’t use steel finishing tools on exterior slabs
8. Cure, Cure, Cure (reduce surface permeability)
9. Consider using silane, siloxane or cure/sealer
10. Don’t use deicing chemicals 1st winter – used sand
52/53

KB Engineering, LLC
Concrete Durability
Surface Scaling
Thank you for your attention!
Tammy Meldrum, Executive Director

Be safe out there!
PO Box 95622, South Jordan, UT 84095
801.250.3444 / director@aciintermountain.com
53/53

KB Engineering, LLC

Concrete Durability ACI Intermountain ACI March 12 2024

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Concrete Durability ACI Intermountain ACI March 12 2024

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

ACI Intermountain Chapter

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

ACI Intermountain Chapter Lunch Seminar

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

“Skin Failure” Due to

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

Inadequate Air Entrainment 7/53

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

Damage caused by water, freezing and thawing.

1. Increases degree of surface saturation

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

2024 International Building Code (IBC)

ACI 318- 19 (22) Building Code

Exposure Examples Max. Min.

F3 Subject to snow and ice accumulation 0.40 5,000*

Max. w/cm ratio of 0.45 is to reduce permeability of concrete

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

American Concrete Paving Association

IS184.03P Design of Concrete pavement for Streets and Roads

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

2024 Internation Residential Code

ACI 332-20 Code Requirements for

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

ACI 332-20 Code Requirements for

Entrained Air Bubbles

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

Air Void System

Provides freeze/thaw resistance by providing

Water Ice 9% Expansion Entrained Air Relieve

Total Air Content for Frost Resistant

3/8 7.5 6.0

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

Improper Finishing & Curing

a. Trapping bleedwater and air beneath surface

2. Overworking the surface (especially wet concrete)

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

No air in top surface

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

Adding & Trapping Water

Do NOT Finish Bleedwater,

Use broom, squeegee, air compressor or

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

Use magnesium floats, do not use fresno or trowel.

Wait until bleeding has stopped

Don’t use fresnos or steel trowels to smooth surface,

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

Float and broom after bleeding stops

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

What about the angle of this bull float?

Increasing blade angle, reduces

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

Minimize hand finishing of slipform curb and gutter.

Proper CURING Required

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

W/C Ratio & Curing & Leakage

Permeability strongly affected by connectivity of the capillary pore system.

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI

Slab Drying Profile

Kim Basham, PhD, PE, FACI