BEC 201

CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
Assignment 1

LECTURER : Mr. Zulhazmee bin Bakri

NAME MATRIC ID
Lee Yi Fung 153015505
Chhai Choon Hin 153015601
Ng Hock Peng 153015740
Melvin Ng Yew Qiang 153016098
Freezing and thawing

When water freezes, concrete will expanded about 9 percent. As the water in moist
concrete freezes, it will produced pressure in the pores of the concrete and the pressure
developed exceeds the tensile strength of the concrete, the cavity will dilate and rupture. The
accumulative effect of successive freeze-thaw cycles and disruption of paste and aggregate
can eventually cause expansion and cracking, scaling, and crumbling of the concrete.

Low temperature but above 0C

The low temperature at the surroundings will slow down the hydration between water
and cement and thus the exposure of concrete to cold weather will extend the time required
for it to reach initial set which may require finishing crews to be available for a longer period.
The prime effect of low temperature on freshly placed concrete is a decrease in the rate at
which the concrete sets and gains strength with a resultant increase in the time taken to finish
the concrete. Therefore, the low temperature when setting concrete will delay setting
concrete. This is because when the temperature is falling to about 50C 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. Besides, the
concrete condition at the early stage will be in freezing condition. 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 extent that compressive
strength may get reduced to 50% of what could be expected for normal temperature concrete.
So, the formwork is needed to remove as fast as possible otherwise it have risk that corners
and arises could be knocked off and that concrete in beams and suspended slabs may be too
weak to carry its own weight and may collapse.

Low temperature at the time of concreting but below 0C after concreting

The effect of low temperature below 0C after concreting is physical damage to the
concrete in the form of surface scaling or bursting and the cessation of hydration. As the
concrete concreting at the temperature of 0 or lower, the concrete will having stresses due to
the differences of temperature. The differences of large temperature within the concrete
member may promote cracking and affect its durability adversely. It is a general experience
that large temperature differentials within the concrete member may promote cracking and
have a harmful effect on the durability. This differences are likely occur in cold weather at the
time of removal of form insulation. Another effect of concreting at the temperature of 0 C or
below is freezing and thawing of concrete will be repeated. If concrete is exposed to repeated
freezing and thawing after final set and during the hardening period, the final qualities of the
concrete may also be impaired.