Foot Shot Short

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
How to Shoot Yourself in the Foot
with Concrete Specifications
Steve Tatro, PE
Jim Hinds, PE

Introduction
Why are we here?
Mark Twain said:
Get your facts first, and then you can

distort them as much as you please

Presentation Goals
• 3 situations relevant to mass concrete
• Our observations
• It is possible that some of our specs are not
really relevant now
– may not ever have been
– we should always be willing to change specs
requirements for the better.

Mass Concrete?
• Mass concrete is not about volume of
concrete
• It is about whether you have to deal with
temperature issues
• Most of us deal with mass concrete in our
projects
• The following photos are an example

Water Treatment Plant

Wall Cracks

Slab Cracks

Slab Cracks

Cut and Cover Water Reservoir




No. 1 - Strength of Concrete Mixtures
Typical approach
• Designer determines required strength
• Rounds up, adds extra
• Overdesign strength is added
• Laboratory bumps strength up
• And so on

For Example
Design – 1500 psi
Table - 3,000 psi
Overdesign Strength –
no history add 1200 psi
Laboratory – may add 500 psi or more
1500->3,000->4200->5,000

Why is this a Problem?
• High strength ->
– The result of high cement content ->
– Leads to high thermal volume change ->
– Thermal cracking
• Cost
– Cost of repair
– High cement content for large volume

Conclusion/Recommendation
• REDUCE THE PEAK TEMPERATURE
– Placing temp, mixture, post cooling
• Establish several tiers of required strength
• Limit overdesign strength

– Look at the plant
– Look at the function of the structural element

No. 2 - Temperature controls
Example 1:
Temperature of Concrete: The temperature of

concrete when it is being placed shall be not
more than 90 degrees F nor less than 50 degrees
F. For sections less than 12- inches thick the
temperature of concrete when placed shall be
not less than 55 degrees.

Typical Specification
Example 2:
Avoid temperature changes in concrete that

exceed 5 degrees F in any one hour and 50
degrees F in any 24-hour period.

Typical Specification
• Concrete placement temperature shall not exceed 70
F and shall not be less than 40 F.
• Temperature differential between the interior of the

section and the outside surface of the section shall
not exceed . . . .
• The maximum concrete temperature during the

period of heat dissipation shall not exceed 150
degrees F.

No. 2 - Temperature controls
• Many specs use an inside to outside maximum

differential to control heat
• Good for the case of cracking induced by surface
cooling
• This is surface gradient cracking – but this is not
the problem
• Does not apply to more massive sections where
external restraint is causing cracking
• Problem is mass gradient cracking

In Other Words
• Most cracking is not caused by the concrete
temperature difference between the inside
and outside
• Cracking is caused by the concrete
temperature difference between the hottest it
gets and the coolest it gets

Water Treatment Facility

A Simple Test

Wall Form #7, Mix No. 1308083
24" Thick - Stripped @ 72 hrs
160
140
120
Concrete Temperature (dF)
100
80
60
40
20
0
0 24 48 72 96
Time (hrs)
Center of Wall 1" inside Forms Difference in Temperature Ambient

Wall Form #1, Mix No. 1308426
24" Thick - Stripped @ 9 hrs
160
140
120
Concrete Temperature (dF)
100
80
60
40
20
0
0 24 48 72 96
Time (hrs)
Center of Wall 1" inside Forms Difference in Temperature Ambient

Results
Form Hrs Peak 1” Temp
Width Stripped Temp Diff
24 9 116 25
24 72 130 26
16 72 110 19
12 72 94 9

Conclusion
• Specify a maximum concrete temperature
• Best if you do a simple thermal study
• DO NOT assume there is no thermal issue if
section is smaller than 24 or 36 inches
• Ignore temperature issues if:
– Doesn’t accumulate much heat
– Doesn’t matter if it accumulates heat

No. 3 - Concrete Testing
• Testing is how we really know properties of

concrete
• Workability, air content, strength
• Owner assurance and contractor performance
relies significantly (and solely) on results
• Most of the time that is all we know about the
concrete and ever will know

• Specs require accreditation of laboratory
organization and testing individuals
– ASTM C 1077
– AASHTO
– CCRL, AMRL, ISO
– ACI certifications
– Nuclear
– Others

• Accreditation is no guarantee of good
performance
• Sad fact – many tests are performed
incorrectly
• Sadder fact – often undetected

Examples
• Curing tank temperature not right
• Pad caps are not logged and not discarded at
end of life
• Sampling material, stockpile, from truck, from
pump is not representative
• Moisture condition of cylinders
• Improper load rate
• Many others

Conclusion
engineer or contractor
• Critical to have an individual checking up on

lab performance
• Might be good if that person knows
something about materials testing
• If not, get with someone who does and make
a simple checklist that you check periodically.

Parting Shot
Guide specifications
- ease the load of preparing project specs
- perpetuate erroneous requirements
Be smart – edit specs as necessary to fit the

project

It ain’t what you don’t know that will
get you in trouble. It’s what you know
for sure that just ain’t so.
Mark Twain

Thank You
Questions?
Contact Information
Steve Tatro
509.240.6422
steve@tatrohinds.com
Jim Hinds
503.505.1102
jim@tatrohinds.com


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Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Mark Twain said:

Get your facts first, and then you can

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

• Establish several tiers of required strength

• Limit overdesign strength

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Temperature of Concrete: The temperature of

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Avoid temperature changes in concrete that

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

• Temperature differential between the interior of the

• The maximum concrete temperature during the

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

• Many specs use an inside to outside maximum

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Center of Wall 1" inside Forms Difference in Temperature Ambient

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Center of Wall 1" inside Forms Difference in Temperature Ambient

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

• Testing is how we really know properties of

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

• Critical to have an individual checking up on

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Be smart – edit specs as necessary to fit the

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

Tatro Hinds Advanced Concrete Engineering 2016 ACI Spring Convention

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