A Comparative Study on the Strength and Durability of

Concrete and Cement during Rainy days and Summer in the

Philippines: An Examination
Arjane M. Torres and Nina Joy S. Magcalas
Department of Civil Engineering
Don Honorio Ventura State University, Bacolor Pampanga
Cabambangan Bacolor, Pampanga, Philippines
xtarjane23@gmail.com
ninamagcalas@gmail.com

I.INTRODUCTION
People are living in a world which surrounds
them with lots of preferable things to catch up
for them to be able to live life to the fullest.
In the 21st century, a new generation
appeared where many youths frequently
prepare to select things which they have not
seen before. While on the other hand in the
construction industry, roads, bridges, or even
those houses were suddenly improved and
turned into a better one and that is because of
the new technologies came up not only in the
country but all over the world. Becoming key
for the construction sector, government
pressure have all led to innovation and trying
their hard to create and suggest more and
more projects to come up with different
innovative technologies in concrete since it is
the mother ingredient of any construction[1].
Nowadays, many researchers try to create
better studies on how to improve the
capabilities of cement and concrete. There is
a research study in India which was
concluded that the strength of concrete varied
during the different seasons in a year. In here,
by testing a sample at quality
control lab for research work, researchers
finds out that during spring, summer, winter
months 7days and 28 days cubes, there was
increasing in compressive strength of
concrete cubes but in the rainy season 7days
and 28 days cubes, started failing for the
entire period of Monsoon season that is why
they arrived at a judgment of, changing of
failing concrete cube end and concrete cubes
starts passing compressive strength test[2].
Reference [3] states that quality and
performance of concrete plays a big role for
most infrastructure including industrial,
commercial, residential and transportation
system. Concrete is the single largest
manufactured material in the world so it is
necessary to examine its capacity and
strength since that is the first requirements on
most projects. Cement played the role as a
pillar of a nation infrastructure development.
Many engineers have several ideas of using
alternatives for cement used in a construction
industry as well as the Department of Works
and Highways (DPWH) who is responsible in
updating the status of different roads and
bridges especially when they badly-damaged.
Reference [4] shows, due to the scale of
concrete production throughout the world,
there is potential for implementing
methodologies that prevent the
environmental impact of concrete processes
therefore, the results tentatively showed that
using wash water as concrete mixing water
has little effect on the compressive strength
of concrete. During summer, most of the
people take it as an advantage to build
infrastructures since most of the time there
will be no rain. Two different cases of fresh
concrete subjected to rainfall studied; first
case, level of formwork was higher than
concrete surface level, second case, concrete
surface was at the same level of formwork to
find whether to continue or suspend the
casting process based on the forecasted
rainfall and arrived on a conclusion that
explains, compressive strength can be
affected by three main factors if it subjected
to rainfall during fresh stage, level of
formwork to concrete surface, rainfall
starting time from fresh concrete casting time
and duration of rainfall[5].
On the other hand, rainy seasons is very
unnecessary to them to build infrastructures
because there might be a possibility of
reducing the strength of materials. In
contrast, the aggregate temperature rise also
implies an increase in the water demand of
the concrete mixes which, in turn, cannot
fully explain the drops in strength. This was
copyright by Elsevier B.V(2019) on the
research study entitled, "Drops in Concrete
Strength in Summer related to the Aggregate
Temperature" proven by M. Mouret and G.
Escadeillas (1997)[6]. Main disadvantage is
the tendency towards cracking that ultimately
affects their strength and durability.
Cements and concrete probably need to
change much more quickly to meet the
challenges of the future that is why this study
aims to examine a comparative study about
the impact of rainy days and summer season
to the strength and durability of a concrete.
For the society's protection, standards are
significant but to allow creativity and
innovation, and it would be better if they
were performance-based rather than formula-
based.
The current study attempts to determine the
factors that can affect the strength and
durability of concrete and cement through
examination. Specially, researchers aims to
answer the following; 1.) What season does
the strength and durability of concrete and
cement is better, rainy days or summer?
Since there is another study about the effects
of temperature with respect to the weather
conditions on the capabilities of a high-
performance concrete, a study concluded that
summer temperatures did not affect the early-
age strength gain of concrete made using
ordinary Portland cement and the long-term
strength loss was caused by a reduction in the
degree of hydration and an increase in the
total porosity and amount of smaller holes in
the material that is why researchers became
interested about this[7].
2.) Which of the two seasons will make a
concrete and cement last longer? Reference
[8] finds out that alkali-activated materials is
an important step towards the development of
these alternative, low-carbon binders
alternatives to ordinary Portland cement
(OPC) and there are no obstacles prohibiting
the development of commercially feasible
“just add water” alkali-activated materials by
comparing two factors of Alkali-activated
materials (AAM), proved to be a reference
and support of the project. 3.) What are the
impacts if concrete and cement will be use
during rainy days? 4.) What are the results if
concrete and cement is use during summer?
Significance of the research study will
benefit the different construction companies
to know the effects of using concrete and
cement during rainy days or summer. In here,
it is important for them to be more
knowledgeable enough about the impacts that
the different seasons brings to the
construction industry in terms of using
concrete and cement since they are the one
who accept lots of future projects of building
structures.
Engineers plays a big role in our society
specially those who are in lined with
construction industry which was consider the
civil engineers. The current study will benefit
them to decide and create plans more
effectively before doing something about the
construction of buildings. Most of the clients
have no idea about the ways and procedures
while their assets are being constructed, so
this study will help them as well to have more
knowledge on what is happening on fields
and sites.
And lastly, study will benefit the future
researchers who are very interested about the
strength and durability of concrete and
cement during rainy days or summer. In here,
they can come up with such ideas to create
more studies related to this since current
researchers limits only the study by using the
two season's here in the Philippines.
References
[1] Tarun, N., ”Sustainability of Concrete
Construction,”. Practices Periodical on
Structural Design and Construction,
vol.,13.,May 2018.
[2] Balamuralli A.,"Effect of Moisture on
Concrete during Monsoon Reduce
Compressive Strength of Concrete
Cube,"International Journal of Scientific
Engineering and Applied Science (IJSEAS) -
vol-1, Issue-3, June 2015.
[3] Mosberpanah, M, Khales, S., “The Role
of Transportation in Sustainable
Development”.Conference Paper, American
Society of Civil Engineers, September 2013.
[4] Cook, GW., "Effects of Wash Water on
the Compressive Strength of Concrete". Civil
Engineering Undergraduate Honors,Theses
39. May 2017.
[5] Ahmed S. Elamary1, B. T. Alsulami and
Nidal M.W. AL-Bustami.,"Fresh Concrete
subjected to rainfall - Level of formwork to
concrete,”. Department of Civil Engineering,
Taif University, Taif, K.S.A, of Civil
Engineering, Al-Azhar Uniersity, Qena,
Egypt. August 2015.
[6]M.Mouret.,"Drops in concrete strength in
summer related to the aggregate temperature"
Cement and Concrete Research ,vol 27, Issue
Pages 345-357.March 1997.
[7] Ki-Bong P,Takafumi,N.,"Effects of
Mixing and Curing Temperature on the
Strength Development and Pore Structure of
FlyAsh Blended Mass Concrete,”Advances
in Materials Science and Engineering,vol
2017,11pages. March 2017.
[8] Tero L, Mirja I, et al.,"One-part alkali-
activated materials: A review"(January
2018).Cement and Concrete Research,vol
103, Pages 21-34. January 2018.
KEYWORD
Cement Concrete Durability
Rainy days and Summer