CONCRETE: HEAT DEVELOPMENT

UDC 691.32

Key

words:

Concrete,

heat

development,

test

method

SCOPE AND FIELD OF APPLICATION

The method can be applied to determine the amount of heat developed in concrete during the hardening process. The heat development is described in terms of the produced energy as a function of the maturity of the concrete. The information obtained may be used to predict the temperature development and distribution in a structure where concrete hardening is taking place under varying conditions. 2 REFERENCES NT BUILD 191 Concrete, fresh: Sampling 3 DEFINITIONS Adiabatic calorimetry, determination of energy generated during the hardening process in a concrete specimen, when heat exchange between the concrete and the surroundings is prevented. 4 SAMPLING

Thus, the entire heat generated by the hardening process is used to raise the temperature in the concrete sample. The temperature rise is registered as a function of time and used as a direct measure of the generated amount of heat.

Quasi- adiabatic calorimetry The concrete sample is kept in an insulated container. The generated heat is partly used to raise the temperature in the concrete and partly lost by convective heat transfer from the concrete to the surroundings (into and through the insulation). The amount of heat generated is determined as the sum of the heat accumulated in the concrete and the heat lost to the surroundings. The temperature rise in the concrete is used as a measure of the accumulated heat, and a temperature transducer built into the insulation wall of the container is used to yield a measure of the heat loss.

Insulated The sampling procedure should be as stated in NT BUILD 191. 5 METHOD OF TEST

block

calorimetry

5.1 Principle The energy production during hardening of a concrete sample is calculated on the basis of measured temperatures in the sample and its surroundings depending on the method: Adiabatic calorimetry The concrete sample is kept in a container where the temperature around the concrete is changed continuously follow the temperature in the concrete. to

A well insulated large scale concrete block is used. The central part of the concrete will attain approximately adiabatic conditions during the first part of the hardening process. The temperature rise in the centre of the block is used as a measure of the heat development. The method introduces a one-sided error. Since heat loss is neglected the magnitude of the error is increased with the length of the measuring time. In a modified version of this method the concrete block is reheated when the heat development from hydration has become negligible. Measurements of temperature during the subsequent cooling process can be used to calibrate the individual block and thus eliminate the one-sided error due to the heat loss.

7 G Q 0 :C E
G

Published by NORDTEST ISSN 0283-7153

Tekniikantie 12, FIN-02150 Espoo, FINLAND Proj. 821-89

Tel + 358 9 455 4600 Fax +358 9 455 4272 www.nordtest.org

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METHOD

NT BUILD 388

5.2 Apparatus Concrete mixer.

The passive stability of the box shall be better than 0.5 C/day.

- Thin-walled metal container. b) - Temperature conditioning box, which can be either a), b) or c) depending on the method used: a) Adiabatic calorimeter. A box as shown in figure 1. The box shall be equipped with a heating device, a fan, devices to measure temperature in the concrete and in the air space inside the box and an automatic system to operate the heating system, so that the air temperature inside the box is always the same as the temperature of the concrete. Haybox calorimeter. A suitable insulated box equipped with devices to measure the temperature in the concrete and a property that can be correlated to the heat loss from the concrete through a calibration factor. The principle is exemplified in figure 2. The calibration factor for the box determined as a function of measuring time (see section 6.1) shall be constant within 2 % for measuring periods between 1 and 3 days.

Figure 1

The adiabatic measuring box.

Concrete temperature

Heat transmittance

Figure 2

Haybox calorimeter

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Concrete temperature

Insulation

Figure 3

Insulated mould

c)

Insulated mould. A cubical muold of effective side length not less than 1 m, insulated on all six faces so that the coefficient of transmittance is lower than 5 kJ/m 2hC, and equipped with a device to measure the temperature in the centre of the mould. The principle is exemplified in figure 3.

where: mw Cw = weight of water sample = 4.182 kJ/kgC (specific heat of water)

0 t

= water temperature at start (t = 0) = water temperature at time t = t

Data collecting equipment adapted to the devices built into the temperature conditioning box.

f w,n and f w,n-1 = output from boxwall transducer at beginning and end of a time interval, t n. t n = time interval = t n - t n-1 N = number of time intervals from t = 0 to t = t The calibration factor function shall be constant within after 24 hours measuring time. 2 %

6 TEST PROCEDURE 6.1 Calibration 6.2 Testing of heat development

Adiabatic calorimeter An inert specimen (water, old concrete) with a certain temperature is placed in the box. The temperature in the specimen shall be recorded at least once per hour over a period of 2 days. The passive stability shall be better than 0,5 C/day. The calibration shall be performed at minimum 2 different levels representative for the range of temperatures actually used. Typically 60C and 30C can be used. Haybox calorimeter Method A and B The net weight of the fresh concrete sample, placed and compacted in the metal container, shall be determined within 1 % by weighing the container with and without concrete. The container is placed in the box and the temperature of the concrete and the output from the box wall transducer (only method B) shall be recorded as a function of time relative to the time when water was added to the concrete mix. The measurements shall normally be continued until at least 300 hours of maturity have been reached. Measurements shall be taken at intervals of not more than 30 minutes.

A container filled with water with a temperature of approximately 40C is placed in the box. The temperature in the water and the output from the transducer in the box wall shall be recorded at least once per hour over a period of 3 days. The calibration factor shall be determined by: at = m w . c w . ( 0 - t )

Method C The fresh concrete is placed and compacted in the mould. The temperature in the centre of the concrete and the ambient air temperature shall be recorded at least once per hour over a period normally not less than 3 days.

f w,n + f w,n-1 . tn
n=1 2

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6.3

Expression

of

results

Q trans, n

Heat development The measured data are transformed by calculation so that the generated heat is presented as a function of the maturity of the concrete. The maturity, M, is given by: M = H ( i )
i=1 n

= The change of transmitted energy from the concrete to the surroundings during the time interval t n. = Concrete temperature at beginning and end of a time interval t n. = content of cement (or cement + flyash + microsilica) per m 3 concrete, kg/m 3 = density of concrete, kg/m 3 = specific heat of concrete, KJ/kgC

q n and q n+1 C

t i

c
Cc = legth of time interval i = mean temperature in time interval i = velocity function = EXP mc 1 293

where: t i

The second term applies only to method B. = weight of concrete sample, kg = output from box wall transducer at beginning and end of a time interval, t. = calibration factor = time interval = t n+1 - t n

i
H()

[ (
E( ) R

1 273 +

)]

f c,n and f c,n+l at

R E( )

= gas constant = 8.314 J/mol K. = activation energy for the concrete mix

t n

The value used for E () shall be stated. If the correct value is unknown the following can be used: E () E () = 33.500 J/mol for > 20 C = 33.500 + 1470 (20 - ) J/mole < 20 C.

7 REPORT The test report shall include the following information: a) b) c) d) e) Name and address of the testing laboratory. Identification number of the test report. Name of the organization or person who ordered the test. Purpose of the test. Identification of the concrete mix. Method of sampling and other circumstances.

The heat development, Q, is expressed as energy per kg cement (or cement + flyash + microsilica) and is determined by:

Qn = Qacc,n + Qtrans,n
= ( n+1 - n)
N-l

cc

c
c

. c + m . c c

at

f c,n + f c,n+l 2

t n

f) g) h) i) j)

Date of the test. Test method. Identification of the test equipment and instruments used. Any deviations from the test method. Test Date results. and signature.

Q = where: Q acc, n

Q n

n=1

= The change of accumulated energy in the concrete during the time interval t n

k) l) m)

Inaccuracy of the test result.