Pouring Concrete in Cold Weather
Pouring concrete in cold weather requires that extra measures be taken to ensure that the finished product will be strong and long-lasting.
Pouring concrete in cold weather requires that extra measures be taken to ensure that the finished product will be strong and long-lasting. The industry has developed standards that specify what you need to do to maintain its integrity, especially in conditions when the air temperature has dropped below five degrees Celsius, or 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Manage and protect your concrete in frigid conditions using these procedures and recommendations.
Maintaining the Temperature
According to the American Concrete Institute, the Standard Specification for Cold Weather Concreting states that it should be kept at a temperature of over five degrees Celsius (41 degrees Fahrenheit) for the first 48 hours. This method ensures that the strength of the substance will develop at the rate and to the level that it should. When the temperature of concrete is below five degrees Celsius, it won’t be able to achieve the amount of strength required to deliver the performance and integrity you expect. Depending on the weather conditions, it may be necessary to use frost blankets or other insulation techniques to protect the temperature of the concrete from dipping below that five-degree mark.
Recommendations
Preparation is key when it comes to pouring this material in cold weather. Be sure that your team has a plan of action in place that considers all weather scenarios. If necessary, have a cold weather protection plan designed to keep the mix above five degrees Celsius. An engineer or another professional on-site should keep a record chart of the temperature of the concrete itself, and the external temperature of the atmosphere. Also, if necessary, use heaters to thaw out the ground before the pourback begins, as it should never be done over snow, ice, or frozen ground. Take measures to ensure that the temperature of the concrete remains above five degrees Celsius for the first three to seven days. Remember not to seal freshly poured concrete until the setting process has begun and you see that the concrete has bled.
Choose G&M Services for Your Concrete Pouring Needs
G&M Services has a great amount of expertise, experience, and training when it comes to demolishing concrete, so trust us with the job. We understand how dangerous our important work with concrete can be, and we take safety precautions every minute of every day to prevent anything bad from happening. We offer many different services to our valued clients, including concrete drilling, concrete scanning, and FireStop. For more information on our services, contact us online or give us a call at (410) 787-8828. For more safety tips and interesting articles, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and LinkedIn.
