Sure, replacing a concrete foundation or other structure with concrete makes perfect sense. It was, after all, designed for concrete. In a vacuum, replacing it makes sense. However, construction and maintenance projects in today’s industrial environments are subject to a wide range of constraints and obstacles that make what sounds simple complex. Clients have market and economic pressures that are driving them to require you meet a schedule that doesn’t’ seem realistic using conventional construction materials and techniques. And you’re right.
Time to Go Unconventional
There are options available today that, in the past, had been considered “patching” or “repair” products. The old “patches” have become widely varied in working time, redesigned for larger pours and accelerated for faster strength gain. These products are now considered a
When placing concrete and cementitious concrete repair mortars, especially in hot and dry weather, evaporation rate is one of the most critical factors to take into consideration. The evaporation rate is the rate at which moisture is being lost from the concrete or mortar surface, which affects a few elements of a concrete or repair mortar placement. If the evaporation rate is too high, water is leaving the surface too rapidly, and creates difficulty during finishing operations. Equally important is that a high evaporation rate during placement and initial curing greatly increases the likelihood of plastic shrinkage cracking in the concrete surface. Plastic shrinkage cracks leave a concrete surface vulnerable to the future intrusion of water and chlorides and leave the surface with an overall unpleasant appearance.
Concrete is a widely available, customizable, and affordable material. These traits make it ideal for various applications, including equipment foundations and process skids. It is also the most commonly used method for adding mass to critical pieces of equipment. However, despite its advantages, traditional concrete has some limitations that may hinder progress on fast-paced projects. Fast-setting concrete allows for faster start-up times.
Fortunately, there are alternatives to conventional concrete. These fast-setting products and additives retain most of concrete’s desirable traits while addressing its shortcomings. In this article, we'll talk about five unique benefits of fast-setting concrete and how it can revolutionize your project timeline.
