FUTURE PROOFING
Andrea Arellano , Content Marketing Associate at Giatec
Galliford Try Stroud Sewerage mass concrete element . Courtesy of Galliford Try .
SmartRock Sensors in action in Stroud , UK . Courtesy of Galliford Try .
differential will not cause thermal stress . Therefore , it is essential to know if the element will be subjected to high heat generation or not .
To ensure that mass concrete properly cures to reach adequate strength , it must be poured when the ambient temperature is between 10 – 16 ° C ( 50 – 60 ° F ). If the temperature is too low , the chemical reactions that strengthen the concrete slow down significantly and , at a certain point , come to a complete stop . If the temperature is too high , it will cause the concrete to have high early strength development but consequently gain less strength in the later stages , resulting in lower overall durability of the structure . Generally , a concrete temperature is limited to 70 ° C ( 160 ° F ) during hydration . If the temperature of the concrete during hydration is too high , it will cause the concrete to have high early strength development but consequently gain less strength in the later stage , resulting in lower durability of the structure overall .
As concrete hydrates and hardens , it generates heat . Due to the difference between the structure ’ s core temperature and surface temperature , significant tensile stresses and strains are likely to develop during the process of building mass concrete structures . This difference is known as the temperature differential . The likelihood of thermal cracking increases as the inner core of the mass concrete continues to heat while the outer surface of the concrete cools . Without monitoring temperature differentials
in mass concrete , contractors and project managers could run into serious problems such as cracking , reduced service life , project delays and noncompliance . These problems can make it hard to have a sustainable concrete construction .
Using advanced monitoring technology to ensure concrete quality
On construction sites , temperature differentials of mass concrete are traditionally measured using thermocouples or data loggers . Unfortunately , using these tools to collect data and subsequently analyse the data on a computer becomes quite time-consuming , which negatively impacts a project ’ s schedule . Luckily , contractors and engineers can take advantage of advanced technology that monitor concrete temperatures and strength . One such technology is SmartRock , an easy-to-install wireless concrete sensor with innovative dual-temperature functionality . This award-winning sensor , used in over 12,000 projects worldwide , is installed on the rebar before a mass concrete pour and enables the measurement of concrete temperatures in two locations simultaneously .
SmartRock offers precise real-time temperature readings for mass concrete pours at the surface and centre of the concrete slab . These readings are sent in real-time to the sensor ’ s mobile app , allowing users to access their concrete data anytime , anywhere , onsite or off . Most recently , the SmartRock sensors were used in the Stroud
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