How Admixtures Help the Concrete Industry Handle Changing Seasons
Spring is here. A welcome time for most, it brings warming temperatures, rain, and seeing green peek out from the snow for the first time in months. However, the change of seasons can be challenging for the concrete industry.
How the seasons affect the concrete industry
Throughout winter, many concrete ready mix plants continue operating while others shut down. During the spring startup, some facilities will discover that water has frozen in the lines and damaged the internal parts of the meter. Plant owners may find that they need spare parts or a new meter replacement.
And when temperatures begin to warm, you may find that concrete infrastructure will need maintenance as well. How can you protect the durability of concrete throughout changing conditions?
Climate is one of the most important factors in concrete construction. It determines a project’s timeframe, what materials are used, and the durability of the finished product. The extreme cold of winter in much of the United States affects concrete drastically. Concrete and cement will form ice particles in frigid conditions, leading to cracking and wrinkling when applying paint and glue. The spring season brings increased moisture to contend with, while in the heat of summer, concrete expands while needing additional water requirements.
To combat the varying effects of weather conditions on concrete, admixtures can play a vital role in making the material both easier to work with and more durable.
Features of admixtures
What exactly are admixtures? Admixtures, or admix, have a variety of different applications across different industries. For concrete, it can fundamentally change the way the material behaves. This can range from speeding up the setting process to protecting surfaces from harsh conditions like severe weather and temperature changes throughout the year.
The functions of admixtures for concrete include:
- Accelerating or slowing down the rate at which concrete sets
- Increasing its strength
- Improving workability and durability
- Improving its resistance to freezing and thawing
- Controlling expansion over time and under seasonal conditions
- Stopping the flow of water
- Strengthening the bond between concrete surfaces or between different materials like concrete and steel
- Increasing the pumpability of concrete
- Slowing down erosion
- Creating colorful concrete
- Reducing fungal and bacterial buildup
- Producing non-skid surfaces
In cold weather, adding a topping mixture can help offset the risk of base and ambient slab temperature on setting time. Using an accelerating admixture can help concrete set more quickly and have more lasting power.
Adding air-entraining admixtures creates microscopic air bubbles in concrete mixtures. This improves its durability, increases water tightness, and requires less water than non-air-entreated concrete.
The concrete waterproofing admixture market alone is growing as of this year. It’s currently valued at $1046.6 million and is expected to reach $1281.3 million in the next five years, growing at a rate of 2.9% between 2021-2026. This growth will be buoyed by new U.S. infrastructure plans, which are expected to ramp up starting this year.
Why it’s important to have an admix dispensing system
With the benefits that admixtures have to offer the concrete industry, using an admix dispensing system is vital for dispensing concrete at concrete batch plants and anywhere else concrete is mixed. Admix dispensing systems are designed to reliably dispense admixtures directly into concrete. They can be built to operate with electric or air supply and can be interfaced with batch plant panels or used with semi-automatic controllers. In the United States, admix dispensing systems primarily measure by volume while systems in Europe measure based on weight. This enables seamless performance under a variety of conditions.
Having an admix dispensing system allows for easy measurement and application of admixtures, leading to more seamless performance. Admixing dispensing systems also ensure accuracy, reliability, ease of use, and ease of maintenance.
The changing of seasons can have dramatic effects on concrete and concrete plants. It’s important to take a variety of conditions into account when mixing and pouring concrete, and admixtures make that process more efficient and seamless. By adding certain mixtures, the material can last longer and be more durable against extreme heat, cold, and moisture, as well as the expansion and contraction that occur naturally during different parts of the year. Are you ready to add an admix dispenser to your concrete plant? Take a look at our online store for more details.
