CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION,

CURING AND SKID

RESISTANCE
Report by: Earl Steven Aguilar
CONCRETE
CONCRETE DEFINITION
▪ Concrete is a composite material, consisting mainly of Portland cement,
water and aggregate (gravel, sand or rock). When these materials are
mixed together, they form a workable paste which then gradually
hardens over time.
▪ It is an important construction material used extensively in buildings,
bridges, roads and dams.
WHAT IS CONCRETE (VIDEO)
CONCRETE GRADE
▪ “M” stands for “mix”. Mix represents concrete with designated
proportions of cement, sand and aggregate. And the number following
“M” represents compressive strength of that concrete mix in N/mm2
after 28 days. For example, for M20 grade of concrete mix, its
compressive strength after 28 days should be 20 N/mm2.
▪ Water content will also largely determine the strength & workability of
concrete. The greater the amount of water, the higher will be the
workability of concrete (more fluid) however, it reduces the strength of
concrete. But if you keep water too low, workability of water will also
reduce. Therefore, it will be difficult to place such concrete in the
structure. Amount of water required may vary for same volume of
concrete for various grades of concrete. Hence, a balance has to be
found in the construction site during concrete mixing.
TABLE FOR CONCRETE GRADE
Ratios of Concrete mix design
Grades of Concrete
(Cement : Sand : Aggregate)
M5 1:5:10
M7.5 1:4:8
M10 1:3:6
M15 1:2:4
M20 1:1.5:3
M25 1:1:2
M30 1:0.75:1.5
M35 1:0.5:1
M40 1:0.25:0.5
UNDERSTANDING CONCRETE
PROCESSING CONCRETE
1. Batching: The process of measuring different concrete materials such as
cement, coarse aggregate, sand, water for the making of concrete is known as
batching.
2. Mixing: In this process, all the materials are thoroughly mixed in required
proportions until the paste shows uniform color and consistency.
3. Transporting: When the mixing is done properly the freshly made concrete is
then transported to the construction site. After that, the concrete is correctly
placed on the formworks.
4. Compaction: Compaction is the process in which the air bubbles are
eliminated from the freshly placed concrete. It is required to enhance ultimate
strength of concrete.
5. Curing: Curing is the process in which the concrete keeps its moisture for a
certain time period to complete the hydration process.
WHAT DO WE DEFINE AS PERMEABLE
AND IMPERMEABLE
▪ Permeable is defined as any material or object that allows
any form of liquid to pass through it, such as sponges, soil,
and other various objects.

▪ Impermeable is defined as any material or object that does

not allow any form of liquid to pass through, such as
plywood, concrete, sheet metal, and many other examples.
CONCRETE PAVEMENT
CONCRETE PAVING
▪ Concrete road paving should occur, where possible, during the late afternoon
when there is a relatively lower ambient temperature or by addition of cooling
materials. This allows for avoidance of thermally induced cracks in concrete
pavements.
▪ Slipform pavers are used to lay concrete pavements for all categories of roads.
However, this equipment should meet both the requirements for quality and
for the envisaged rate of production.
▪ The technique of manually placing the concrete using forms is still applied in
certain cases, such as for the construction of roundabouts with a small
diameter, at intersections, for repair work or extreme execution conditions
where slipform pavers cannot be utilized. This is a major concern in urban
areas for the construction of pavement surfaces of exposed aggregate and
possibly colored concrete.
PREPARATION FOR PAVING
▪ A rigid pavement’s subgrade has to be prepared carefully, in order to realize
adequate and uniform thickness throughout the pavement structure. This
provides a homogeneous bond between the concrete slab and its soil
foundation which is important for the pavement structure to behave as a
single entity.
▪ For pavements with a base layer, drainage of the water must be provided. All
materials such as mud and leaves must be removed or else they could cause
a disjoint.
▪ If the pavement’s base is permeable, it should be sprinkled with water in
order to prevent the mixing water from being drained out of the concrete.
However, if the base is impermeable (e.g. if the concrete is placed on a
watertight asphalt concrete interlayer) it can be necessary under warm
weather conditions to cool down this layer by spraying water on the surface
PREPARATION FOR PAVING (CONT’D)
▪ For concrete pavements without a foundation, adequate attention
should be paid to accurate design and execution for the:
▪ Drainage of all surface water
▪ Proper compaction of the subgrade;
▪ Filling and compaction of any ruts caused by construction traffic;
▪ Provision of an additional surface width to the subgrade for extra lateral support.
▪ Importantly, it must be avoided that water is drained from the cement
paste into the substructure or the base. This can be accomplished by
either moderately moistening the subgrade, or by applying a plastic
sheet on the substructure of the pavement. The latter work must be
done with care, to prevent the sheet from tearing or being pulled loose
by the wind
CURING CONCRETE
WHAT IS CURING
▪ It is the process of controlling the rate and extent of moisture loss from
concrete during cement hydration.

▪ It is the maintaining of adequate temperature and moisture in the early

stages of concrete so that it can successfully develop properties that the
mixture was designed to have.
WHY DO WE WANT TO CURE
CONCRETE?
▪ According to a study done by the American-NRMCA
(National Ready Mixed Concrete Association) in 2015,
curing concrete will have effects such as:
▪ Increases the probability of strength gain,
▪ It improves its total durability if done correctly, and
▪ It will have a better appearance than uncured concrete.
METHODS OF CURING CONCRETE
▪ Impermeable Membrane Curing – These are incorporated into the
concrete as an admixture hence known as internal curing compounds.
They inhibit moisture loss and thereby improve long term strength and
reduce drying shrinkage. They have been used in tunnel linings and
underground mines to provide at least partial curing when traditional
methods are difficult or even impossible to employ.

▪ Water Curing – It is carried out by supplying water to the surface of

concrete in a way that ensures that it is kept continuously moist.
IMPERMEABLE MEMBRANE CURING
▪ There are 3 types of curing concrete in this method,
they would be:

▪ Retention of the Formwork

▪ Plastic Sheeting
▪ Membrane-Forming Compound

Source: A Study made by the CCA-Australia on Apr 2016

RETENTION OF THE FORMWORK
▪ Leaving formwork in place is often an efficient and cost-effective
method of curing concrete, particularly during its early stages. In very
hot dry weather, it may be desirable to moisten timber formwork, to
prevent it drying out during the curing period, thereby increasing the
length of time for which it remains effective.
▪ It is desirable that any exposed surfaces of the concrete (e.g. the tops of
beams) be covered with plastic sheeting or kept moist by other means.
It should be noted that, when vertical formwork is eased from a surface
(e.g. from a wall surface) its effectiveness as a curing system is
significantly reduced.
PLASTIC SHEETING
▪ Plastic sheets, or other similar material, form an effective barrier
against water loss, provided they are kept securely in place and are
protected from damage. Their effectiveness is very much reduced if
they are not kept securely in place. The movement of forced draughts
under the sheeting must be prevented.
PLASTIC SHEETING (CON’T)
▪ Plastic sheeting may be clear or colored. Care must be taken that the
color is appropriate for the ambient conditions. For example, white or
lightly colored sheets reflect the rays of the sun and, hence, help to
keep concrete relatively cool during hot weather. Black plastic, on the
other hand, absorbs heat to a marked extent and may cause
unacceptably high concrete temperatures. Its use should be avoided in
hot weather, although in cold weather its use may be beneficial in
accelerating the rate at which the concrete gains strength.
▪ Clear plastic sheeting tends to be more neutral in its effect on
temperature (except in hot weather, where it fails to shade the surface
of the concrete) but tends to be less durable than the colored sheets,
thereby reducing its potential for re-use.
MEMBRANE-FORMING COMPOUND
▪ Curing compounds are liquids which are usually sprayed directly onto
concrete surfaces and which then dry to form a relatively impermeable
membrane that retards the loss of moisture from the concrete. Their
properties and use are described in AS 3799 Liquid Membrane-forming
Curing Compounds for Concrete. (Australian Standard Code)
▪ “They are an efficient and cost-effective means of curing concrete and
may be applied to freshly placed concrete or that which has been
partially cured by some other means. However, they may affect the
bond between concrete and subsequent surface treatments. Special
care in the choice of a suitable compound needs to be exercised in such
circumstances. The residue from some products may prevent the
adhesion of flooring products and tiles onto the concrete surface.”
INTERNAL CURING COMPOUNDS
▪ These are incorporated into the concrete as an admixture hence known
as internal curing compounds. They inhibit moisture loss and thereby
improve long term strength and reduce drying shrinkage. Internal curing
compounds are relatively new and care should be taken when utilized.
They have been used in tunnel linings and underground mines to
provide at least partial curing when traditional methods are difficult or
even impossible to employ.
WATER CURING METHOD
▪ Just like Impermeable Membrane Curing, there are 3
types of applying this method:

▪ Ponding / Flooding
▪ Sprinkling / Fog Curing
▪ Wet Covering

Source: A Study made by the CCA-Australia on Apr 2016

PONDING
▪ Flat or near-flat surfaces such as floors, pavements, flat roofs and the
like may be cured by ponding. A ‘dam’ or ‘dike’ is erected around the
edge of the slab and water is then added to create a shallow ‘pond’.
Care must be taken to ensure the pond does not empty due to
evaporation or leaks. Ponding is a quick, inexpensive and effective form
of curing when there is a ready supply of good ‘dam’ material (e.g. clay
soil), a supply of water, and the ‘pond’ does not interfere with
subsequent building operations. It has the added advantage of helping
to maintain a uniform temperature on the surface of the slab. There is
thus less likelihood of early age thermal cracking in slabs that are cured
by water ponding.
SPRINKLING / FOG CURING
▪ Using a fine spray or fog of water can be an efficient method of
supplying additional moisture for curing and, during hot weather, helps
to reduce the temperature of the concrete.
▪ As with other methods of moist curing, it is important that the
sprinklers keep the concrete permanently wet. However, the sprinklers
do not have to be on permanently; they may be on an intermittent
timer.
WET COVERING
▪ Fabrics such as hessian, or materials such as sand, can be used like a
‘mulch’ to maintain water on the surface of the concrete. On flat areas,
fabrics may need to be weighed down. Also, it is important to see that
the whole area is covered. Wet coverings should be placed as soon as
the concrete has hardened sufficiently to prevent surface damage.
▪ They should not be allowed to dry out as they can act as a wick and
effectively draw water out of the concrete. Fabrics may be particularly
useful on vertical surfaces since they help distribute water evenly over
the surface and even where not in contact with it, will reduce the rate
of surface evaporation. Care should be taken however, that the surface
of the concrete is not stained, perhaps by impurities in the water, or by
the covering material.
WET COVERING (CON’T)
▪ New fabrics can leach fabric stains, pre-washing should be essential.
Prior to placement of any fabric – pre moisten to avoid wicking of
moisture from the concrete that can result in the fabric texture
negatively absorbed into the concrete surface.
SKID RESISTANCE
DEFINITION OF TERMS
▪ Skid (verb)
▪ (of a vehicle) slide, typically sideways or obliquely, on slippery ground or as a
result of stopping or turning too quickly.

▪ Resistance (noun)
▪ the ability not to be affected by something, especially adversely.
▪ the impeding, slowing, or stopping effect exerted by one material thing on
another.
WHAT IS SKID RESISTANCE
▪ Skid resistance is an important property for a road surfacing material as
it relates to safety, particularly in wet driving conditions. There are two
basic types of bound highway surfacing construction i.e. those that use
bitumen and those that use cement.
▪ Skid resistance is the force developed when a tire that is prevented
from rotating, slides along the pavement surface.

Source: Skid Resistance Study by University of Ulster

UNDERSTANDING THE TOPIC