What causes concrete deterioration?
In much of the United States, concrete deteriorates as a result of repeated freezing and thawing. Damage often is exacerbated by multiple applications of deicing salts, which accelerate cracking, deterioration, and surface scaling. Concrete life can be increased by improving its ability to endure repeated freeze-thaw cycles over its expected design life. How do air voids affect the freeze-thaw resistance of concrete? The presence of closely spaced air voids in concrete is commonly singled out as the primary factor in improving the freeze-thaw resistance of concrete. Researchers believe that as water expands during freezing, the pressure the water develops increases in relation to the distance it must travel to reach the nearest air void. Consequently, the more closely air voids in concrete are spaced, the less likely it is that the pressure of freezing water will damage the concrete. Solution: Air void analyzers allow real-time testing of fresh concrete The air void analyzer (AVA) offe
