Temperature is something that we can’t control naturally. Varying temperatures can affect the outcome of new residential or commercial concrete projects and is something to be very mindful of when laying it down.  Concrete is initially a plastic material that’s made from a combination of cement, water, and aggregates. Water is something that can become too hot or too cold thus affecting how the concrete appears once it solidifies.  This mixture of definite proportions hardens overtime to give the strength that it is designed to have. Even during the process of setting, concrete will release a lot of heat and lose water, which requires being controlled by the process known as curing.

Effects of Temperature on Concrete

Temperatures during the manufacture and placing of concrete can affect its setting time and final strength. When temperatures are high, this can lead to cracks, and many mass concrete works use chilled water for the mixing process to control the temperature of the concrete and reduce the chances of cracking and damage. Once the concrete has set and gained its design strength, generally accepted as 28 days, the concrete will expand and contract depending on the temperatures in the ambiance in which it is existing. This movement is determined by the coefficient of thermal expansion of the concrete and the changes in temperature that the structure is subjected to externally. The ratio of development is primarily determined by the aggregates that are used as they make up for 70 to 80 percent of the volume of the concrete. Higher temperatures can lead to an expansion in concrete, and this can lead to cracks. The overall length of the concrete structure can also lead to additional stresses in the composition. This factor is especially important in bridges. Low temperatures, on the other hand, can lead to shrinkage of the concrete and this can be disrupted if water gets into cracks, leading to ice formation that can cause significant stresses in concrete due to increase in volume.  

Impact of Variations of Temperature

Temperature variations can have both negative and positive impact on concrete and its strength. The temperature of the environment in which it is mixed when it is first laid must be under controlled conditions so that the concrete achieves the design strength that it is meant to have. Increased temperatures affect increasing initial power while reducing strength in the long term. Temperature variations can have effects on different properties of concrete. Early high temperatures affect the later strength of concrete, as this increases the hydration and leads to a non-uniform distribution of the products of hydration. This leads to concentration of products in the area of the hydrating particles and this retards further hydration and affects strength. High temperatures during placing can also increase the voids in concrete, and this can severely affect its durability. High temperatures also tend to decrease the workability of concrete, and this makes it more difficult for proper consolidation. The fast hydration leads to concrete gaining its initial strength early and difficulties when it is being vibrated and placed. This can lead to the formation of honeycombs in the concrete, which can have a severe effect on the strength of the concrete. Concrete is best laid at temperatures that are between 5 degrees Centigrade and 40 degrees Centigrade. Any temperatures more than this or lower than this needs special attention to the temperature of the water used in the mixing, and subsequent care while curing the concrete. This process can take years of experience to perfect. When you have a bog project and need professionals, call us, an experienced Frederick concrete company.  

Mixing trucks lay the very foundation for the world in which we live. Concrete mixers are the most reliable trucks in the industry. Carrying concrete, however, whenever, wherever a builder needs to receive it is essential for getting the job done. We will learn firsthand how concrete mixes are made, how they work, and how their rotation technologies transformed the construction process.

A concrete mixer is a mechanism that simultaneously blends aggregate such as sand or gravel, cement, and water to create concrete. A typical industrial mixer employs a revolving drum to combine the components.

For smaller volume operations, portable concrete mixers are utilized so that the concrete can be produced at the construction site, offering the craftsmen sufficient time to apply the concrete before it hardens. An alternative to the mixing machine is blending the concrete by hand. This method can also be achieved with a wheelbarrow; however, numerous companies have recently begun to sell modified tarps for this purpose.

Today’s business increasingly demands consistent homogeneity and short mixing conditions for the industrial production of ready-mix concrete, and more so for precast and prestressed concrete. These stipulations have resulted in sophisticated, efficient mixing technologies that improved concrete production.

Mobile and Stationary Concrete Mixers

When selecting a concrete mixer for the job, there are two standards to pick from: a stationary or mobile dispenser. Mobile concrete devices are used for batching concrete in one area and then transferring the remaining product to another location. Portable mixers, such as trucks, are used for pouring sidewalks and other applications where concrete gets spread throughout multiple areas. Mobile concrete mixers also incorporate other substances without adding additional water to the batch.

Stationary concrete mixers is another alternative for mixing; this type of mixer is designed to stay in place while the concrete pours. Various styles of stationary mixers have evolved, each with its inherent strengths targeting diverse parts of the construction industry. The most popular mixers used today fall into three categories: stationary concrete mixers, including twin-shaft mixers, vertical axis mixers, and drum mixers.

Twin-shaft mixers are known for their high-intensity mixing and short mixing times. The twin shaft mixing method employs two synchronized horizontal axes providing better homogeneity of the concrete mixture. This mixing movement can produce a wide assortment of concrete consistencies. Their key features are their high strength concrete, RCC, and SCC, in batches of 2–6 m3.

Vertical axis mixers produce precast and prestressed concrete. This technique cleans well between batches and is favors colored concrete, smaller quantities, and recurring discharge points.

Drum mixers are applied when a large portion is in demand; this model dominates the ready-mixed market because it is proficient for high production speeds and ideal for slump concrete. A reversing drum is a can create concrete in individual batches. The drum rotates around its axis as the supplies are loaded through a charging chute at one end of the drum and exits through a discharge chute at the opposing end. Drum mixers have the cheapest maintenance and operating cost of the three styles of mixers.

There are everyday decisions we make that have significant environmental impacts. Key among them is deciding the design of our outdoor spaces such as walkways and car parking spaces. What does your pavement look like, what is it made of, does it retain or let rain water seep away? These are all outdoor décor decisions that can have catastrophic consequences if not well thought out.
The drainage system is a significant consideration when designing your outdoors. It is best to have a sustainable and well-balanced driveway design. In the meantime, you want to retain a level of style that befits the value of your property. In any case, using permeable pavers can help you achieve both.

What are Permeable Pavers?

They are a range of construction materials for a sustainable permeable patio, walkway or driveway with a base and subbase. Permeable pavers utilize techniques and materials that allow stormwater to move through the surface. In effect, they reduce runoff on the surface of your patio, which is characteristic of the traditional asphalt or concrete driveways.
Beneath the surface of permeable pavers, a structure is a base layer that can accommodate vast quantities of water depending on the system’s design. Some people collect this water and use it to irrigate their gardens or wash cars with it.

The design of permeable pavers also lets them effectively trap suspended solids and filter pollutants from the water as it seeps underneath.
Overall, permeable pavers mimic the way land naturally absorbs water. So the surface can be perfectly flat without the slightest effect on functionality. You simply have to contour the stone reservoir to direct water wherever it needs to go. Any rain water that falls on the surface of the patio, driveway or walkway seeps down into the ground or a nearby storm drain.

Besides their practical functionality, permeable pavers are also always beautiful and can greatly enhance the aesthetic appeal of your outdoors. A patio made of these materials can significantly increase the value and curb appeal of the property.

Just how do you get permeable pavers for your property?

You can install the pavers yourself if you are looking for something simple. Alternatively, you may hire a professional to install it for you if you desire a great look and the best of functionality.

Here are the general steps involved in installing permeable pavers.

Soil testing and excavation

To start off, you will have your underground utilities checked. Percolation test then usually follows to establish the rate at which the soil absorbs water. Your local Cooperative Extension office should help you on this. Once this is done, removal of the existing pavement and excavation of earth to the recommended depth follows as the final phase in this step.

Prepping of base layers

This involves covering the excavation often with a 6-inch layer of washed crushed stone. The stones ideally have sharp edges to knit together. You then compact it with a plate compactor, by going over it twice, lengthwise and crosswise. Finally, you top it with a layer of washed crushed stone, which you compact as well.

Installing the bedding layer

This is the flatbed for setting the pavers. It also comprises the edging made of concrete or hard-plastic that keeps the pavers from shifting.

Placing the layers

It involves setting the pavers on the bedding layer starting at the lowest corner, tight to one another and the edging. Drainage gaps remain automatically from the nibs on the sides of the pavers.

Filling the joints

Once your pavers are in place, the next step is to fill the joints by sprinkling stone on the surface and sweeping it into the gaps with a push broom (wide). It is important to angle the brush well, taking care not to dislodge the stones that are already in the joints.

Tamping

This is the final step where you sweep clean the surface, then diagonally run a plate compactor diagonally over the full length of the driveway. The purpose of the machine is to pack the pavers firmly into the bedding layer, locking them in place with its vibrations. You may have to refill the joints that have settled deeply, after which you have to compact the layer again.

With this kind of structure in place, and especially when it is done correctly, there are several benefits it has to the property owner and the community as a whole. These include: Beautiful exterior spaces.

The great aesthetics that permeable pavers carry is a great win for property owners. There would be no better way to put it; surfaces with permeable pavers just look beautiful. Compared to the traditional concrete or the typically high maintenance asphalt, permeable surfaces are far better looking. This is something we all would go for any day.

Better surface water management
Here again, goes the desired word “better.” Permeable pavers are a lifesaver during heavy rains. This is the main theory behind them anyway. While their concrete and asphalt cousins normally does little to ensure the ground benefits from the natural irrigation of torrential rains, permeable pavers do the opposite. They ensure the ground can capture every water instead of allowing its runoff. The permeable surfaces absorb all the water and even clean it in the process, for the benefit of the ground (and you!)

There is reduced need for irrigation overall
When you allow water to seep naturally into the ground, the immediate surrounding no longer needs irrigating. There is sufficient water in the subsurface to keep the adjacent flora healthy and well-watered.

Improved landscaping
Soil erosion is a significant aftermath of water drainage during heavy rains. Since permeable pavers do not allow water runoff, an occurrence of corrosion is significantly reduced. This means that the landscape can remain unaffected and retain its good features.

No stagnant waters, no mosquitoes
Mosquitoes tend to breed where there are stagnant waters following heavy rainfall. Since permeable pavers eliminate standing water, chances of wild mosquitoes breeding around your property are minimal.

Durability
Permeable pavers have been found to last far longer than concrete or asphalt surfaces. This is great news for homeowners who would like to save on maintenance costs in the long run.

Wrap up
When deciding your outdoors décor, you will realize that you often have to sacrifice practicality for prettiness, or the other way around. To achieve both, you may at times have to shell out lots of your hard earned dough. Permeable pavers benefit you in all three areas, so you do not have to sacrifice anything.

Getting Started on Concrete

First impressions with your home and business are important.

When it comes to your property, the outdoor surroundings of your property are an excellent way to create impressions that last. Taking advantage of your concrete’s full potential is visually important.

Having a smooth concrete driveway is one way to ensure that the great outdoors whispers nothing but elegance. If well maintained, concrete can last for a long time. Still, it will require maintenance from time to time; but proper sustenance will save you taxing bills in the long haul.

Concrete driveway maintenance often involves repairing cracks and other unsightly elements like discoloration that cause it to lose its oomph. These conditions may result from the effects of freezing water on the driveway, standing water, tree roots, excess heat and the expansion and contraction of the aggregate.

When such elements damage your concrete driveway, you don’t have to build a whole new concrete driveway. That would obviously be costly and more time-consuming.

The secret? You can transform your old concrete driveway to revitalize its look with repairs that last. Follow along below with our infographic.

The DIY Driveway Repair Infographic

Driveway Repair Checklist

1. Start by removing molds, dirt or mildew that might be present on the path. Use a pressure washer to get the work done efficiently and effectively. Then, use a suitable masonry cleaning solution to clear away the remaining matter.

2. Put the solution in the reservoir of the pressure washer and spray it on the surface of the driveway. After applying the cleaner, you will need to attach a high-pressure nozzle to the machine.This process ensures that the material used for patching will finally adhere to the existing concrete.

3. Next, you need to mix up an adequate amount of concrete resurfacer with water in a bucket that can take up to five gallons to fill the cracks. You can get concrete resurfacer from any store that deals with construction and heavy tools.To prepare the patching material, you can use a mixing paddle chucked in a half-an-inch drill. Your mixture needs to be of thick consistency.

4. Once you have your mixture in place with the right consistency, the next step is to pour it in the cracks. You may want to use a flat edge trowel to guide the mixture deep into the crack.concrete repair with trowel tool. Smoothen the surface of the material and leave it overnight to dry up.

5. For the best results, the repaired surface needs another lighter batch of the resurfacer.However, before you apply this other batch, be sure to add water and dampen the concrete so that it does not dry quickly. Once achieved, spread the resurfacer and be keen to get an even coating with no marks.

6. When the resurfacer starts to settle in, you can use a broom that has an extended handle to give the new concrete surface texture as well as prevent it from being slippery when dry.

Give your driveway 24 hours, and you will be able to use it.

Who said you have to hire an expert to repair your concrete driveway? With the above steps, you can comfortably work the repair out yourself!