Will
proper curing insure that concrete will be durable and
will not spall or crack?
No. There
are many factors that effect the durability and strength
of the concrete.
Air
entrainment of exterior concrete is a critical element
affecting the durability of concrete subjected to freeze/thaw
cycles. Too little air entrainment and the expansion and
contraction of the concrete during freeze/thaw cycles will
cause cracking and surface spalling. Too much are
entrainment will cause the concrete to be lower strength
and porous.
Finishing
techniques also affect durability. Overworking or
over watering the surface of fresh concrete will weaken
it and make it more prone to cracking and spalling.
The
mix design of the concrete and the quality of the ingredients
are important. Porous stone is more prone to exploding
from the surface in freeze/thaw conditions. Concrete
that contains too little cement, too much fly ash, too
little or too much water or an improper combination of
concrete admixtures will not perform to the customer's
expectations in the long run.
Aggressive
chemical attack by deicing salts or chemicals, particularly
in the first year of the concrete's life, may severely
damage the surface.
Good
concrete curing will reduce dusting of the surface, craze
cracking, shrinkage and carbonation but will not eliminate
the need for good concrete or good concreting practices.
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