The longevity of concrete is destroyed due to water since it transfers chemical contaminants into the concrete and as a result the surface can be decayed, the steel reinforcement is corroded. Besides, it leads to expansive and disruptive reactions and more.

Given below, some useful recommendations to enhance the strength of your concrete project:

Mix Design

Stability is maintained with a concrete mix design that is appropriately matched to the service conditions that the concrete is susceptible to. No single mix design is long-lasting in every situation. As for instance, if concrete is susceptible to sulfate contaminated soil, it is recommended to utilize the sulfate resistant cement in mix design. However, this mix design is improper in case a concrete structure is subjected to the cycles of freezing and thawing in a wet environment.

Under this circumstance, the mix design should contain an air-entraining admixture as entrained air can safeguard the concrete easily.

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Construction Joints

The water can easily enter into the structures through construction joints. As a result the structure is damaged significantly by creating corrosion of the reinforcing steel. Ensure to design the structure with sufficient, predetermined control joint locations to get rid of random cracking. Ensure that each joint is protected with a safe waterproofing system of its own.

A joint waterproofing system with crystalline technology can give durable protection at joint locations. The crystalline technology comes with self-seal random cracking and thus provide extra reliability and protection.

Low Permeability

The water should be moved away from the concrete structure. The permeability can be reduced via good mix proportioning as well as lowering the amount of free water in your mix with water-reducing admixtures or plasticizers.

A proper waterproofing system should be provided in concrete that is susceptible to water. A crystalline waterproofing admixture like Kryton’s Krystol Internal Membrane is considered as most useful to keep concrete safe from water penetration.

Proper Curing

Proper curing plays an important role to retain the longevity of concrete. Curing means retaining the conditions so that the concrete is solidified easily and attain optimal strength. Other two vital factors are exact temperature and humidity. The temperature should remain over 10°C for gaining strength to move ahead at a reasonable speed. Moisture should be retained, especially in the first few days to start cement hydration and maintain the concrete from drying, shrinking and cracking. When the concrete is cured properly, the permeability is decreased, the strength & longevity is enhanced.