New technology simplifies the construction of concrete structures under icy conditions
(Foto: ERDC)
January 25, 2024 – In cold temperatures, fresh concrete can be irreversibly damaged by internal freezing before adequate strength has developed, and the rate at which strength develops is slowed. Industry-standard cold weather protection measures are frequently laborious, expensive and time-consuming. U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) researchers have developed Additive Regulated Concrete for Thermally Extreme Conditions – or ARCTEC – to enable the use of commonly available concrete additives as alternative freeze-protection in cold conditions.
The US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is the primary research and development center for the US Army Corps of Engineers.
According to the developers, the ARCTEC methodology takes into account differences in the size and shape of the design, as well as the composition of the mixture and the ambient temperature.
