Mass Concrete Thermal Control Plan
Why do I need a thermal control plan?
When the heat generation of concrete becomes a concern, project specifications usually require a thermal control plan. This is to control both the concrete temperature and the temperature difference within the concrete. Too high a concrete temperature will result in delayed ettringite formation. Too high a temperature difference will lead to surface cracking.
Our Holistic Approach to Mass Concrete Temperature Control
Twining Concrete Insight can help you develop thermal control plans that not only comply with code and specifications requirements but also help to shorten construction schedules and reduce costs.
Our holistic approach to mass concrete temperature control starts from the mixture design phase, where we help you develop concrete mixtures with considerations for:
- minimization of heat generation
- limitation of coefficient of thermal expansion
- optimization of material cost
Our own certified laboratories can batch concrete as well as test it for:
- adiabatic temperature rise
- coefficient of thermal expansion
- maturity-strength relationship per ASTM C1074
We may also consider the development of performance-based temperature difference limits, which will replace the prescriptive one (usually 35 °F, as in ACI 301). This can help with:
- reducing the mandatory duration of thermal control
- enabling sooner placement of adjacent concrete
- shortening construction schedules
Our Throughout-the-Project Engineering Support
Besides thermal control plan development, Twining Concrete Insight’s care toward our mass-concrete clients continues throughout construction. We assist with:
- placement temperature review
- temperature-related troubleshooting and corrective measures
- determination of when to terminate thermal control
Our experienced concrete experts can also assist with troubleshooting any non-heat-related construction defects of the mass concrete placements.