When Should I Use High Early Strength Cement?

(When Should I Use High Early Strength Cement?)

When should I use high early strength cement?

The right concrete mixture can gain a high initial strength when it is mixed and cured properly. The mix’s water-cement ratio and optimal mixing time are important factors in determining how quickly concrete becomes strong.

Adding the right chemical admixtures can also accelerate the early hydration of the cement and increase its initial mechanical strength. Some of these admixtures include set accelerators, hydrate inhibitors, and microsilica additives.

Accelerating chemical admixtures influence concrete at an early age by accelerating the hydration of portland cement and other constituents. These admixtures also increase the rate of early strength development, especially in cooler temperatures.

Some admixtures are effective in reducing the initial setting time of concrete while others help improve early strength and resistance to shrinkage cracking. These admixtures are used in applications such as rapid form reuse, precast concrete for fast production of elements, high-speed cast-in-place construction, cold-weather construction, quick repair of pavements to reduce traffic downtime, and fast-track paving.

Using the heat-curing method to accelerate the early hydration of concrete can significantly decrease the initial setting time while increasing its compressive strength. Various studies have evaluated the influence of the heat-curing method on the acceleration of the hydration of cement paste with and without adding early strength accelerators such as KBr and Ca(HCOO)2.

A single early strength accelerator or a combination of KBr and Ca(HCOO)2 can significantly reduce the initial setting time of the cement paste at both 23 degC and 50 degC curing temperature. Moreover, the effect of the combined accelerator was much larger than that of a single accelerator at each curing temperature.

(When Should I Use High Early Strength Cement?)