Concrete Crack Damage - Expanded Shale & Clay

Expanded Shale & Clay
Minimize Compromises. Maximize Durability.
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Concrete Crack Damage –
A Thing of the Past?
General Facts:
Early age concrete cracking and autogenous shrinkage can
be minimized and in some cases completely eliminated and
the service life greatly extended through the use of internal
curing. By incorporating small quantities of prewetted
lightweight aggregate throughout the concrete, the curing
process is enhanced and extended.
The photo above demonstrates internal curing with the
TXI intraCure process. These are side by side field tested
slabs shown 20 hours after placement. The slab on the
left utilizes the intraCure process and the slab on the
right uses conventional concrete.
Concrete Crack Damage – A Thing of the Past?
You may have been told in the past that concrete cracks, that’s a fact and there is nothing
that can be done to stop it. That is yesterday’s news. Now there is a new technology
available called internal curing that can minimize or even eliminate certain types of
cracking and boost the life of your concrete by years.
Concrete cracks create clear paths that allow chlorides and other harmful substances to
corrode the reinforcing steel and damage the concrete. In the winter months, those
same cracks contribute to freeze and thaw damage. The result is reduced life expectancy
of concrete structures and pavements. Today, with the use of internal curing, you can
considerably reduce this type of damage.
What is internal curing?
The American Concrete Institute (ACI 2010) defines internal curing as “supplying water
throughout a freshly placed cementitious mixture using reservoirs, via pre-wetted
lightweight aggregates, that readily release water as needed for hydration to replace
moisture lost through evaporation or self-desiccation.” Simply said, internal curing is a
practical way of reducing plastic, thermal, autogenous and drying shrinkage cracking.
The results of a study published by Cement and Concrete Composites state, “The use of
internal curing can increase service life of high performance concrete bridge decks by
23 years, mainly due to the prevention of initial cracking and reduction in chloride
diffusion.”
continued
References | weblinks
“Internal Curing – Constructing More Robust Concrete” – www.txiesc.com/internal-curing-constructing-more-robust-concrete.htm | “Benefits of Internal Curing on Service Life and Life-Cycle Cost of High Performance Concrete Bridge
Decks - A Case Study” published in Cement and Concrete Composites (March 2010). – http://www.txiesc.com/benefits-of-internal-curing-on-service-life-and-life-cycle-cost-of-high-performance-concrete-bridge-decks-a-case-study.htm |
Expanded Shale, Clay and Slate Institute’s internal curing section – http://www.escsi.org/Default.aspx | TXI Expanded Shale & Clay’s internal curing page – http://www.txiesc.com/internal-curingspecified-density.htm

Expanded Shale & Clay
Minimize Compromises. Maximize Durability.
txiesc.com |
sales@txiesc.com
continued
Concrete Crack Damage –
A Thing of the Past?
Want to know more?
The latest information will change your expectations about concrete and provide some
valuable tools for translating those expectations into specifications for more sustainable,
longer lasting concrete. If you are looking to improve the quality of your concrete, you can
learn more about the details and benefits of internal curing by clicking on the following links:
“Internal Curing – Constructing More Robust Concrete”
(January 2012).
published in Structure Magazine
“Benefits of Internal Curing on Service Life and Life-Cycle Cost of High Performance Concrete
Bridge Decks - A Case Study” published in Cement and Concrete Composites (March 2010).
You can also find many great resources at Expanded Shale, Clay and Slate Institute’s
curing section and TXI Expanded Shale & Clay’s internal curing page.
internal
Give it a try on your next project, you will reap the benefits of increased durability and a
significantly longer life for your concrete.
TOP A photo of the cracking that occurred when
using a ‘Conventional Bridge Deck Mixture” in
Monroe County Indiana, after one year in service.
ABOVE The currently ‘Crack Free’ Internally Cured
Concrete Bridge Deck in Monroe County Indiana
after one year in service