When concrete is in the setting/curing process, it needs to be protected from uncontrollable moisture as well as thermal shock which happens when the concrete surface is exposed to any significant rise or fall in temperature during the curing process.
Temperature variations in the environment can cause cracks to appear in the slab during the curing process, which can result in significant weakening of the concrete structure. Thermal Concrete Curing Blankets avoid this by eliminating the significant temperature variations during the critical curing period.
Benefits
- Local construction companies precisely follow their international partner’s technical concrete curing specifications
- The concrete cures in a controlled environment, leaving little to chance. Local companies can eliminate weather as a cause of potential future problems with the application of thermal concrete curing blankets
- Prevents losses due to the concrete not curing properly resulting in cracking or having to be completely re-done
- Thermal Concrete Curing Blankets allow a controlled and manageable environment to be created
- Water resistant
- Easy to clean, allowing for multiple uses
Usage
The multi-layer blanket utilises a number of different material layers to manage heat transfer between the atmosphere and the concrete block, while also controlling the moisture balance between the external environment and the concrete block.
Thermal Concrete Curing Blankets are used by construction companies on sites where concrete is being poured on a large scale. Good examples are the wind farms constructed throughout the Western Cape which required massive concrete bases to support the blades.
Materials and specifications
Thermal concrete curing blankets are manufactured using the Power Plastics 4-layer thermal material, which is made up of:
- An inner protective layer of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) silver material
- Attached to this inner layer is a reflective Power Plastics barrier insulation foil to reflect the heat away from the product. It has a reflectivity of 96% to 97%, and is able to withstand temperatures between -30 degrees Celsius and +100 degrees Celsius
- A conductive middle layer of high quality insulation material
- A protective outer layer of coated HDPE tarpaulin that is UV stabilised
The dimensions are custom made to the user’s specifications.
The normal wind farm thermal concrete curing blanket consists of three parts, namely a base skirt, a saucer shaped cover made in joinable segments, and a central protective collar. These blankets can be as large as 20m in diameter.
