ASCC Position Statement #1
Some specifications require concrete contractors to hard-trowel air-entrained concrete. The risks associated with this requirement include:
- Increased probability of delamination or blistering;
- Rreduction in surface air content; and
- Change in hardened air void parameters.
Under service conditions, most interior slabs don’t have a high moisture content or a chance to freeze, so air-entrained concrete isn’t needed to ensure a durable floor surface. Unless the building is enclosed and the roof is completed, it’s impossible to protect non-air-entrained concrete slabs from external moisture. Thus, specifiers often require interior concrete to be air-entrained if the slabs will be exposed to a cold, wet environment during construction. In addition to requiring entrained air, designers may also specify a lower water-cement ratio and a higher compressive strength that can increase the cost of the concrete...
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