Shrinkage & Expansion

Drying shrinkage is one of the major causes of cracking in portland cement concrete and concrete repair materials, leading to deterioration and failure. A certain amount of water (roughly 0.45 w/c ratio by weight) is required in all hydraulic cement concretes to coat the cement particles and ensure adequate fluidity for placement.

When the cement particles hydrate and form cementitious compounds, some of this mix water is consumed in the associated chemical reaction. Any leftover water is termed "water of convenience" and migrates to the surface as "bleed water." This excess water increases the w/c ratio at the surface, and creates capillary channels and voids that result in drying shrinkage, and creates points of entry for contaminants.

Rapid Set Cement technology addresses this issue. By using a more efficient hydration mechanism when water is combined with CSA cement, over 98% of the mix water is consumed in the hydration reaction, compared to roughly 50% consumption in portland cement concrete. Greater consumption of water with CSA cement minimizes "water of convenience" and the resulting drying shrinkage cracking. This produces stronger, more durable concrete and concrete repair materials. These characteristics are intrinsic to Rapid Set Cement's chemical composition and are achieved without supplementary cementitious materials or admixtures.