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Frost Resistant Concrete

Frost Resistant Concrete

Concrete's susceptibility to frost damage during freeze-thaw cycles demands strategic measures to enhance its frost resistance. Employing techniques like air entrainment, adjusting the water-cement ratio, proper curing, and selecting appropriate aggregates are essential.
Introducing microscopic air bubbles into the concrete mix through air entrainment creates small voids that accommodate ice expansion, thereby reducing internal pressures and preventing cracking. The optimal amount of...

Frost Action on Concrete

Frost Action on Concrete

Concrete structures in cold climates, such as those along roadsides, can retain moisture. This moisture makes them susceptible to frost-related damage when temperatures fall below freezing. Adding moisture worsens the damage during temperature fluctuations, leading to repeated freezing and thawing. De-icing salts, spread over these structures to melt ice, add to the freeze-thaw cycle, and draw even more moisture into the concrete.
This freeze-thaw cycle primarily causes surface scaling, where...

Effects of Air-entrainment in Concrete

Effects of Air-entrainment in Concrete

Air entrainment in concrete significantly enhances the material's durability, especially in environments subjected to freeze-thaw cycles. Introducing small air bubbles into the concrete mix acts as internal voids that accommodate the expansion of water when it freezes, thereby alleviating internal stress and preventing structural cracks. This function is crucial in climates with significant freezing and thawing, as it protects the concrete from repeated stresses that could lead to premature...

Design Example: Managing Concrete Workability

Design Example: Managing Concrete Workability

This example deals with managing the workability of concrete for a raft foundation project under hot weather conditions. Workability is crucial for ensuring the concrete is easy to place, compact, and finish. In this scenario, a slump test — a common method to measure the workability of fresh concrete — initially indicated low workability. This was attributed to the rapid water loss from the concrete mix, exacerbated by the high temperatures causing the course aggregates to heat up.

Cold Weather Concreting

Cold Weather Concreting

When freshly poured concrete is exposed to freezing temperatures before it has set, the water within the concrete can freeze. This expansion disrupts the setting process, delays chemical reactions necessary for hardening, and increases the volume of pores within the hardened concrete, which weakens its overall structure. If the concrete manages to reach an appreciable strength before it freezes, the damage can be somewhat mitigated.
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Air-entraining Agents

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Air-entraining agents improve the durability and workability of concrete in climates with frequent freezing and thawing. These agents prevent cracks by introducing small air bubbles into the mix, creating spaces accommodating water expansion when temperatures drop. The air-entraining agents lower the surface tension of water, forming stable, small air bubbles. This method is more effective than having accidental large voids, as the intentional, smaller, and evenly distributed air voids improve...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2025

Ice Generation and the Heat and Mass Transfer Phenomena of Introducing Water to a Cold Bath of Brine

Ice Generation and the Heat and Mass Transfer Phenomena of Introducing Water to a Cold Bath of Brine

Published on: March 13, 2017

Arena ice quality and perspectives on optimizing performance and addressing emerging challenges.

Ryan H S Hutchins¹, Yanan Li², Greg Taylor³

¹Department of Chemistry and Biology, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria St, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada. ryan.hutchins@torontomu.ca.

Scientific Reports

|April 19, 2025

Summary

Optimal ice surfaces require balancing temperature and humidity for athlete safety and performance. Further research is needed to validate expert insights on water quality and ice conditions for sports like hockey and figure skating.

Keywords:

Arena management Arena sustainability Emerging contaminants Humidity and ice performance Ice quality management Water quality

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Area of Science:

Sports Science
Materials Science
Environmental Science

Background:

Maintaining optimal ice surfaces is critical for athlete performance and safety in ice sports.
Expert opinions from ice arena managers provide valuable insights into current practices.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify best practices for managing ice conditions by combining expert surveys and literature review.
To highlight areas needing empirical validation regarding ice temperature, humidity, thickness, and water quality.

Main Methods:

Survey responses from 55 North American ice arena managers.
Review of existing literature on ice surface management.
Examination of factors influencing ice performance: compressive strength, friction, and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).

Main Results:

Expert opinions suggest lower temperatures benefit hockey (strength), while warmer temperatures aid figure skating (grip).
Optimal humidity (40-50%) balances friction and limits frost/sublimation.
Conflicting recommendations on water quality (TDS) and emerging contaminants (microplastics, PFAS) require further investigation.

Conclusions:

Controlled experiments are necessary to validate expert insights on ice properties and performance.
Further research on water quality, TDS, microplastics, and PFAS is crucial for sustainable ice arena operations.
Bridging expert knowledge and scientific evidence will refine best practices for ice management.