**1. Introduction**

There is significant need for evaluating the concrete behavior on-site without implementing experimental tools. Concrete if properly placed in extreme weather conditions is able to develop desired ultimate strength [1]. Temperature changes could cause cracks or sapling, distress, and aggregate expansion which leads to concrete strength deterioration. Many different procedures are recommended in codes to reduce the negative effects of low or high ambient temperature [1, 2]. High temperature, above 100°C, could lead to color changes in aggregates leading to abrupt loss of compressive strength. While, lower temperature, less than zero, usually ends up in cracking and low resistance against freeze-thaw effects [3–5]. A common practice to reduce the undesirable crack propagation in concrete mixtures under thermal effects is to use fibers due to having persistency in behavior under various environmental conditions [6].

The behavior of the concrete under high temperature values could be affected with several factors. The temperature rate, aggregate type, and stability of the mixture are among the most important factors to be considered under high temperature condition. It is noted that the abrupt temperature rise can cause thermal shock, spalling, cracking, and aggregate expansion leading to high distress within the concrete [2, 3]. Therefore, the strength of concrete is reduced by any significant temperature increase. The strength degradation rate is depended on the initial compressive concrete strength [7]. Concrete in general provides one of the best fire resistance properties due to chemically combined material with thermal conductivity, and high heat capacity which leads to self-protection against extreme temperature conditions (e.g., fire).

On the other hand, the low temperature curing condition is a highly common issue affecting the strength development of the concrete. Pouring and curing concrete in extreme weather conditions require special attention to the code instructions for obtaining desirable performance in structures [1, 2]. The cold weather condition is defined previously as a period of time in which for more than three consecutive days, either average daily air temperature is less than 5°C or the air temperature is not greater than 10°C for more than one-half of any 24-h period. The cold condition limits the concrete capability to develop strength by causing significant decrease in hydration process. Another issue with cold ambient temperature is expansion of the water in concrete, especially in high water-cement ratio mixtures, leading to spalling and overall strength degradation [1, 7, 8]. It is well documented that if the concrete in plastic stage freezes, about 50% of the strength is expected to be reduced and durability loss is inevitable [2].

The durability of the concrete against freeze-thaw cycles is previously investigated as a major factor indicating the ability for resistance against weathering actions [9–11]. For durability improvements, the concrete mixture's water-tocement ratio plays an important role which should be carefully considered [12, 13]. ACI guide [1] proposes procedures prior and after pouring concrete under harsh weather conditions to avoid any strength loss (**Figure 1**). It is generally recommended that to use lower water-to-cement design ratio, type-three cement and nonchloride admixtures for the best performance under cold weather conditions.

There are different factors which are indirectly affected by any change in environmental conditions. The setting time issue with cold weather would be twice by each 10°C, which causes the concrete to be exposed and vulnerable to ambient damages. Therefore, effectively protect the concrete from the harsh ambient conditions is necessary until it gains minimum strength of 3.5 MPa [1, 2, 14]. Additionally, under harsh environmental conditions, the inner parts of concrete would experience a different hydration process rather than the outer areas. The inner parts commonly have higher temperature due to hydration of the cement with water, while outer layers experience less temperature values. This phenomenon, especially under cold outside temperature, results in significant thermal

**93**

in North USA.

*Compressive Behavior of Concrete under Environmental Effects*

*Influence of the curing temperature on water absorption of the mixture.*

cracks causing lower compressive strength values, generating microcracks and adversely affecting the interfacial zone (ASTM C 1074-04). Furthermore, at freezing temperatures, a reduction of 29% in stiffness after 28 days is expected since the vulnerability against cracks is reduced due to increase in water absorption of the hardened concrete [15]. **Figure 2** shows the water absorption coefficient is increased for three different concrete types under cold weather compared to mild weather conditions. These phenomena negatively change the compressive strength and vulnerability against crack propagation showing that water-cement ratio is one most important factors in strength development of the concrete [15, 16]. In addition, the concrete freezing at initial stages of strength development negatively reduces the capability of the cement matrix to maintain the mixture integrity

In what follows, the ambient temperature and humidity index effects on various concrete types are investigated. The compressive strength development under temperature changes is discussed in detail. The overview of the harsh weather concreting is established in detail by elaborating on compressive strength, maturity index, and freeze-thaw experiments. The out of this chapter is to understand the behavior of the concrete under various ambient conditions as the most commonly

**2. Material properties used for compressive strength investigation**

To elaborately indicate compressive behavior of the concrete, the results for three different temperatures of 5, 10, and 25°C as well as two humidity rate index values are represented. Four cement types with low and high water-cement ratio are taken into account to understand the compressive behavior of the concrete in various environmental effects. The commercially available grout types of BASF, Dayton, Five Star, and Quickrete are prepared and cured with water-cement ratios of 0.12, 0.12, 0.18, and 0.18, respectively. The values of consistency, an indicator of the mobility or fluidity of the mortar, were checked to be in conformity with the limits set in ASTM standards. **Table 1** shows a detailed plan of testing plan with the number of samples. The mentioned mortar compositions are selected based on the applicability of them for harsh environmental condition

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.85675*

against freeze-thaw cycles [16, 17].

**Figure 2.**

used material for construction and residential buildings.

**Figure 1.** *(a) Concrete in cold weather. (b) Cold weather curing.*

*Compressive Behavior of Concrete under Environmental Effects DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.85675*

#### **Figure 2.**

*Compressive Strength of Concrete*

ture conditions (e.g., fire).

be reduced and durability loss is inevitable [2].

shock, spalling, cracking, and aggregate expansion leading to high distress within the concrete [2, 3]. Therefore, the strength of concrete is reduced by any significant temperature increase. The strength degradation rate is depended on the initial compressive concrete strength [7]. Concrete in general provides one of the best fire resistance properties due to chemically combined material with thermal conductivity, and high heat capacity which leads to self-protection against extreme tempera-

On the other hand, the low temperature curing condition is a highly common issue affecting the strength development of the concrete. Pouring and curing concrete in extreme weather conditions require special attention to the code instructions for obtaining desirable performance in structures [1, 2]. The cold weather condition is defined previously as a period of time in which for more than three consecutive days, either average daily air temperature is less than 5°C or the air temperature is not greater than 10°C for more than one-half of any 24-h period. The cold condition limits the concrete capability to develop strength by causing significant decrease in hydration process. Another issue with cold ambient temperature is expansion of the water in concrete, especially in high water-cement ratio mixtures, leading to spalling and overall strength degradation [1, 7, 8]. It is well documented that if the concrete in plastic stage freezes, about 50% of the strength is expected to

The durability of the concrete against freeze-thaw cycles is previously investigated as a major factor indicating the ability for resistance against weathering actions [9–11]. For durability improvements, the concrete mixture's water-tocement ratio plays an important role which should be carefully considered [12, 13]. ACI guide [1] proposes procedures prior and after pouring concrete under harsh weather conditions to avoid any strength loss (**Figure 1**). It is generally recommended that to use lower water-to-cement design ratio, type-three cement and nonchloride admixtures for the best performance under cold weather conditions. There are different factors which are indirectly affected by any change in environmental conditions. The setting time issue with cold weather would be twice by each 10°C, which causes the concrete to be exposed and vulnerable to ambient damages. Therefore, effectively protect the concrete from the harsh ambient condi-

tions is necessary until it gains minimum strength of 3.5 MPa [1, 2, 14].

Additionally, under harsh environmental conditions, the inner parts of concrete would experience a different hydration process rather than the outer areas. The inner parts commonly have higher temperature due to hydration of the cement with water, while outer layers experience less temperature values. This phenomenon, especially under cold outside temperature, results in significant thermal

**92**

**Figure 1.**

*(a) Concrete in cold weather. (b) Cold weather curing.*

*Influence of the curing temperature on water absorption of the mixture.*

cracks causing lower compressive strength values, generating microcracks and adversely affecting the interfacial zone (ASTM C 1074-04). Furthermore, at freezing temperatures, a reduction of 29% in stiffness after 28 days is expected since the vulnerability against cracks is reduced due to increase in water absorption of the hardened concrete [15]. **Figure 2** shows the water absorption coefficient is increased for three different concrete types under cold weather compared to mild weather conditions. These phenomena negatively change the compressive strength and vulnerability against crack propagation showing that water-cement ratio is one most important factors in strength development of the concrete [15, 16]. In addition, the concrete freezing at initial stages of strength development negatively reduces the capability of the cement matrix to maintain the mixture integrity against freeze-thaw cycles [16, 17].

In what follows, the ambient temperature and humidity index effects on various concrete types are investigated. The compressive strength development under temperature changes is discussed in detail. The overview of the harsh weather concreting is established in detail by elaborating on compressive strength, maturity index, and freeze-thaw experiments. The out of this chapter is to understand the behavior of the concrete under various ambient conditions as the most commonly used material for construction and residential buildings.
