PRECAST CONCRETE Materials, Manufacture, Properties and Usage Copyright Applied Science Publishers Ltd 1982 PRECAST CONCRETE Materials, Manufacture, Properties and Usage M.LEVITT ARCS, BSc, DIC, PhD Head—Materials Science Department, John Laing Research and Development Limited, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, UK APPLIED SCIENCE PUBLISHERS LONDON and NEW JERSEY Copyright Applied Science Publishers Ltd 1982 This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2004. APPLIED SCIENCE PUBLISHERS LTD Ripple Road, Barking, Essex, England APPLIED SCIENCE PUBLISHERS, INC Englewood, New Jersey 07631, USA British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Levitt, M. Precast concrete. 1. Precast concrete I. Title 691′·3 TA683·7 ISBN 0-203-49057-6 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-79881-3 (Adobe eReader Format) ISBN 0-85334-994-0 (Print Edition) WITH 40 TABLES AND 109 ILLUSTRATIONS © APPLIED SCIENCE PUBLISHERS LTD 1982 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers, Applied Science Publishers Ltd, Ripple Road, Barking, Essex, England Copyright Applied Science Publishers Ltd 1982 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author wishes to express his appreciation to John Laing Research and Development and The British Precast Concrete Federation Limited for their permission to publish this book. In particular the encouragement of Laing should be mentioned, with particular reference to assistance given by Cyril Hobbs, the Laing Group’s Scientific Adviser, as well as the Precast Concrete Federation’s declassification of a great deal of the originally restricted research data. Gratitude is also expressed to the following precast concrete manufacturers who not only supplied illustrations, but many of whom also took upon themselves the task of checking the technical accuracy of many parts of the original manuscript. Bardon Hill Quarries Limited Beton Machinery Sales Limited Dean Jesmond & Co. ECC Quarries Limited Forticrete Limited Richard Lees Limited Marshalls of Halifax Redland Tiles Limited Rocla Pipes Limited Thermalite Limited Copyright Applied Science Publishers Ltd 1982 INTRODUCTION This book is intended to meet the need for a general treatise on precast concrete, as the last relevant book on this subject was published in 1961. Since then there have been several publications dealing with particular parts of the subject which serve as useful back-up reading, but the precast concrete industry is complex and needs to be discussed in both general and particular terms over a large number of subject areas. The book is aimed not only at people who have considerable experience but also at those new to the subject. Both of these groups of people will wish to extend their knowledge, either in their existing fields or new ones. Although high degrees of knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry and engineering are not required of the reader, it is assumed that he or she will have had two or three years of what may be loosely and internationally described as further education. Specifiers, manufacturers, contractors and teachers will all find something of use. Engineering design and detailing are not covered in this book but details of materials, properties, manufacture and usage are discussed in as full a way as possible. Most of the data, although based upon UK experience, are equally applicable in other countries. Care has been taken to ensure that no matter what process, environment or materials are under consideration the reader will be able to abstract the data required to facilitate production and use of as good a quality product as possible. The common factors in precast concrete products are aggregates, hydraulic cement and water, coupled with a technique for moulding these into a required shape. Although certain rules and guidelines can be laid down, technology can only be used part of the way, as ‘know-how’ and a large degree of ‘alchemy’ play important roles. One of the purposes of this book is to outline how far one can take the technology and when one needs to develop one’s own experience. All that is asked of the reader is the same number of degrees of flexibility as there are variables relating to Copyright Applied Science Publishers Ltd 1982 the properties of the final product. A rigid philosophy will not bear fruit, therefore, great care should be exercised to take a number in its context and not treat it as sacrosanct. The reader should also bear in mind that imparting good practice information rarely breaches secrecy and will always result in a better image for the industry as a whole. Bad performance, whether due to design, materials and/or workmanship, is news that travels fast and even the innocent suffer in the aftermath. Since precast concrete is often one of the choices open to the specifier no one can be excused for promoting the alternatives through their own errors. Pride in the product is the aim and this is easy to achieve. Should any of the basic rules or guidelines be ignored one will find that there is only one rule and that is that the percentage number of rejects is inversely proportional to the control one has. BIBLIOGRAPHY H.G.CHILDE, Concrete Products and Cast Stone, Concrete Publications, London, Ninth Edition, 1961. Architectural Precast Concrete, Prestressed Concrete Institute, Chicago, 1973. J.G.RICHARDSON, Formwork Construction and Practice, Cement and Concrete Association, London, 1977. Copyright Applied Science Publishers Ltd 1982 CONTENTS Acknowledgements Introduction 1. Moulds and Materials 2. Admixtures 3. Pigments 4. Fly Ash 5. Production—General Considerations 6. Production—Specific Processes 7. Accelerated Curing 8. Properties and Performance 9. Quality Assurance 10. Repairs Copyright Applied Science Publishers Ltd 1982 . M. Precast concrete. 1. Precast concrete I. Title 691′·3 TA683·7 ISBN 0- 2 0 3-4 905 7-6 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0- 2 0 3-7 988 1-3 (Adobe eReader Format) ISBN 0- 8 533 4-9 9 4 -0 (Print Edition) WITH 40. PRECAST CONCRETE Materials, Manufacture, Properties and Usage Copyright Applied Science Publishers Ltd 1982 PRECAST CONCRETE Materials, Manufacture, Properties and Usage . Specifiers, manufacturers, contractors and teachers will all find something of use. Engineering design and detailing are not covered in this book but details of materials, properties, manufacture and usage are discussed