How to tell if a concrete block wall has been frozen
How to tell if a concrete block wall has been frozen
(OP)
I am looking at pictures of a concrete block wall that is going up in a cold climate. There is a purple/pink hue on the face of the block. Any idea as to what this might be?
I have not seen the wall in person, yet. So I have no other information.
I have not seen the wall in person, yet. So I have no other information.






RE: How to tell if a concrete block wall has been frozen
In our area (currently minus 14 degrees and contractors not working today) they would generally use a movable, heated scaffolding. Alot of them refer to it as a "Morgan".
RE: How to tell if a concrete block wall has been frozen
RE: How to tell if a concrete block wall has been frozen
RE: How to tell if a concrete block wall has been frozen
It is not from freezing. Freezing of the block would result in some spalling/cracking assuming enough water were present to expand. Freezing mortar would show as someone noted, friable.
While it could be an admixture, it is too sporadic assuming that similar batches of block production are represented, thought it could be isolated to a run of blocks, since it does seem to occur in groups of placement (possibly from same pallet?)
No solution, just things to ponder.
RE: How to tell if a concrete block wall has been frozen
RE: How to tell if a concrete block wall has been frozen
Could be that some of the block have been purchased from different manufacturers or if from a single manufacturer, perhaps they were cast in separate lots using sand with dissimilar color characteristics.
RE: How to tell if a concrete block wall has been frozen
RE: How to tell if a concrete block wall has been frozen
RE: How to tell if a concrete block wall has been frozen
I've seen this block issue before on plenty of walls built in the summer fall and spring.... but i haven't thought about it much. too busy thinking about all the other f-ups going on and how i'm going to monkey up that scaffolding.
RE: How to tell if a concrete block wall has been frozen
First, block block are fully cured before any delivery to the project is possible. Block are made using a zero slump concrete that is cured prior to shipment. The storage of the materials is dependant on the specifications.
Second, the construction of the wall apparently should have been done according to the "cold weather construction requirements", available from the NCMA or IMI or the requirements in ACI 530. This is to prevent any problems with the mortar since the block are already cured and amnufactured to the very, very minimal specifications in ASTM C90.
Third, the grouting of the wall must be done acccording to the requirements in the ACI 530, TMS documents and recommendations by the MCAA for cold weather construction. The important factor is the absorption of the excess moisture required in the ASTM grout specifications.
Color is a very arbitrary measurement of the condition of a wall. Walls are normally designed to be able to withstand the weather conditions for the local climate.
Since this is a wall that is grouted after the initial construction, the details and specificatins may yield some information before try to determine the real condition of the wall after grouting and the surface distractions are resolved.
This may be a typiccal case of over-design and making the wall depend on materials that are hidden and really not required that make reliance on the unseen and unnessesary, a complication on the real structural requirements - according to James Amrheine (sp?), a leader in masonry design, codes and construction.
there are really few recognized testing proceedures for the suitability of walls under construction.
Dick
RE: How to tell if a concrete block wall has been frozen
RE: How to tell if a concrete block wall has been frozen
RE: How to tell if a concrete block wall has been frozen
Dik