Water on top of Concrete

[dcarr82775]

Got a call from the owners rep on a project this morning. They were casting a concrete beam last week. The forms were a few inches taller than the top of concrete.

Apparently there was so much 'bleed water' collecting on top of the concrete that they were removing it with cups. They pulled the side forms today and the concrete looks 'funny'.

I have never heard of this happening before. Has anyone else? I am making them takes cores for strength.

 

[rowingengineer]

Seen/heard of similar problems, can be caused by many different ingredients or environmental effects.

How could you do anything so vicious? It was easy my dear, don't forget I spent two years as a building contractor. - Priscilla Presley & Ricardo Montalban

 

[Ron]

Too much water in a concrete mix with non-absorptive coarse aggregate. Was water added at the site? What was the slump at delivery? Was there a plasticizer added? Was the air content high?

 

[msquared48]

Was this bleed water, or rain?

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

 

[rowingengineer]

what was the humidity level? we could play this game all day.

How could you do anything so vicious? It was easy my dear, don't forget I spent two years as a building contractor. - Priscilla Presley & Ricardo Montalban

 

[dcarr82775]

I think they added way too much water to the mix, or possibly mixed in the grout they primed the pump with. It is indoors and very low humidity. I was just wondering if anyone else had experienced the need to bail out a form. I never had.

 

[Ron]

Have had to bail footing trenches, but usually not formed concrete. I would core the concrete for strength.