6/2/2017

A Practical Approach to
Designing, Placing, and Protecting Mass Concrete

This Webinar is sponsored by ACI. The ideas expressed, however, are those
of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of ACI or its
committees. The audience is expected to exercise judgment as to the
appropriate application of the information.
Please adjust your audio level at this time.

WEBINAR

• For continuing education credit, attendance for the entire duration of the
webinar will earn you a certificate of completion for 1 PDH (0.1 CEU). Your
certificate will be available in ACI University under the Certificates tab
within two days.

• For those who cannot join us live; the on-demand recording and quiz will
be made available about a week after the LIVE presentation. Successful
completion of the quiz will earn the certificate.

• Certificates will be available in ACI University under the Certificates tab.

• Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be

addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

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American Concrete Institute is a Registered Provider with The American

Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems (AIA/CES).
Credit(s) earned on completion of this online course will be reported to
AIA/CES for AIA members.

The online course based on this webinar is registered with AIA/CES for
continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that
may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA
of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using,
distributing, or dealing in any material or product.

The American Institute of Architects has approved this course for

1.0 AIA/CES LU Learning Unit.

The American Institute of Architects has approved

this course for 1.0 AIA/CES LU learning unit.
ACI is an AIA/CES registered provider.

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A Practical Approach to
Designing, Placing, and Protecting Mass Concrete

Course Description:
When most people think of mass concrete, the first thing that comes to mind are large
dam projects such as the Hoover Dam that borders both Arizona and Nevada, and other
Corps of Engineer dam projects built in the 1930s thru 1960s. In fact, most of the
information contained in ACI 207.1R-05 (2012) ‘Guide to Mass Concrete’ was derived for,
and from those types of projects. However, other projects such as waste water treatment
vaults with thickened floor slabs, large mat foundations, pile caps for drilled piers, and
large inertia mass machine foundations may require different approaches for mass
concrete placements that extend beyond ACI 207.1. This webinar will discuss methods of
designing, placing, and protecting mass concrete along with realistic thermal control
plans. Examples of actual jobs and field studies will be included in this session.

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A Practical Approach to
Designing, Placing, and Protecting Mass Concrete

Learning Objectives:
• Explain the practical concept for Massive Structural Concrete “Can’t keep it
Cool? Keep it Warm”, an alternative approach to designing, placing, and
protecting mass concrete structures.
• Identify measures taken to ensure internal maximum temperature is no more
than 35°F (∆T) greater than the external temperature.
• Describe how to place a hard trowel finish on the surface of a low heat, slow
setting mass concrete mix, in a cold environment.
• Discuss how long it takes for heat to dissipate from a mass structure.

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Warren E. McPherson, FACI

Warren McPherson, Manager, High Performance Floors for
Euclid Chemical, has been involved in the design,
manufacture, and finishing of concrete for over 35 years.
Warren is a Fellow of ACI. Past President of the Greater MI
Chapter of ACI, he was the Publicity Chairman when the
ACI Convention was hosted in Detroit. Warren is a voting
member of ACI 302, 211, 332, and C640, and an associate
member of 237. He received a BS in Mathematics with a
minor in Chemistry, from Southeast MO State University.
Warren was instrumental in forming the Arkansas Chapter of ACI in 1985, and has been an
instructor/examiner for ACI’s Flatwork Certification Program since 1990. He was the recipient of
the Arthur A. Moy Award, in 2001, ‘for outstanding service in the field of concrete technology’.
Warren is published in both Concrete Construction Magazine and Concrete International. Most
recently, his article ‘Challenge of Design and Constructibility’ was featured in the October 2012
issue.

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MASS CONCRETE: A Practical Approach to

Design, Placement, and Protection
Warren E McPherson FACI
Euclid Chemical
6/6/17

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What is Mass Concrete?

• CT 16 (formerly ACI 116R): ACI Concrete

Terminology defines mass concrete as—any volume
of concrete in which a combination of dimensions of
the member being cast, the boundary conditions,
the characteristics of the concrete mixture, and the
ambient conditions can lead to undesirable thermal
stresses, cracking, and deleterious chemical
reactions, or reduction in the long-term strength as a
result of elevated concrete temperature due to heat
from hydration

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What is Mass Concrete?

• Since CT-16 does not provide specific dimensions

to describe mass concrete, the industry has
developed its own definition.
• Any structure with a minimal dimension of 3ft , or
greater, has become the unofficial definition for
mass concrete.
• If high early strength mixes are utilized, that
dimension may need to be reduced.

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What is Mass Concrete?

• I became interested in mass concrete almost 30

years ago
• There was a Wastewater Treatment Plant project
getting ready to start in Saginaw, MI with a lot of
mass concrete
• My first stop was ACI 207, Guide for Mass
Concrete. I had become a voting member of ACI
C640 Flatwork Finisher Certification, so I was able
to attended a few ACI 207 meetings

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ACI 207

• ACI 207 was organized in 1930 and was originally

committee 108
• The Hoover Dam, on the borders of Arizona and
Nevada, was in the design stage at this time
• The primary purpose of the committee was to gather
information about the significant properties of mass
concrete in dam structures, and factors that
influence these properties.
• Low heat cement and internal cooling coils were
used in the Hoover Dam, in part, because of the
work done in ACI 207 (108)
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ACI 207

• ACI 207 is a very powerful tool , but it deals

primarily with dam construction
• Most of us in the concrete industry will never have
the opportunity to be involved in one of the massive
projects that are described in ACI 207
• How do we handle mass placements in water
treatment plants or mass foundations?

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ACI 301 Specification for Structural Concrete

• Chapter 8 entitled ‘Mass Concrete’ has some very

useful information.
• It sets the maximum ultimate internal temperature of
the structure at 160°F
• Chapter 8 also establishes the fact the maximum
concrete temperature between the center of the
structure, and within 2” of the edge, should not
exceed 35ºF (∆ =35ºF)

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ACI 301 Specification for Structural Concrete

• ACI 301 establishes that temperature sensors

(thermal couples) should be installed at the center
and within 2” of the edge of the structure to monitor
the concrete temperatures, and temperature should
be recorded every 12 hours.
• If you only record temperatures at 12 hours the
actual time of the peak internal temperature may be
missed

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ACI 301 Specification for Structural Concrete

• Chapter 8.3.1.2(b) says to compare temperatures

and temperature differences
• It goes on to say ‘If either exceeds the specified
limits, take action as described in accepted thermal
control plan’
• Although it mentions a thermal control plan nothing
in the document really explains how to develop
such a plan

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Can’t Keep it Cool? Keep it Warm?

• After studying ACI 207 and ACI 301 and better

understanding the importance of the design, and
temperature control of mass concrete, I began my
journey to adapt all this knowledge to what I would
call ‘every day mass concrete. Concrete that could
be produced by local ready mix producers.
• My frustration lead me to an article in the March
1980 addition of PCA’s ‘Concrete Technology Today’

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Can’t Keep it Cool? Keep it Warm?

• The article ‘Can’t keep it Cool? Keep it Warm?

Came from work done in the UK
• This technique for dealing with mass concrete relies
on three principles
1. Internal thermal strains must be controlled
2. External applied restraint must be avoided
3. The entire reinforced concrete section should be cast in one
continuous pour

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1. Internal thermal strains must be controlled

• No part of the hydrating concrete mass can be

allowed to become cooler than the hottest part by
more than 36ºF (ACI 301 says 35ºF).
• How do we accomplish this?
• Insulate the outer edge of the concrete from the
effects of the ambient temperature.

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2. External Restraints must be avoided

• Loosen the forms as soon as possible. The setting

characteristics of the concrete will dictate the timing.
Generally speaking, within 24hrs of placement.
• If the forms have any insulating value leave them in
place after loosening.
• Avoid trapping (placing) the fresh concrete between
two massive sections of hardened concrete

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3. The entire reinforced concrete section should

be cast in one continuous pour

• Place as large a member as possible, and place the

concrete as quickly as possible
• Can reduce the number of water stops
• Reduces the concern of trapping fresh concrete
between existing, hardened, concrete members.

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Why 160ºF Maximum Internal temperature?

• With temps above 160ºF, DEF (delayed ettringite

formation) can cause internal expansion and
cracking of the concrete, which may not appear until
several years after placement.
• Temps above 190ºF can also reduce compressive
strengths.

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Studies done in Saginaw, MI and Lansing, MI

• Picture a purple Ford Explorer being drug in and out

of a mud pit. The computer inside the vehicle was
attached to the thermal couples in the wall and test
box. An external generator powered the computer.
• In Saginaw at the Waste treatment Plant project we
determined that temperature development in a mass
concrete slab could be closely simulated by using a
4 ft cube box that was insulated at the top and
sides.

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Lansing, MI

• In October, 1993 at the Horton Street Equalization

Basin in Lansing, MI two mass concrete mixes were
monitored.
• The Mass Concrete Mix contained 564lbs of
cementitious material, of which, 226lb was a Type C
flyash.
• The second mix, referred to as the Cold Weather
Mass Concrete Mix contained the same amount and
type of cementitious material, but also included
16oz/cwt of a non-chloride accelerator.

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Lansing, MI

• The mass project in Lansing was a 5 ft thick

concrete base for a multi-million gallon storage tank
for excess storm water run off.
• The engineer wanted a hard trowel finish on the
surface of the base concrete.
• This is why the cold weather version of the mass
concrete mixes was used.
• The mixes with and without the accelerator had the
identical maximum temperature. The mix with the
accelerator reached it’s max temp 2hrs sooner

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Tunneling job in Detroit

• A 7ft thick concrete base for a tunneling shaft was

placed 65ft below grade.
• Heat was not dissipating.
• With the use of the thermal couple monitor,
insulating blankets would be taking off, and left off
until the ∆ 35º was about to be exceeded.
• This procedure continued for several days.

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Mass Concrete for an X-ray Facility

August 1999

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Mass Concrete for an X-ray Facility

August 1999

• The original spec called for a maximum fresh

concrete temp of 70ºF.
• After presenting the ‘Can’t Keep It Cool? Keep It
Warm!’ technique, the engineer agreed to allow a
maximum fresh concrete temp of 90ºF.
• For logistical reasons, the job had to be done on a
Saturday. The job was delayed three weeks
because we couldn’t hit 90ºF, even with 100%
chilled water (34ºF) .
• The chilled water only lowered the temp about 4ºF
at a cost of $11,000 for 1500yds.
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Mass Concrete for an X-ray Facility

August 1999

• The owner wanted to know what our back up plan

was if the walls draped with insulated blankets,
didn’t maintain the maximum ∆ 35° .
• Rubber hoses were draped inside the insulated
blankets and attached to equipment that created
heated solution that ran through the hoses.
Because this job was done in warm weather this
back up plan was not needed

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Grosse Pointe Yacht

Club
Grosse Pointe, MI
February 5, 2003

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Grosse Pointe Yacht Club

• The concrete placement was a 6ft base for a new

swimming pool and underground office and storage
space. 1260 yards
• The original concern was that the concrete would be
placed in cold weather
• Since the office and storage areas would receive a
hard trowel finish, the engineers were concerned
about finishing air entrained concrete
• The decision to incorporate ‘freeze resistance
concrete’ was made

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Grosse Pointe Yacht Club

• The fact that this was mass concrete was not the
main concern initially
• Thermal couples were not incorporated but the
concrete was protected with two layers of insulated
blankets throughout the winter
• The contractor would remove blankets to set forms,
etc and then replace them
• It wasn’t the most scientific method…but it worked

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Library Lane
Underground Parking
Structure
Ann Arbor, MI
2011-July 2012

• 5000 yd mass placement

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Spider Boom
In certain areas Placement
the concrete Equipment
measured 16 feet
in thickness
Thermo-couples
monitored
concrete
temperatures

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Concrete Temperature Requirements

• The original spec called for a maximum concrete

temperature of 70ºF. That was replaced with
maximum internal temp of 160ºF.
• Since most of the mass mat placements wound up
in cold weather, there was a requirement to maintain
concrete temperatures above 40 degrees F.
• Maintaining the ∆T of 35°became the main
concern. After the concrete was finished, 2” rigid
insulation was placed on the surface of the exposed
concrete with insulated blankets on top the rigid
insulation.

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Mass Concrete Mix Design

• 517# Total Cementitious

• 258 Type I Cement
• 129# Slag Cement
• 130# Type C Flyash
• Mid Range WR 6oz/cwt
• W/C=.49

• Calculated Adiabatic Temp Rise 67°F

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Pre-Job Mock Ups Were Required

CONCRETE MOCK-UP
Doan Companies - 10’x10’x10’ Dimensions
that included Thermal Couples

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Summary

• Large mass concrete placements are possible

utilizing the ‘Can’t Keep It Cool? Keep It Warm!’
technique
• The maximum peak temperature is more important
than the fresh concrete temperature
• Proper protection of the concrete and monitoring the
∆ , is essential.
• Non-chloride accelerators can be used without
increasing the maximum peak temp

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Questions?
A Practical Approach to
Designing, Placing, and Protecting Mass Concrete
This webinar is sponsored by the American Concrete Institute (ACI).
Thank you to our presenter: Warren McPherson.
Please use the question feature to submit your questions.
To earn continuing education for this webinar go to www.ACIUniversity.com.

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