Widely considered one of the most durable building materials in the world, concrete is often the obvious choice for a majority of construction projects. But when you’re building in a place like Wisconsin, you always have to keep the rules of Mother Nature in mind, as even concrete is subject to the ravages of climate. Wisconsin’s climate is particularly demanding, thanks to frigid winters, stormy springs and hot, humid summers. Here at Potrykus Construction, we realize that adapting our concrete solutions is key to withstanding these dramatic freeze-thaw cycles and other effects of our unique environment.
Freeze-Thaw Factor
We’ll kick things off by addressing without a doubt one of the most significant challenges faced here in Wisconsin: the frequency of freeze-thaw cycles. This term refers to the act of water penetrating concrete and freezing, which causes it to expand and exert pressure from within, which can in turn lead to scaling, cracking or even surface spalling. We’re able to combat this by incorporating air-entrained concrete mixes, which sprinkle tiny air pockets throughout the concrete. These little air pockets allow the expanding ice to spread out and have somewhere to settle, in turn reducing the internal stress on your concrete by a dramatic amount.
Strategic Mix Design
Speaking of our concrete mixes, we have to be more strategic about the design of our mixes overall as well. They need to be tailored for both strength and flexibility, which is why we fine-tune our water-to-cement ratios in such a way that durability is optimized without compromising the workability of the concrete. In addition, there are many additives we can integrate – such as fly ash or slag cement – to reduce the concrete’s permeability and enhance its ability to resist things like salt, moisture and extreme temperatures.
Reinforcing the Right Way
While road salt is an indispensable aid through the harsh winters of Wisconsin, it has an unfortunate side effect — it can wreak havoc on unprotected concrete. The chloride ions found in this salt can penetrate porous surfaces and rust embedded steel reinforcement, which can in turn lead to cracks and structural degradation. That’s precisely why you have to reinforce concrete the right way, which we do by using epoxy-coated rebar, fiber mesh or corrosion-inhibiting admixtures whenever appropriate. These solutions help to ensure our concrete projects remain robust even after our harshest winter conditions.
Smart Drainage & Site Prep
Even if we follow all of our solutions up to this point, without proper drainage it would all be for naught. When water is allowed to pool or infiltrate beneath the concrete, it amplifies the effects of freeze-thaw damage and can cause all sorts of other problems. We counteract this by prioritizing subgrade evaluation and preparation and by utilizing well-compacted base materials and integrated drainage solutions. Regardless of the project, we ensure that the surfaces we build are able to shed water instead of trapping it.
Seasonal Scheduling
One of the best ways that we can adapt to the climate here in Wisconsin is by utilizing the most ideal construction windows. While we can take on a project at any time, and have additional solutions to help us tackle projects during less ideal timeframes, we advise our clients on when the best time to complete their project would be — which is typically any time during spring through fall. For those projects that do need to be done during the winter, we take every precaution to ensure the integrity of our concrete.
[ READ MORE: How to Extend the Life of Your Concrete Parking Lot in Wisconsin ]
We hope that this information has given you a better idea of how we address Wisconsin’s unique climate demands when it comes to our concrete solutions. Adapting your project to the climate shouldn’t end when our job is over, either. You can help to combat the negative effects of our weather conditions by sealing surfaces and by properly removing snow through the winter. If you have additional questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us right here at Potrykus Construction. We can’t wait to get started on your next concrete project!