VIDEO: Air-Entrainment Rapid Air Test for Concrete

One of the techniques GCP Applied Technologies leverages—that a lot of other companies don't use—is the Rapid Air System for air void analysis of concrete. This ensures the proper air-entrainment has been applied to the concrete in question.

Alternative to the less efficient manual method, which can take a long time and encounter inconsistencies due to human error, GCP runs a computerised rapid air machine. That way, GCP scientists know that all of the data acquired is correct. They can also run a lot of tests quickly.

GCP scientists take a cut and polished concrete sample—used in petrographic analysis—blacken the surface and fill in the voids with white powder. The computer is able to count the white voids—how big the bubbles are and how close they are together.

This tells scientists if the concrete is freeze/thaw durable.

GCP engineers design many air-entrainment concrete admixtures to ensure the correct amount and dispersion of bubbles form in concrete to protect against freeze/thaw damage.

>> Learn more about freeze/thaw damage…