Analysis of the Efficiency of Improved Bubble Sheet for Heat Curing in Cold Weather

Abstract

When building with concrete in cold weather, an insulation method of heat curing must be determined, and a holistic curing plan that considers the characteristics of structures, the heat loss coefficient of a curing sheet, the joint condition of the curing materials and the quantity of heat produced by a heating apparatus is an essential prerequisite for protection against early frost damage. But on a number of national construction sites, there have been serious problems in cold weather concreting due to the unreliability of the information obtained from practical experience. In the construction field in Japan, there is a specification for heat curing prepared by Japanese Architectural Society, which provides an equation for calculating heat quantity. It is also necessary to adopt a detailed specification for a standard heat curing method that is applicable to all national construction sites. In this study, the effect of bubble sheets on the economic feasibility of cold weather concrete is investigated through a comparison with the blue sheets commonly prescribed in national construction sites. In conclusion, this study found that bubble sheets had the effect of reducing the cost of curing materials and the fuel cost consumed by a heating apparatus, compared to the use of blue sheets.