The 5 s's of Rapid Set

Rapid Set® Belitic Calcium Sulfoaluminate (BCSA) concrete is the top choice for design and construction professionals who need a concrete mixture that exhibits minimal shrinkage and sets quickly, reaching the required flexural and compressive design strengths in a very short period, allowing infrastructure to be returned to service. 

It is characterised by its fast-curing time and strength development, durability, and reduced shrinkage, emerging as a long-lasting, durable concrete that is an innovative alternative to traditional cement. This makes it ideal for diverse projects including highway pavements, bridges, runways, tunnels, harbours, precast, sidewalks, floors, and many other applications.

It has been used as a concrete repair and construction material in the US since the 1970s and has been utilised in Australia since 2007 with a proven track record of successful projects such as the replacement of concrete pavement at Melbourne and Sydney airports.

Rapid Set can be categorised by the 5 s’s

• Speed of construction
• Strength – Flexural and Compressive
• Shrinkage over time – Drying shrinkage
• Sulphate resistance
• Sustainability

Speed of construction

Rapid Set dramatically reduces construction times due to its rapid cure time.

With traditional concrete, the typical curing timeline ranges from three to seven days. Because of this curing timeline, Portland concrete structures are often not usable for a minimum of seven days.

Rapid Set attains structural strength in as little as 1 to 2 hours with no water bleeding due to excess water in the mix. Rapid Set utilises all its mix water in the hydration process. Once Rapid Set has been placed, it is trafficable in as quick as one to two hours.

White traditional Portland concrete has a use by time in its plastic state delivered in Agitators, this is not true of Rapid Set. Once the Volumetric Mixer arrives on site, it can combine the Rapid Set raw materials and cement when required producing fresh Rapid Set Concrete on demand. No wastage due to overordering or over producing.

This characteristic makes Rapid Set the optimal choice for critical infrastructure projects that depend on minimal to no operational delay. Rapid Set reaches the required flexural and compressive design strengths in a very short period, allowing infrastructure to be returned to service.

Strength

High early strength means that assets can return to service sooner.

Strength is a significant characteristic of Rapid Set concrete that provides superior performance. It’s a durable, fast curing, and strong product that sets in as little as 15 minutes. It can also be retarded for as long as 45 minutes if the project needs more working time.

Rapid Set concrete also demonstrates high early strengths according to laboratory trials: 20 MPa at one hour, 24MPa at two hours, 35 MPa at three hours, and 55 MPa at 24 hours.

Shrinkage

Rapid Set Concrete can provide up to 2/3rds less drying shrinkage when compared to traditional concrete and concrete products

• Rapid Set Concrete Mixes have no bleed or excess mix water during placement and initial curing
• Rapid Set Concrete has very low permeability due to this lack of bleeding, as well as various chemical resistances
• Rapid Set Concrete hardens quickly making it less prone to evaporation
• Rapid Set Cement Chemistry has expansive properties.

Another characteristic of Rapid Set concrete is that its quick strength coupled with minimal drying shrinkage could potentially provide a revision of joints and spacings overall on a project.

Sulphate Resistant

Sulphate resistance as a characteristic of Rapid Set potentially improves a concrete slabs longevity and durability.

Rapid Set is a sulphate resisting cement designed to improve the performance of concrete where the risk of sulphate attack may be present. It also provides improved durability for concrete in aggressive environments, reducing the risk of deterioration of the structure and structural failure.

Rapid Set is designed to provide improved sulphate resistance with greatly reduced permeability which should also provide increased resistance to the penetration of chloride ions, reducing the risk of corrosion in reinforcing steel.

Sustainability

During the manufacturing process, the lower burning temperature of BCSA cement reduces the amount of energy and carbon dioxide emissions associated with traditional cement production. It also requires less limestone, which is the primary source of carbon dioxide released during the chemical sintering process.

The BCSA clinker is also easier to grind, reducing the energy needed during the milling process. As such, BCSA cement has been named the green alternative and plays a significant role in improving the sustainability of construction materials by simply reducing the quantity of non-renewable resources used during manufacturing.

Antoun: The Rapid Set Solution

If you’re eager to ensure the success of your construction projects while making sure the best quality of work is done the first time, Rapid Set concrete from Antoun gets you a high-performing, fast-setting structural repair material that’s suitable for use in general and structural concrete repair.

Get in touch with Antoun about your next project today and discover the difference innovative concrete products can make in the quality of your work.