Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Re: Use of Sugar to Stop Concrete Curing

Per Wikipedia:


Neil Moore, PE, SE

I am not saying this is a good thing.




On 11/16/2011 3:10 PM, Charles Canitz wrote:
I was recently contacted by a colleague who advised that a contractor for his project used a few pounds of sugar (purchaed from a nearby grocery store) to prevent concrete from curing. The concrete was placed for a communications manhole afterwhich it was realized it had the wrong compressive strength. Using the sugar allowed the placed concrete to be easilly removed in a viscous state (versus use of a jack hammer).
 
Anyone previously encounter a previous situation? I'm assuming that the sugar reacts with the cement such that the hydration process is negated.
 
Thanks,
Charlie Canitz
Annapolis, MD