Prevent Plastic Shrinkage Cracking with the Concrete Pro Jobsite Weather Kit

August 1, 2018 Monica Devlin Comments

The fallout from cracked concrete appearing in a newly laid slab goes beyond the hassle and costs associated with any necessary repair work. Knowing the correct rate of evaporation and planning accordingly before pouring concrete is vital for ensuring successful slab curing during both hot weather and cold conditions.

When plastic shrinkage cracks show up in freshly poured concrete, the associated problems begin to pile up - leaving contractors to deal with the consequences. Plastic shrinkage occurs when weather conditions cause water to evaporate rapidly from the surface of fresh concrete shortly after placement.

With the all new Concrete Pro Jobsite Weather Kit, contractors can better evaluate the impact of weather, assess the risk of surface cracking, and make informed decisions to achieve the desired placement results. The Concrete Kit includes the Kestrel 5200 Professional Environmental Meter with LiNK, Rotating Vane Mount, and Portable Mini Tripod Extension Rod. It all comes in a durable Protective Hard Carrying Case.

Customer Spotlight:

The Kestrel 5200 Helps Concrete Construction Company Cut Costs & Reduce Liability

Ron, a Quality Control Manager in the Concrete Construction industry, oversees large projects and considers the Kestrel 5200 an essential tool for every concrete pour.

Complete Jobsite Environmental Monitoring

"A Kestrel 5200 meter is a requirement on jobsites at each outdoor pour. Using the Kestrel 5200 has been an invaluable part of our projects helping to ensure proper placement and for saving detailed jobsite weather reports. The wireless "LiNK" connectivity allows me to monitor the collected data on my phone while the Kestrel to be perched on the Vane Mount inches above the slab surface rather than a weather station miles away that does not depict the actual weather conditions on our site. The Kestrel LiNK app makes it incredibly easy to view and manage the environmental data right on my phone - I'm able to set the logging intervals and email the real-time conditions or a whole projects' worth of data for record-keeping."

Knowing the actual environmental conditions at the pour, and being able to get Evaporation Rate quickly eliminates the guesswork and reduces chance for error.

-Ron, Concrete Quality Control Manager

"With accurate weather information, we can then make the appropriate adjustments to remedy any environmental challenge we may be facing. We can get in front of a potential issue before it develops into a major problem. Problems can include costly penalties or rework. The Kestrel 5200 makes too much sense not to have in your list of tools when placing concrete. Knowing the wind speed, temperature, rate of evaporation in real-time is essential to successfully placing slabs."

Comprehensive Jobsite Weather Data Documentation

"There is a recent event where the Kestrel saved the day – and saved us money! We placed a relatively large slab on the ground and set up the Kestrel 5200 on a Vane Mount and tripod for continuous monitoring of the environmental conditions. Beginning at 02:30 and ending at 18:00, we were able to collect and store the data for the entire 15.5 hours of placement and finish for the day.

A few days later, we faced adversity when the concrete began premature failure. When questioned about our placement methods and environmental conditions by the design team and project owner, we were able to export and print the data log from the pour site proving that we remained compliant with project specifications, the American Concrete Institute, and Industry Standards. Having this information was critical to our defense. We could show that the mix design that was approved at the engineer request was the problem – and not our placement or finishing efforts. This meant that we held no liability or shared liability in the costs associated with replacing the slab.""

Read more about how the Kestrel Concrete Pro Jobsite Weather Kit is designed to make the concrete contractor's job easier.

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Monica Devlin