Waterproof concrete w6 - classification, use and production.

The quality and durability of concrete products depends largely on the brand of concrete chosen. It must comply with the conditions of use of the product. In particular, if it implies constant contact of the material with water, then it is necessary to use waterproof concrete, for example, the W6 brand, to which this article is actually dedicated.

Marking of waterproof concrete

The waterproofness of concrete, as it is not difficult to guess - is its ability to not pass water under a certain pressure. As a rule, such material is used in the construction of various hydraulic structures, including water tanks. However, it should be noted that it is of various types and is intended for different purposes.

In particular, hydraulic concrete is primarily divided by the degree of water resistance into:

• Underwater;
• Intended to be permanently in the water;
• For operation in the zone of variable water horizon;
• Subject to occasional water wash.

In addition, it is distinguished into the following types:

• Massive and non-massive;
• Designed for pressure and free-flow structures.

To choose the right material, it is necessary to understand its notation, which we consider below.

Watertight designation

As for waterproofing, the material is divided into the following brands - W2, W4, W6, W20. The numbers indicate the pressure at which he does not let water through. Thus, the water resistance of concrete W6 is 0.6 MPa.

Compressive strength

Another important indicator is the compressive strength. This material parameter is determined at the age of 180 days. For construction use concretes of classes B10, B40. For example, class B10 corresponds to the concrete grade M150, B20 - to the brand M250, and B30 –M400.

Frost resistance

Hydroconcrete is also divided according to the degree of frost resistance. There are five of its brands - F50, F100, F150, F200 and F300. In this case, the numbers indicate the number of freezing and thawing cycles, after which its strength will decrease by no more than 25 percent.

Tip! The requirement of frost resistance is imposed only on those hydrotechnical materials that are subjected during operation to the simultaneous effects of water and frost. Since the price of the solution depends on this indicator, it does not always make sense to acquire it.

Now, having understood the features of the marking, you can easily determine the characteristics of concrete W6. That will allow you to choose the most suitable material for use in certain conditions.

For example, concrete B20 W6 F150:

• Corresponds to the M250 brand;
• Able to withstand water at a pressure of 0.6 MPa;
• Maintains 150 cycles of freezing and defrosting.

Application

At first glance it may seem that in the construction of private houses with their own hands and in other household purposes there is no need for waterproof concrete, since hydraulic structures are very rarely built. However, in reality it is not.

For example, the foundation of the house has to constantly contact with moisture. Therefore, its construction requires at least concrete B25 W6 F150. Moreover, in order to make a concrete foundation airtight, it is necessary not only to use waterproof material for it, but also to ensure waterproofing of the seams.

Also characteristics of concrete B25 W6 F100 allow to use it during the construction:

• The basement of the houses;
• Making piles;
• Overlaps;
• Child basseynov;
• Columns;
• Beams;
• Crossbars;
• Monolithic walls, etc.

Concrete B20 W6 F200 can be used when performing:

• Foundation blind areas;
• Garden paths;
• Screeds in open gazebos, etc.

Tip! Durable brands of concrete are difficult to process. Therefore, diamond tools are used for these purposes, for example, diamond drilling of holes in concrete or cutting of reinforced concrete with diamond circles is often used.

How to make waterproof concrete

Concrete is a capillary-porous material, with the result that when there is a certain pressure it becomes permeable to water. It follows that permeability depends on the nature and degree of porosity of the massif. The more dense the structure, the higher the water resistance, respectively.

Here are the main reasons why pores arise:

• The solution is not sufficiently compacted. To prevent this disadvantage use vibration installation.
• The presence of excess water.
• Excessive array shrinkage, i.e. when dried, it decreased in volume.

To obtain a material with a high degree of water resistance, the amount of water must be minimized. The optimum is the value of W / C = 0.4.

Reduction of the water-cement ratio, for example, from V / C = 0.5 to the indicator V / C = 0.40, i.e. by 20 percent, reach with the help of plasticizers or on the other - waterproofing additives.

Thus, it is quite possible to obtain, for example, concrete b25 f200 w6 independently, even without vibration. The instructions for using these additives may be different, therefore, before using, you should read the instructions from the manufacturer on the packaging.

Conclusion

The use of waterproof concretes in construction, such as W6, can significantly extend the life of concrete structures. The only thing, when choosing a material, it is necessary to pay attention to its other characteristics, such as strength and frost resistance.

From the video in this article, you can get more information on this topic.