Concrete explosions become a concern with the excessive heat

[The Straight Story]

Concrete explosions become a concern with the excessive heat

Do you feel like it’s so hot outside you could just burst into flames? Concrete pavement across the metro is feeling the same way.

Unlike it’s asphalt counterpart, which is more flexible, concrete is much more rigid.

Des Moines Public Works Director Bill Stowe says add a little water in the mix and apply heat, and you’ve got a problem. Stowe says water that is trapped either below the concrete or inside it can actually explode, causing the concrete to break wide open.

Stowe says when the pavement blows, they usually have to repair it right away.


Read more: http://www.big1059.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=104673&article=8851612#ixzz1Sag7YNgy

This should be cross posted in 9/11 forum ;)

[Poll_Blind]

1. Water and temperature are a very powerful combination.

PB

[Xithras]

2. Umm, I've lived in areas where it hits 110+ every summer all my life.

While sidewalks and streets do occasionally buckle in the heat, I've never heard of one exploding.

[kestrel91316]

3. If it's anything like the Valley, that's because any moisture has long since been

baked right out oF concrete and soil and everything else less than 10 feet below the soil surface, lol.

[MineralMan]

5. One of the differences here is that we have a 120+ range

of temperatures in Minnesota over a year's time. Roadways have to be built to handle both -20 degrees and +100 degrees. They don't always get it right 100% of the time. So, we do have road blowouts.

[justabob]

6. yeah, me too

Well, not 110, but it is reliably oppressive in summer. Perhaps because it regularly gets super hot in some places, there is a different formula for the cement? I dunno. There are some fields, trees, and bushes around here I swear are going to burst into flame any moment. I hate summer. On edit.... seems like in Iowa they'd have to worry more about cold.

[MineralMan]

4. Lots of that in the Twin Cities, MN this week, too.

They're fixing the blowouts, but slowly, since the state is shut down. Real traffic issues on the Interstates.