How many days does it take for concrete pavement to be trafficable in summer?
2 Answers
The standard requirement is 28 days, but in reality, many roads are opened within 7-14 days, especially for half-width construction. After 7 days, the concrete strength typically reaches about 80%. Introduction to Cement Concrete Pavement: Cement concrete pavement refers to a road surface primarily made of cement concrete, commonly known as rigid pavement or white pavement. It is a type of high-grade road surface. Cement concrete pavement includes various types such as plain concrete, reinforced concrete, and continuously reinforced concrete. Composition of Cement Concrete Pavement: Cement concrete pavement consists of a subgrade layer, base layer, and surface layer. The subgrade layer is essential in urban road conditions with poor temperature and humidity to improve the performance of the pavement structure. The base layer must have sufficient anti-scouring capability, high stiffness, strong deformation resistance, and be solid, flat, and well-integrated. The surface layer should possess adequate strength, durability, skid resistance, wear resistance, and smoothness.
When can vehicles drive on newly paved concrete roads in summer? I've encountered this situation many times. In hot weather, concrete dries quickly, and generally, small vehicles can drive on it after about three days, but only if proper curing is done. The sun is scorching during the day, so you need to cover the surface with wet burlap and sprinkle water regularly—otherwise, the surface will crack like a spiderweb. Last time at a construction site, I saw a road that wasn’t properly cured, and when a heavy truck drove over it, the surface crumbled. To be safer, waiting five days before allowing traffic is more reliable. If an early-strength agent is added and temperatures exceed 35°C, vehicles might be able to pass in as little as two and a half days. However, don’t rush to allow heavy trucks—wait until the concrete reaches full strength at 28 days. Otherwise, trying to save a few days now could lead to costly repairs later.
