SEOUL, KOREA - Hyundai Engineering & Construction said on May 14 it has succeeded in developing an "automatic concrete curing system" that can reduce substantially the incidence of cracks on large structure's concrete foundations. In the construction business, the perennial problem in concrete forming is the curing of concrete. As the cement mixed with water releases heat raising the internal temperature up to 70 or 80 degrees Celcius. Cracks begin to appear on the outside of the concrete form if the temperature difference is in excess of 20 degrees.
In order to address this problem, Hyundai E&C has developed an ingenious solution to narrow the temperature difference by planting sensors in many parts of the concrete form and supplying warm water whenever the difference goes up to a certain level automatically.
The solution, according to the company, can cut the curing time to two days from an average of seven days, saving construction time while reducing the number of workers needed during the curing period.
The company has already applied the technology in several sites to build thermal power plants Nos. 9 and 10 in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, and the No. 2 combined cycle power plant in Yulchon, South Jeolla Province. In the latter's case, the company has found no crack on the concrete foundation. Hyundai E&C has earned a patent for this technology with the Korea Intellectual Property Office last year and applied for a patent in two foreign countries.
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