Adiabatic calorimeter 54-C2010/A

isothermal

When fresh concrete is poured and casted, the hydration reaction of cement develops a large amount of heat with an increase of temperature. The Adiabatic Concrete Calorimeter is the perfect equipment for measuring the heat of hydration in concrete allowing correct evaluation of the heating process of massive concrete works. When concrete is curing and hardening, the hydration reaction of cement develops a large amount of heat with an increase in temperature. The temperature rise accelerates the hardening of cement however, if it is not properly dissipated, it can cause the rise of tensile stresses inside the concrete structure with the consequent appearance of cracks and reduction of mechanical properties. This effect is encountered particularly in massive concrete castings, due to the limited heat dispersion, leading the behaviour closer to adiabatic conditions. The isothermal and semi-adiabatic testing methods are consequently less representative and most commonly used for mortars and cement pastes, basically to compare the behaviour of different types of cement. The adiabatic method is the only method allowing correct evaluation of the heating process inside massive concrete works. CONTROLS is the only testing equipment manufacturer that developed in the late 80s, in partnership with the main research laboratories, the first industrial adiabatic concrete calorimeter, so far having been limited to few prototypes in research centers. Nowadays the equipment has been completely renewed with the latest technologies, including new electronics and PC software, ensuring high testing accuracy.