Protect PRODUCTS from NATURE so that, PRODUCT protects you from NATURE.

NAUTRE…. The only source from which we get the energy like heat and cold including natural materials like stone / soil containing chemical. We modify / formulate the natural material or by mixing it with other natural materials to make one more material for the specific use called products. Nature provides light energy from which other resources like hot, cold, water, high / low temperature, humidity, moisture will form in the environment. Products invented from the nature will again use to protect other man-made creations like house, roads, bridges, industries, etc to from the nature. So it is very necessary for understanding the effects of nature on the products in the time frame.. say before / while / after application.

Let see some of the affect of nature on our structures:

For study purpose, I am referring some of the major types of products in some category as follows:

Tiling & grouting	Waterproofing	Flooring	Concrete repair
Polymer based cementitious adhesives	Acrylic cementitious LAM	Cementitious flooring & screed	Cementitious structural grout
Epoxy based adhesives	Acrylic LAM	Epoxy flooring & screed	Cementitious expanding grout admix
Furane based adhesives	Crystalline LAM	Polyurethane flooring & screed	Polyester resin anchoring grout
Polymer based non-sanded grouts	Elastomeric LAM	Cementitious epoxy flooring	Structural epoxy grout
Polymer based sanded grouts	PU based LAM	Epoxy based PU flooring	PU injection grout
Epoxy based grouts	PU based acrylic LAM	Epoxy coating	PU injection foam grout
Furane based grouts	Water based epoxy LAM	Polyurethane coating	Cementitious polymer structural mortar
Sealers	Rubber based SAM	Urethane coating	Cementitious micro concrete
Cleaners	Polyproline SAM	Water based epoxy coating	Shuttering oil
		Solvent based epoxy coating	Oil based mould release agent
		Solvent free epoxy coating	Wax based concrete curing compound
			Epoxy bonding agent
			Anti corrosive epoxy zinc rich primer
			Non metallic floor hardener
			Acrylic copolymer based admixture for concrete and mortar
			SBR based liquid polymer additive for concrete and mortar
			Integral cement waterproofing compound
			Polyurethane joint sealant
			Acrylic crack filler
			Cement based crack filler
			Epoxy resin based adhesive and repair compound

Let see how the nature may create the problems to the products and how it can be overcome:

     1.    Climate / Temperature: Let see at how much temperature we the different climates and what will be the effect on the environment.

Temperature °C	What might be at this temp	How it feels	Other points of interest
-30 (that is 30 degrees below zero)	Ice, freezer	ICE	Very cold if you are outside in this temperature, unbearable to most
-10	Ice	Snow fall	Very cold still but bearable if in lots of warm clothes
0	Water freezes, ice melts	Cold	Typical coldest average temperature for UK in winter
4	Fridge	Cold	Water has its smallest volume at this temperature
10		Cold
15		Cool
20	Room indoors	Warm
25	Warm room	Warm to hot	Typical maximum temperature for British summer
30	Hot day	Feeling hot	Typical temperature for hotter countries
37	Body temperature	Very hot	This is the average human body temperature
40	Washing machine setting for clothes for normal wash	Very hot	If you are outside in this temperature you will feel hot, but more so if humidity is high. If your internal body temperature reaches this level you are in danger of death.
50		Extremely hot	Not many places get this high in temperature, and this heat you would need to find shade, drink water and stay cool.
60	Washing machine setting for hot wash	Too hot to live in	Most bacteria die at this temperature
90	Washing machine setting for hottest wash	Too hot to live in	Humans cannot survive such high temperatures
100	Water boils in the kettle	Water in tea maker	Water turns to steam
1000	Lava from a volcano	Rising valcano
1535	Melting point of iron	Iron plant	At this temperature iron will turn into liquid form, to be used in industrial manufacturing processes
2750	Boiling point of iron	Blast furnace	The temperature at which iron boils and vapourises
5500	Surface of the Sun	THE SUN
15 000 000	Core of the Sun

a. Cool climate: Applied product can affected by the ambient temperatures and humidity, both at the high and low ends of the range. So, to achieve optimal results users of products need to make some adjustments in normal procedures to allow for these material properties. In the winter, the combination of cold temperatures and increased humidity produce one set of conditions which impedes curing, whilst at the other extreme hot and dry conditions in summer can result in too rapid curing.

1. Cementitious Products Slow Curing.

2. Efflorescence affect (Due to increased water residence times as a result of slowed evaporation, efflorescence can also be increased in cement based products. Efflorescence is a deposit of water soluble salts from the cementitious components which are drawn out by the water and then deposit at the surface when the water evaporates. Premature sealing can exacerbate this effect.

3. Resin based products - Slow Curing: These products cure by a chemical reaction between two components and this reaction is slowed or halted by cold conditions. The viscosity of the resins can also increase making effective mixing difficult. Water based epoxies can display increased drying times and apparent stickiness due to decreased rates of water evaporation.
4. Store the products between 5 – 30 Deg C in the original unopened containers up to the time as specified by the manufacturer. If climate is too cold, additional polythene sheets shall be used to protect the products.

Let see what does IS 4082 - says about the stacking and storage of construction materials and components at site:
Typical arrangement of powder like materials: 

Let see some on-site images:

Take notice of safety labels on containers and ensure safe storage of products site. Always store sheet products standing up-right, on pallets to prevent roll distortion. Keep the product exactly as per the arrow mark – up / down. Solvent based products (including M/T drums stored out of direct sunlight.

Hardener product part, starts freezing at 14 Deg C. Such products need to be warmed to temperature of 40 Deg C and thoroughly mixed before mixing with other components. Do not heat the product for more than 40 Deg C as discoloration and dimerization may occur. Overheating of product, may lead to explosive of  pale / can. Vice-versa, such products stored at high temperatures may cause in release of Nitrogen / Carbon / Oxygen gas and viscosity varies.

Resin part materials are of many more kind, so we not just discuss in the open form. It is always better to seek the knowledge from the manufacturer’s how to protect the product and if get affected by the temperature, what shall be the next course of action—if use it how, if not – how to dispose them.

Products shall not be in cold temperature say, below 10 Deg C. Minimum 10 Deg and less than 35-40 Deg C. Use Halogen lights to bring the place temperature to normal temperature condition. Products used at below or above this temperature, the chemical action will be affected and product pot life, setting time, flowability will be affected and accordingly final results may vary.

If not protected properly, lumps may form in the power part of the product. 

Water mixable products shall be used with normal temperature water or heated water. But, water to be used shall not have temperature more than 21 Dec C. Use Halogen lights to bring the working place temperature to normal temperature condition.

Use rapid set adhesives to reduce cure times. Increase the amount of ventilation by the use of fans which will raise the rate of evaporation. 

b. Hot climate: Hot climate is useful for slow drying membranes products. However the air must not be supplied by a heater as this can cause cracking and should only be used on floor levelling products after the material has hard cured. 

1. Cementitious Products Premature Curing: The maximum recommended temperature for the use is 35 Deg C and summer temperatures can easily exceed this. Products cure faster in hot weather due to the increased reaction rate of the components. This means that flow or working times / viscosity will be reduced, and tile adhesives will have shorter open times before skinning. 

2. Substrate / surface get hot: Dark coloured surfaces exposed to direct sun on a hot day can reach 50 to 80 Deg C. Concrete substrates can act as heat sinks and hold high temperatures after the air temperature has fallen.

3. Rapid Evaporation and Poor Bonding: Increased evaporation means the water / liquid part escapes from the applied product before curing reactions have a chance to complete, resulting in weak bonds. Highly dried out substrates can absorb water / liquid from the applied product they can skin at the interface with the substrate preventing penetration into substrate and reduced bonding strengths.

4. Resin products Premature Curing & Slumping: Epoxy products can cure very rapidly at increased temperatures, especially where full packs has been mixed and generates its own heat of reaction which significantly reduces pot life. These materials can also become less viscous and slump when applied on vertical surfaces.

5. Blistering of Membrane Products: Liquid membrane products can skin rapidly and prevent the underlying moisture from escaping. If the substrate is impervious, blistering can occurs or poor bonding may result.

Tips:

Mixing of products needs to be done quickly using mechanical machines. Arrange air conditioning. Externally, only work in the cooler morning or late afternoon hours and do not lay materials in areas exposed to direct hot sun. Use the maximum quantity of water for mixing as per products TDS. Use cool water drawn from pipes or taps, water not exposed to the sun. Water chilled by ice can be used, but the ice must be melt and the temperature should not be below 10 Deg C. Mix small batches of material and only work on an area that can be covered before initial cure or skinning occurs. Surfaces can be lightly sprayed with water or covered with damp cloth (get confirmation from manufacturer). Properly prime the surface to minimise excessive absorption of moisture, rising pin holes, etc. Products like bondings shall be re-applied if dries out. Don’t rework on the applied products which is crossed the initial setting.

During the installation, factor increased drying times between each step in the job. If the daytime temperature is acceptable, but may drop significantly at night, only use products until around midday to allow the material to form an initial set prior to the onset of cold temperatures at night.

      2.    Humidity:

    Resinous (specially solvent products of epoxy and PU) will not bond to the surface applied at high humid conditions.
    
    3.    Moisture:  The nominal moisture vapour transmission rate of 15gm/m²/24 hours is considered to be the maximum permitted for resilient flooring as per the requirements of AS2870 for dampproofing of floors. Hence we need to maintain the vapour transmission rate well below.

    4.    Surface nature:

    b.Porous surface
    c. Non - Porous surface:
    d. Damp surface:
    e. Weak top surface: Week surface will not have ability to hold the product in position at the chemically curing time of the product. Epoxy and PU like resinous products will have great tensile strength and take the surface layer and peel up. cementitious products, may have initial good bond but in the long time frame, they also will de-bond by taking the week matrix surface.

    f. Smooth surface:

      5.    Chemicals:

This blog is under construction….. will be finalized very soon.