Cold Joint Formation
Summary
Cold Joint Formation - A cold joint occurs where there is a time delay between the placements of two concrete batches, causing the initial pour to slightly set thus creating a weaker interface between the two pours.
Technical Information
The most common cause of a cold joint is when a batch of concrete has been placed, but there is a delay in the delivery of the next batch. By the delivery of the second batch, the initial batch will have set slightly and a solid interface will be present on the exposed surface.
This means that the fresh concrete will not bond properly with the original batch. Cold joints aren’t usually a structural problem if the concrete element is acting in compression.
However, they affect how the element looks aesthetically and could be a problem if any part of the element is in tension.
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