Concrete Design: Underwater Concrete Forms in a Saltwater Environment

This following project investigated the effects of salt on the concrete curing process. Concrete possesses numerous strengths, making it extremely versatile. This makes it one of the most utilized construction materials. New improved methods are constantly being developed for concrete’s application as a construction material. While concrete is a flexible material with many strengths, it is not without its flaws. Concrete, while strong in compression is weak in tension. It has long cure times and doesn’t generally handle moisture well. This paper evaluates concrete’s change in strength from letting concrete cure in a salt-based underwater environment. To determine the full effects of saltwater, concrete will be cured in varying amounts of salt and simultaneously testing a batch cured in just water. The study demonstrates a general decrease in compressive strength when the mix is cured in salt water. Despite being an outlier, the implementation of salt did not prove beneficial. The size of the cylinders and inconsistencies in the mix could have also impacted the overall compressive strength of the cylinders. Materials with similar characteristics to salt could prove interesting in future studies involving the strength of concrete.