Element Covering

Once the concrete casting has been completed, it needs a certain period of time to reach the strength of 350 Kg/cm2 before the steel strands can be released.

In order to reach this value in the shortest possible time it is advisable to cover the element soon after production as well as heating the bed.
Covering the element avoids the internal heat loss generated during curing and especially slows down the rate of water loss when production takes place in hot and dry environments.

The element is covered by a reel mounted on a trolley which usually moves behind the casting machine. The same trolley is used to lay and roll up the cover once the concrete has reached the minimum strength to allow for the de-tensioning of the prestressing cables.

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