Concrete turned to putty

[DCarr]

I had my pad poured 13 weeks ago, Yesterday I noticed for the first time a wet spot on the floor, look at it closer and it looks soft in the center, stick a screwdriver it in ... and its about 1" deep ... stick a finger in it and move it 360' and it is just a goo ... looks like the affected area is close to 12" x 12"

I am sure it was looking wet before now, it was probably covered or just not noticed for whatever reason.


Talked to the guy that poured the pad and he said sugar will cause this. He is going to cut it out and pour in a patch, ***** that it has to happen ...

But WTF ... anyone else hear of this ?

 

[gatchel]

Here's an article that describes it as a cleaner and explains what happens:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NSY/is_3_22/ai_n6232524/

 

[Art From De Leon]

Small amounts of sugar will cause cement not to set.

 

[DCarr]

This set up on the top for awhile, at least 2 months or so. And then just recently came through the top. Now I found another wet spot that has me suspect. I watched the guys pour / float it and have pics of them and they definetly do anything. The building hasnt even been finised, so its just had materials in it.

I've never seen anything like this before. I should've taken a picture of it today. I'll be down the next few days due to a knee surgery, maybe Sat or Sun. I'll get down there and take a pic of it.

 

[tdkkart]

Somebody dropped their break time donut in the pour??

 

[78kona]

I have been around and in the concrete industry my entire life and have never seen this happen. Sugar is used at times to slow the drying of the concrete. Usually this is done for the cosmetic effect on the surface. Usually the concrete will still dry, it just takes longer. I am very interested in seeing some pictures of this, if you get a chance.

 

[DCarr]

The Spot

The Goo coming out of it. This " goo " is over 3 months old and feels almost like oatmeal and is real sticky. I dont think it is ever going to dry

 

[Holedgr]

I have been around and in the concrete industry my entire life and have never seen this happen. Sugar is used at times to slow the drying of the concrete. Usually this is done for the cosmetic effect on the surface. Usually the concrete will still dry, it just takes longer. I am very interested in seeing some pictures of this, if you get a chance.

I agree.....I also want to se some pics.....something sounds and looks fishy.



-T

 

[DCarr]

I agree.....I also want to se some pics.....something sounds and looks fishy.



-T

pics were posted 3 hours before your post.

 

[Lump]

I wonder if the concrete mixture was bad...maybe the hardener chemical was left out of part of this mixture? Was this load of concrete delivered in a cement company truck...or mixed on site?

 

[walrus]

I've seen hundreds of yards poured in slabs, never seen that. Very weird

 

[garagedude]

Dealt with a lot of concrete and concrete coatings, never seen something quite like the picture. I would also be curious of whether it was mixed on-site or was a ready-mix.

Generally, sugar is used to keep the top layer from curing so that once the core sets up, the top layer 1/16 - 1/8" can be washed/brushed off. (i.e., exposed aggregate.)

Why would the contractor use sugar on a garage floor? I suspect an issue with the concrete itself, but very unusual.

 

[DCarr]

It was ready mixed, 2 loads, 1st one ( the one that produced the problem ) was 6 yds. and the 2nd one was right behind him.

I seem to recall the first guy dumping 2 bags of Chloride in the mixer and the 2nd guy bringing 2 bags and only using one ( and left the other here ).

Also it was poured the first week of March so the temps were in the mid 40's and other than foot traffic ( and lumber laid out during the framing ) nothing was on it at all for probably the 1st 7 - 8 weeks.

I recalled that I swept out the shop about 2 weeks ago and dont recall anything at all. Then this past Monday it was the wet spot that caught my eye because, I knew the roof or walls didnt leak and it hadnt rained in the past 3-4 days.

I was there when it was poured and have a picture of them pouring the affected area.

 

[Falcon67]

This post had my hopes up - briefly - that I could get rid of some old concrete curbing in the back yard by the mere application of a bag of Imperial Pure Cane and a little water. Somehow, I think that's not going to work.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I remember reading years ago, that the slave labor (French, Jews and other prisoners of war)the Nazi used during WW2, would throw sugar cubes in the concrete as they were pouring concrete bunker and gun emplacements.

 

[Holedgr]

pics were posted 3 hours before your post.

I meant of the repair....what it looks like when the core or cut out is removed. I am curious to see if the contractor or concrete supplier is willing to have it tested although it probably says on the delivery ticket that YOU are responsible for all testing fees and what not. Jeesh... what a pickle....


-T

 

[DCarr]

I meant of the repair....what it looks like when the core or cut out is removed. I am curious to see if the contractor or concrete supplier is willing to have it tested although it probably says on the delivery ticket that YOU are responsible for all testing fees and what not. Jeesh... what a pickle....


-T

sorry about that .... I will have to read over my receipt and find out what they say. I hope that it is just limited to this one area ....... but wuth my luck as it has been going .... I will be scooping the pad out in about a month.

I dont have my hopes set to high about the repair looking good .....and then of course multiple core samples.

 

[DCarr]

This post had my hopes up - briefly - that I could get rid of some old concrete curbing in the back yard by the mere application of a bag of Imperial Pure Cane and a little water. Somehow, I think that's not going to work.

For a small fee I can send you some of my concrete eating goo .......

 

[78kona]

If it was a bad load from the plant, the plant should pay for the repairs. Usaully the concrete contractorwill pressure test the concrete after it has cured. If the concrete does not hold up to correct pressure, the plant is at fault and they will pay for repairs.
When the contractor does the repair, be sure they remove it to the nearest joint. If they do this, you will not be able to tell there was a repair. If they just cut around the affected area it will always look bad.
This whole situation seems very odd to me. I have seen 100's of thousands of yards poured and have never seen this. I only work in SoCal, so maybe this happens in other areas with different climates and materials used.

 

[Jay H 237]

Weird, I have never seen anything like that either. I wonder if something fell into the concrete as it was being mixed or poured. Is there any other chemical that could do that?

 

[banzaitoyota]

we have poured 75,000 yds in the past 18 months and I have not seen that

 

[Lump]

Wow...what a photo!
I've been half way round the world...been to two county fairs, and watched a monkey make love to a football. But I've NEVER seen anything like that!!!

 

[p_mori7]

I wonder if the guys who laid, spread & floated the concrete had cleaned their tools just before doing your job, and maybe there was some concrete dissolver residue on the tools ?

 

[darkbuddha]

I say taste it... let us know if it's sweet. Could be a disgruntled employee somewhere along the way saw fit to f-up the mix or something. ***** either way. You also might contact your insurance company and see what their position is on it... sure it ***** to have spots, but what if the whole slab is effected? Who's gonna cover that and any related expenses?

 

[willymakeit]

Havent seen anything like that either. However we did some stamp crete several yrs. ago that had to much flyash in it. Set up to where you could walk on it, but soft underneath about 30 yds. Almost looks like oatmeal.

 

[Iron-Iceberg]

From the looks of it. I would guess a chunk of grease fell off of a bearing from the mixer or batch plant. It doesn't look like anything that would be an additive to me. Kinda looks like a ball of Lime but that would be dry in the center.

 

[cat06]

I'm no chemist, and never seen anything like that, but I wonder if there was a big lump in the bag of Chloride and it never mixed in and that's the result

 

[walrus]

I'm no chemist, and never seen anything like that, but I wonder if there was a big lump in the bag of Chloride and it never mixed in and that's the result

this sounds quite plausible. I've seen fiber added at the site that lumped so maybe this is the answer?

 

[trashauler]

Wow. I think I would want the entire slab replaced and not just that small section. Best of luck to you.

 

[Kevin54]

Wow. I think I would want the entire slab replaced and not just that small section. Best of luck to you.

I think I would want the slab replace also. You have one or two bad spots but who knows whats lurking right underneath the surface of what APPEARS to be hardened? If it goes too long, then they will not accept responsibility.

 

[LIVELY]

take a little part of the mess and have it tested----DO NOT GET RID OF ALL THE GOO---you need to keep some to get your concrete REPLACED by either your concrete guy or the concrete supplier[PROOF]
ANYTIME THEY ADD AT THE SITE IT IS A CHANCY DEAL[ MIXING IT ALL UP IS VERY IMPORTANT]---good luck and watch ALL of the floor for problems

but start going after both of them now--do not wait or they wil squrim away before you know it and you will get nothing fixed

Lively

 

[78Bird]

I wonder if they could use one of those little rolling 'radar' scanners that they use to check thickness with (saw it on TV) and see any other voids or soft spots without destroying it to find out...

My first instinct is that something fell in the pour and you got a wierd glob. Maybe a worker spilled his coffee with a lot of sugar and just covered it up before anyone noticed.

 

[DCarr]

I wonder if they could use one of those little rolling 'radar' scanners that they use to check thickness with (saw it on TV) and see any other voids or soft spots without destroying it to find out...

My first instinct is that something fell in the pour and you got a wierd glob. Maybe a worker spilled his coffee with a lot of sugar and just covered it up before anyone noticed.

I had the same thought about using the ground penatrating radar to look for more spots ... I could only imagine the cost involved in that ..............

I was there while it was poured and have pictures of them pouring pretty much at the affected area. No one had any drinks or anything on the slab. I had a picnic table set up that everyone who has worked on it has used.

I have talked to and shared the pictures with many people in the industry and no one has ever seen anything like this ... where it cured and then softened up. Right now it is like it is dissolving.

I have the Concrete supplier, Engineer and leader of the " Tn. Concrete association " coming over on Monday .....

And I will be saving the goo, most people are saying to send in a sample to an appropriate lab and find out the contents of it.

 

[pcmeiners]

Wonder also if the chloride was not thoroughly mixed, leaving lumps in the pour. Cement around the damaged area looks OK. Have seen this a few times on pours, but rarely, and generally just one area, no idea for reason it was happening.

 

[Cuda]

That is truly bizarre. Any chance something dripped on it from the ceiling?
I am really interested to see what you turn up.

 

[DCarr]

That is truly bizarre. Any chance something dripped on it from the ceiling?
I am really interested to see what you turn up.

Nope ... well not from the ceiling, from a bird maybe ...

A couple of people on here and a phone call I just received said that it was a clump of calcium that never broke up and got mixed up into the concrete, the goo is nothing but calcium ..... and it finally made its way to the surface.

That seems to be the most realistic and best description I have received from a couple of hundred responses ( from a couple of forums ) the most common response by far was " never seen or heard of such a thing in all my life ".

There will be people showing up here on Monday and I'll let them come to their own conclusion and se what happens.

Thanks for all the responses !
-----------------------------------

and BTW ... the problem area is just about exactly where they are pouring in the pic.

 

[i4ni]

Maybe a dismembered Mafia Informant got thrown in the mix.

 

[theroyz71]

Jimmy Hoffa?