Monolithic concrete slab laid under tropical conditions

The Chau Thanh district in Vietnam is located only a few kilometres southwest of Ho Chi Minh City in the province of Ben Tre, where the Vietnamese subsidiary of the Toyota Group had built its showroom. The design called for the entire floor slab of the 3,000 m² building to be cast in a single pour.

Challenge of super-long slump retention

The job required over 1,300 m³ of concrete. This was a challenge not only because the concrete had to be transported over a long distance from the ready-mix concrete plant of the Phu Thanh Company to the construction site, but also because of the high temperatures common to the south of Vietnam. Thus, a concrete slump retention of up to 6 hours was deemed necessary for a successful installation.

MC-PowerFlow - the chemical trouble-shooter par excellence

The MC specialists recommended the use of the high-performance superplasticiser MC-PowerFlow 2257P, a product manufactured by MC-Bifi Bauchemie JSC. in Vietnam. It ensures long-lasting slump retention  combined with good stabilisation of the concrete, yields high water savings and can maintain very good flowability for hours – even at elevated temperatures and in sunshine. Thus good workability with high compaction are invariably achieved, despite such thermal and climatic challenges.