The Effects of Long-Term Storage of Concrete Wall Panels

Concrete Basics

• Concrete is a simple mixture of sand, water and cement. Once cement reacts to water, a chemical reaction takes place that causes the cement to harden over a period of time. Sand acts as a solidifier that keeps the concrete from cracking out as it cures since cement shrinks as the water within is soaked up by the mixture and begins to harden. Once the concrete has cured, it can withstand the test of time and the elements better than almost any other known construction material.

Curing Cycle

• Although the exact curing cycle for concrete depends on a variety of elements, once the chemical reaction of cement and water begins, there is nothing that can stop the concrete from eventually curing. It can take anywhere from days to weeks, depending on the amount of water, sand and cement, as well as the humidity level, but concrete can continue curing even if it is submerged in water. It is important that the concrete have ideal conditions during this time, but once it starts to cure, the concrete is on its way to an indefinite life cycle.

Durability

• The durability of concrete is one of the highest in construction materials around the world, and so long as there isn’t excessive movement or non-optimal conditions in storage, concrete slabs can last indefinitely. For example, a 4-inch-thick slab of concrete can withstand the weight of a vehicle driven over it without cracking, and nothing short of a wrecking ball or a truck weighing several tons will cause it to break, so storage of concrete wall panels isn’t an issue in terms of longevity, as long as accidents do not occur.

Cracking

• All concrete structures crack. This is because cement naturally cracks during its lifetime. Not all cracks are detrimental to the life of concrete. During its curing phase, the cement shrinks, and cracks occur. Plus, concrete will expand during the summer months when it is warm, with the expected contraction and expansion estimated to be a 1/4-inch with every 10 linear feet of concrete. As such, the only thing that might happen to your stored concrete slabs is they may develop natural cracks from expansion and shrinkage due to temperature fluctuations over the years.