EP #160: Is Type IL Cement the Problem, or Did It Just Expose One?

THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: GPRS Before you cut, core, drill, trench, or start guessing what is inside the slab, call GPRS. GPRS helps contractors locate what is hidden below the surface with ground penetrating radar, utility locating, concrete scanning, video pipe inspection, leak detection, and mapping services.They help keep your jobsite safer, reduce costly hits, and give your team better information before the work starts.Learn more here: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/gprs  ON THIS EPISODE OF THE CONCRETE LOGIC PODCASTIs Type IL cement really the reason concrete started acting different, or did it just expose the problems we already had?Type I/II cement may be making a comeback because contractors, producers, and owners want concrete to act like concrete again.But Concrete Bob Higgins says we need to be careful.Because before Type IL showed up, the concrete industry still had scaling, dusting, cracking, bad curing, water problems, surface failures, and specs that cared more about 28-day strength than long-term durability.So if Type I/II comes back, will the problems go away? Or will we lose our favorite excuse?In this episode, Seth and Bob talk about what really changed in cement, why older concrete behaved differently, why today’s concrete may be more sensitive than the standards admit, and what the industry needs to fix before it repeats the same mistakes.Type IL may have exposed the problem. But it may not be the whole problem.  WHAT YOU’LL LEARN · Is Type IL cement really the problem, or did it expose bad habits? · Why Type I/II cement may be coming back · What concrete problems existed before Type IL became common · Why older cement was coarser, slower, and often more durable · How finer cement changed heat, curing demand, cracking, and permeability · Why Type I and Type III cement are closer than most people realize · What self-desiccation means and why it matters at the concrete surface · Why the top inch of concrete may be the weakest link · What contractors and producers should ask before switching back to Type I/II · Why going back to Type I/II cement does not fix bad concrete habits  CHAPTERS 00:00 Is Type IL really the problem? 04:03 Why Bob says the industry needs this conversation 06:07 What cement was like before modern concrete problems 08:17 Same 28-day strength, but more permeability 09:25 Type I vs Type III cement 13:19 Why curing may not be protecting the top inch 16:47 What self-desiccation means in plain English 18:52 Why precast concrete can have a surface problem 21:50 What to ask before switching back to Type I/II 24:07 Bob’s Type IL limestone float experiment 25:29 Why the industry cannot waste this opportunity 27:17 Next topic: are admixtures being mishandled?  GUEST INFO Bob Higgins, Concrete Bob Concrete chemistry consultant and returning guest on the Concrete Logic Podcast. Guest link: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/guests/robert-higgins/  CONCRETE LOGIC ACADEMY The people who understand concrete are the people who get listened to. Not the loudest person in the meeting. Not the guy repeating what he heard ten years ago. Not the person blaming every problem on the latest material change. The person who understands the “why” behind the concrete usually has the most valuable voice in the room. That is what Concrete Logic Academy is built for. You get practical concrete education, PDH courses, and real-world lessons pulled from the same topics we cover on the Concrete Logic Podcast. Cement changes. Specs change. Admixtures change. Owners change their minds. Your knowledge needs to keep up. Start learning here: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/concreteschool  SUPPORT THE PODCAST If the Concrete Logic Podcast gives you value, send a little value back. You can support the show here: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/support/ You can also support the show through our KUIU affiliate link: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/kuiu Interested in sponsoring the podcast or working with Concrete Logic Media? Email Seth:  [email protected]  CREDITS Producers: Jodi Tandett and Concrete Logic Media Music by: Mike Dunton https://www.mdunton.com/  WHERE TO FIND SETH Concrete Logic Podcast: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@concretelogicpodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-tandett/ Concrete Logic Academy: https://www.concretelogicacademy.com/ Until next time, let’s keep it concrete.