Cold and moderate ambient temperatures effects on expansive pressure development in soundless chemical demolition agents

• Small-scale experiments with soundless chemical demolition agents (SCDAs) under cold and moderate temperatures.
• Hydration heat formation and expansive pressure development under varying ambient conditions.
• Faster and higher peak hydrations and expansive pressures under warmer ambient temperatures.
• Linear relationship between ambient temperature, time to peak hydration heat, and onset of significant pressure development.

This paper explores cool and moderate temperature (2–19 °C) impacts on hydration heat and expansive pressure development in two commercial soundless chemical demolition agents (SCDAs). Experimental results showed (1) product-specific, linear relationships between the ambient temperature and time to peak hydration heat; (2) peak hydration heats to be consistently 1.5 times the ambient temperatures at 10–19 °C; outside of this range the factor was greater; (3) a linear relationship between peak hydration heat time and the onset of expansive pressure development; (4) a largely proportional relationship between ambient temperature and volumetric expansion of 1.1–1.4 times the original volume.