EP #151: Most Concrete Durability Problems Start Here (Alkalinity Explained)

EP #151: Most Concrete Durability Problems Start Here (Alkalinity Explained)

From Concrete Logic by Seth Tandett

March 24, 2026 · 47 min · Season 1 · Episode 151

About this episode

Bob Higgins discusses the importance of alkalinity in concrete performance and its implications for durability.

PRESENTED BY: GPRS Construction professionals know that utilities and concrete reinforcements can cause big problems when you’re on the job. GPRS helps you avoid them. We use ground penetrating radar to detect rebar, conduit, and post tension cables before you cut, core, or drill. And our concrete scans are 99.8% accurate… we guarantee it—helping you reduce hits, downtime, expenses, and keep your people safe. To keep your jobsite safer, visit https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/GPRS SUMMARY Concrete strength gets all the attention. But what if the real driver of concrete performance isn’t strength at all? In this episode of the Concrete Logic Podcast, Bob Higgins returns to talk about alkalinity — the chemical environment inside concrete that may control moisture behavior, curing, permeability, and long-term durability. Bob explains why alkalinity is often confused with pH, why salts inside concrete can trap moisture that testing methods never see, and why modern cement chemistry may be quietly changing how concrete cures and performs. If you’ve ever wondered why concrete behaves differently today than it did decades ago, this conversation will make you think. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…

People in this episode

Host: Seth Tandett

Guest: Bob Higgins

Topics covered

  • concrete durability
  • alkalinity
  • moisture behavior
  • cement chemistry
  • construction safety

Keywords

  • alkalinity
  • concrete chemistry
  • moisture behavior
  • pH
  • salts
  • durability
  • construction

Sponsors

GPRS

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