(2009-03-25) Myers, T.G.; Fowkes, N.D.; Ballim, Y.
The chemical reaction can lead to temperature rises in excess of 50 K and it can take a number of years before the concrete cools to the ambient temperature. Prior to construction of the Hoover dam engineers at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation estimated that if the dam were built in a single continuous pour the concrete would require 125 years to cool to the ambient temperature and that the resulting stresses would have caused the dam to crack and fail (U.S. Bureau of Reclamation 2005).
