Hygroscopic Cementitious Materials

Abstract

A method is disclosed. The method includes providing a cementitious material, the cementitious material including an absorbing material. The method also includes absorbing a fluid into the absorbing material during hydration of the cementitious material. The method further includes retaining the fluid in the absorbing material after hydration of the cementitious material.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A cementitious composition comprising:
 a concrete material; and   an absorbing material dispersed throughout the concrete material, the absorbing material comprising a plurality of hollow, tubular-shaped fibers that convey a fluid through an inside of the hollow, tubular-shaped fibers, such that a plurality of passageways extends through the concrete material.   
     
     
         22 . The cementitious composition of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of passageways makes up a passageway system that retains the fluid in the absorbing material after hydration of the concrete material. 
     
     
         23 . The cementitious composition of  claim 21 , wherein the hollow, tubular-shaped fibers draw in the fluid from an outside surface of the cementitious composition through a wicking action. 
     
     
         24 . The cementitious composition of  claim 21 , wherein the hollow, tubular-shaped fibers are natural fibers. 
     
     
         25 . The cementitious composition of  claim 21 , wherein the fluid is water or a water vapor. 
     
     
         26 . The cementitious composition of  claim 21 , wherein the fluid is a construction compound applied on the cementitious material. 
     
     
         27 . The cementitious composition of  claim 21 , further comprising an aggregate material including sand or rock. 
     
     
         28 . The cementitious composition of  claim 21 , further comprising at least one admixture selected of the group consisting of a plasticizer, an accelerating concrete admixture, a water-reducing admixture, a shrinkage-reducing admixture, a set-retarding admixture, and an air entrainment admixture. 
     
     
         29 . The cementitious composition of  claim 21 , wherein the cementitious composition has a compressive strength of between 1,500 psi and 5,000 psi. 
     
     
         30 . The cementitious composition of  claim 21 , wherein upon the absorbing material absorbing the fluid through an inside of the hollow, tubular-shaped fibers, the cementitious material has an increased weight to thereby mitigate deleterious effects caused by external forces created by running water, ocean tides, or rising water. 
     
     
         31 . A method comprising:
 providing a cementitious composition comprising an absorbing material dispersed throughout the cementitious composition, the absorbing material comprising a plurality of hollow, tubular-shaped fibers that are adapted to convey a fluid therethrough, such that a plurality of passageways extends through the cementitious composition;   causing the fluid to contact the cementitious material;   wherein the fluid is absorbed by and retained in the absorbing material after the fluid has come in contact with the cementitious material.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the cementitious composition is placed in a formwork to structure the cementitious composition into a desired shape. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the cementitious composition is placed as a non-mixing cementitious composition. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the cementitious composition is placed as a mix, wherein the mix is a wet or a dry mix. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the cementitious composition is placed as a dry mix, the method further comprising hydrating the dry mix by causing the fluid to travel through the hollow, tubular-shaped fibers such that the cementitious composition is hydrated in a sequential manner to thereby reduce an amount of heat generated during hydration of the cementitious composition. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the cementitious composition is provided at a levee, a dike, a channel, a gravity wall, a waterway, a soil density modifier, or a protective device. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein at least a portion of the cementitious composition is placed below a scour elevation. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the cementitious composition has a compressive strength of between 1,500 psi and 5,000 psi. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein upon the absorbing material absorbing the fluid through an inside of the hollow, tubular-shaped fibers, the cementitious composition has an increased weight to thereby mitigate deleterious effects caused by external forces created by running water, ocean tides, rainwater, or rising water.