Word of the Day
14 July 2026
initial setting time
nounConstruction
Of concrete, the moment in time that cement turns into paste after mixing with water and begins to lose its plasticity.
Why this one
It is a defined test result, not something you eyeball: labs read it off a needle penetrating a paste sample. On site it matters because it closes the window for placing, vibrating and screeding.
In use
Truck's twenty minutes out and it's thirty degrees, so we'll be chasing the initial setting time all afternoon on that slab.
Written by our editors to show how the term is used, not a recorded quotation.Sources
- Definition sourceWiktionary