General Contractor Practice Exam

Increasing fines in the concrete mix helps to reduce surface bleed water by promoting a better particle packing within the mixture. Finer particles fill the voids between larger aggregates, creating a denser matrix that allows for more efficient water absorption and reduces the amount of water that rises to the surface during the setting process.

In contrast, a decrease in the water-cement ratio can lead to a less workable mix and could potentially cause difficulties when placing the concrete, particularly in larger pours. While using a higher grade of cement might enhance the concrete's strength, it does not directly address the issue of bleed water. Similarly, adding accelerators can help speed up the curing process, but it does not inherently reduce the occurrence of bleed water at the surface. Focusing on increasing fines directly tackles the problem by improving the physical properties of the concrete mix.