Studying the Effects kind of Curing on Strengths and Permeability of Concrete

Abstract

Curing affects all the features of the hardened concrete such as strength and permeability. Therefore, in this paper investigated the effects of six different curing methods, namely immersing in water, abandoning in the laboratory, using wet burlap, wet burlap with nylon, curing chemicals, and steam, on the compressive and torsional strengths and permeability of concrete specimens. Applied concretes were C25 and C35 that in-situ cylindrical chamber used to determine permeability. Results revealed that the concrete abandoned in the laboratory had the worst curing condition regarding torsional and compressive strength gaining. In the “abandoned in the laboratory” method, permeability is increased 62% with 39.3% and 31% decrease in respectively the compressive and torsional strengths compared to their respective specified strengths. Only two curing methods, i.e. “immersing in water” and “using wet burlap with nylon” were able to provide the minimum specified compressive and torsional strengths. With an increase in the concrete specified strength from C25 to C35, there was a decrease in the water permeation speed. Curing with chemicals had the highest speed and amount of water permeation in concrete, and curing through abandoning in the laboratory stood next. Also, curing by immersing in water had the lowest speed and the least amount of water permeation.

Keywords

• curing
• permeability
• concrete
• twist-off
• cylindrical chamber
• compressive strength