Title:
Quantifying the Impact of Internally Cured Concrete on Duration of External Curing
Author(s):
L. Bouchelil, R. M. Ghantous, G. Clark, M. N. Goodwin, W. J. Weiss, and M. Khanzadeh Moradllo
Publication:
Materials Journal
Volume:
119
Issue:
5
Appears on pages(s):
269-280
Keywords:
curing compound; internal curing; lightweight aggregate; neutron radiography; supplementary cementitious materials; wet burlap
DOI:
10.14359/51735980
Date:
9/1/2022
Abstract:
Relatively limited work has been performed to quantify how
internal curing influences curing specifications. This paper examines the performance of internally cured mixtures (made using fine lightweight aggregates) compared to conventional concrete cured with wet burlap and curing compounds. Mortar mixtures were prepared using ordinary portland cement (OPC), fly ash, and silica fume (SF) with water-cementitious materials ratios (w/c) of 0.35 and 0.45. Neutron radiography (NR) was used to determine the nonevaporable water content as a function of curing time and distance from the exposed surface. The curing-affected zone (CAZ) was determined using the nonevaporable water profiles. The CAZ was used to develop equivalent curing durations for conventionally cured and internally cured samples. Internally cured mixtures reduced the depth of the CAZ, especially in the samples with limited
external curing durations (reduction up to 15 mm [0.6 in.]). The
application of internal curing in all mixtures reduced the duration of external curing by 50 to 60%, except for the internally cured SF samples, which showed a slight reduction. This dramatically impacts the construction schedule.
Related References:
1. ACI Committee 308, “Guide to External Curing of Concrete (ACI 308R-16),” American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, MI, 2016, 36 pp.
2. Kosmatka, S. H.; Kerkhoff, B.; and Panarese, W. C., Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Portland Cement Association, Skokie, IL, 2002.
3. Taylor, P. C., Curing Concrete, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2013.
4. Carrier, R. E., and Cady, P., “Evaluating Effectiveness of Concrete Curing Compounds,” Journal of Materials, V. 5, No. 2, 1970, pp. 294-302.
5. Hajibabaee, A.; Khanzadeh Moradllo, M.; and Ley, M. T., “Comparison of Curing Compounds to Reduce Volume Change from Differential Drying in Concrete Pavement,” International Journal of Pavement Engineering, V. 19, No. 9, 2018, pp. 815-824. doi: 10.1080/10298436.2016.1210442
6. Bentz, D. P., and Weiss, W. J., “Internal Curing: A 2010 State-of-the-Art Review,” U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, 2011.
7. Henkensiefken, R.; Nantung, T.; and Weiss, J., “Saturated Lightweight Aggregate for Internal Curing in Low w/c Mixtures: Monitoring Water Movement Using X‐Ray Absorption,” Strain, V. 47, 2011, pp. e432-e441. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-1305.2009.00626.x
8. Kevern, J. T., and Nowasell, Q. C., “Internal Curing of Pervious Concrete Using Lightweight Aggregates,” Construction and Building Materials, V. 161, 2018, pp. 229-235. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.11.055
9. Kovler, K., and Jensen, O., eds., “Internal Curing of Concrete: State-of-the-Art Report of RILEM Technical Committee, 196-ICC,” 2007.
10. Schroefl, C.; Mechtcherine, V.; Vontobel, P.; Hovind, J.; and Lehmann, E., “Sorption Kinetics of Superabsorbent Polymers (SAPs) in Fresh Portland Cement-Based Pastes Visualized and Quantified by Neutron Radiography and Correlated to the Progress of Cement Hydration,” Cement and Concrete Research, V. 75, 2015, pp. 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2015.05.001
11. Weiss, W. J., and Morian, D., “Review of Internally Cured Concrete as It Relates to Pavements,” Transportation Research Board 96th Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, 2017, 15 pp.
12. Barrett, T. J.; Miller, A. E.; and Weiss, W. J., “Documentation of the INDOT Experience and Construction of the Bridge Decks Containing Internal Curing in 2013,” Purdue University, Joint Transportation Research Program, West Lafayette, IN, 2015, 108 pp.
13. Rupnow, T., “Lightweight Aggregate and Internally Cured Concrete (ICC) Prove Their Value on Louisiana Bridge,” Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Baton Rouge, LA, 2015.
14. Weiss, W. J., and Montanari, L., “Guide Specification for Internally Curing Concrete,” InTrans Project 13-482, National Concrete Pavement Technology Center, Ames, IA, 2017.
15. Huebschman, C. R.; Garcia, C.; Bullock, D. M.; and Abraham, D. M., “Construction Work Zone Safety,” FHWA/IN/JTRP-2002/34, Joint Transportation Research Program, Indiana Department of Transportation and Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 2003.
16. Cather, B., “How to Get Better Curing,” Concrete (London), V. 26, No. 5, 1992, pp. 22-25.
17. Dhir, R.; Hewlett, P.; and Chan, Y., “Near-Surface Characteristics of Concrete: Abrasion Resistance,” Materials and Structures, V. 24, No. 2, 1991, pp. 122-128. doi: 10.1007/BF02472473
18. Hajibabaee, A.; Moradllo, M. K.; Behravan, A.; and Ley, M. T., “Quantitative Measurements of Curing Methods for Concrete Bridge Decks,” Construction and Building Materials, V. 162, 2018, pp. 306-313. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.12.020
19. Jensen, O. M., and Hansen, P. F., “Autogenous Relative Humidity Change in Silica Fume-Modified Cement Paste,” Advances in Cement Research, V. 7, No. 25, 1995, pp. 33-38. doi: 10.1680/adcr.1995.7.25.33
20. Poole, T. S., “Guide for Curing of Portland Cement Concrete Pavements, Volume I,” FHWA-RD-02-099, USAE Research and Development Center (ERDC), Structures Laboratory, Vicksburg, MS, 2005.
21. Powers, T. C., “Structure and Physical Properties of Hardened Portland Cement Paste,” Journal of the American Ceramic Society, V. 41, No. 1, 1958, pp. 1-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1151-2916.1958.tb13494.x
22. Villani, C., “Transport Processes in Partially Saturate Concrete: Testing and Liquid Properties,” PhD thesis, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 2014.
23. Hanson, J., “Effects of Curing and Drying Environments on Splitting Tensile Strength of Concrete,” ACI Journal Proceedings, V. 65, No. 7, July 1968, pp. 535-543.
24. Khanzadeh-Moradllo, M.; Meshkini, M. H.; Eslamdoost, E.; Sadati, S.; and Shekarchi, M., “Effect of Wet Curing Duration on Long-Term Performance of Concrete in Tidal Zone of Marine Environment,” International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials, V. 9, No. 4, 2015, pp. 487-498. doi: 10.1007/s40069-015-0118-3
25. Li, J.; Mailhiot, S.; Sreenivasan, H.; Kantola, A. M.; Illikainen, M.; Adesanya, E.; Kriskova, L.; Telkki, V. V.; and Kinnunen, P., “Curing Process and Pore Structure of Metakaolin-Based Geopolymers: Liquid-State 1H NMR Investigation,” Cement and Concrete Research, V. 143, 2021, p. 106394. doi: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2021.106394
26. Khanzadeh Moradllo, M.; Montanari, L.; Suraneni, P.; Reese, S. R.; and Weiss, J., “Examining Curing Efficiency Using Neutron Radiography,” Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, V. 2672, No. 27, 2018, pp. 13-23. doi: 10.1177/0361198118773571
27. Choudhary, A.; Khanzadeh Moradllo, M.; Reese, S. R.; and Weiss, W. J., “Examining Curing Efficiency in Fly Ash Concrete Using Neutron Radiography,” Final Project Report, CRC 2020 P0036, Concrete Research Council, ACI Foundation, Farmington Hills, MI, 2018, 32 pp.
28. Berger, H., “Neutron Radiography,” Annual Review of Nuclear Science, V. 21, No. 1, 1971, pp. 335-364. doi: 10.1146/annurev.ns.21.120171.002003
29. Hussey, D. S.; Spernjak, D.; Weber, A. Z.; Mukundan, R.; Fairweather, J.; Brosha, E. L.; Davey, J.; Spendelow, J. S.; Jacobson, D. L.; and Borup, R. L., “Accurate Measurement of the Through-Plane Water Content of Proton-Exchange Membranes Using Neutron Radiography,” Journal of Applied Physics, V. 112, No. 10, 2012, p. 104906. doi: 10.1063/1.4767118
30. Sears VF, “Neutron Scattering Lengths and Cross Sections,” Neutron News, V. 3, No. 3, 1992, pp. 26-37.
31. de Beer, F.; Strydom, W.; and Griesel, E., “The Drying Process of Concrete: A Neutron Radiography Study,” Applied Radiation and Isotopes, V. 61, No. 4, 2004, pp. 617-623. doi: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2004.03.087
32. Kanematsu, M.; Maruyama, I.; Noguchi, T.; Iikura, H.; and Tsuchiya, N., “Quantification of Water Penetration into Concrete Through Cracks by Neutron Radiography,” Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, V. 605, No. 1-2, 2009, pp. 154-158. doi: 10.1016/j.nima.2009.01.206
33. Lucero, C. L.; Bentz, D. P.; Hussey, D. S.; Jacobson, D. L.; and Weiss, W. J., “Using Neutron Radiography to Quantify Water Transport and the Degree of Saturation in Entrained Air Cement Based Mortar,” Physics Procedia, V. 69, 2015, pp. 542-550. doi: 10.1016/j.phpro.2015.07.077
34. Moradllo, M. K.; Chung, C.-W.; Keys, M. H.; Choudhary, A.; Reese, S. R.; and Weiss, W. J., “Use of Borosilicate Glass Powder in Cementitious Materials: Pozzolanic Reactivity and Neutron Shielding Properties,” Cement and Concrete Composites, V. 112, 2020, p. 103640. doi: 10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2020.103640
35. Khanzadeh Moradllo, M.; Qiao, C.; Keys, M.; Hall, H.; Ley, M. T.; Reese, S.; and Weiss, W. J., “Quantifying Fluid Absorption in Air-Entrained Concrete Using Neutron Radiography,” ACI Materials Journal, V. 116, No. 6, Nov. 2019, pp. 213-226.
36. Najjar, W. S.; Aderhold, H. C.; and Hover, K. C., “The Application of Neutron Radiography to the Study of Microcracking in Concrete,” Cement, Concrete and Aggregates, V. 8, No. 2, 1986, pp. 103-109. doi: 10.1520/CCA10063J
37. Trtik, P.; Münch, B.; Weiss, W. J.; Kaestner, A.; Jerjen, I.; Josic, L.; Lehmann, E.; and Lura, P., “Release of Internal Curing Water from Lightweight Aggregates in Cement Paste Investigated by Neutron and X-Ray Tomography,” Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, V. 651, No. 1, 2011, pp. 244-249. doi: 10.1016/j.nima.2011.02.012
38. Villani, C.; Lucero, C.; Bentz, D.; Hussey, D.; Jacobson, D. L.; and Weiss, W., “Neutron Radiography Evaluation of Drying in Mortars with and without Shrinkage Reducing Admixtures,” Novel Characterization Techniques and Advanced Cementitious Materials: Tribute to James J. Beaudoin, ACI Convention, Washington, DC, 2014, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=917766. (last accessed September 22, 2022)
39. Zhang, P.; Wittmann, F. H.; Zhao, T.; Lehmann, E. H.; and Vontobel, P., “Neutron Radiography, a Powerful Method to Determine Time-Dependent Moisture Distributions in Concrete,” Nuclear Engineering and Design, V. 241, No. 12, 2011, pp. 4758-4766. doi: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2011.02.031
40. Khanzadeh Moradllo, M.; Reese, S. R.; and Weiss, W. J., “Using Neutron Radiography to Quantify the Settlement of Fresh Concrete,” Advances in Civil Engineering Materials, V. 8, No. 1, 2019, pp. 71-87.
41. Schneider, C. A.; Rasband, W. S.; and Eliceiri, K. W., “NIH Image to ImageJ: 25 Years of Image Analysis,” Nature Methods, V. 9, No. 7, 2012, pp. 671-675. doi: 10.1038/nmeth.2089
42. Fagerlund, G., “Chemically Bound Water as Measure of Degree of Hydration: Method and Potential Errors,” (Report TVBM; Vol. 3150), Division of Building Materials, LTH, Lund University, Lund, Sweden, 2009.
43. Dhir, R.; Levitt, M.; and Wang, J., “Membrane Curing of Concrete: Water Vapour Permeability of Curing Membranes,” Magazine of Concrete Research, V. 41, No. 149, 1989, pp. 221-228. doi: 10.1680/macr.1989.41.149.221