Title:
Effect of Different Curing Processes on Hydraulic Concrete Performance
Author(s):
Junhao Chen, Yanlong Li, Lifeng Wen, Hanyu Guo, and Kangping Li
Publication:
Materials Journal
Volume:
119
Issue:
4
Appears on pages(s):
27-37
Keywords:
curing environment; mechanical properties; microstructure; porosity
DOI:
10.14359/51734683
Date:
7/1/2022
Abstract:
The objective of this paper is to investigate the microscopic pore characteristics and macroscopic mechanical properties of concrete under different curing conditions. Ultrasonic nondestructive testing technology was used to measure the ultrasonic sound velocity of specimens of different ages, and the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength were obtained through indoor mechanical performance tests. The pore-size distribution characteristics and internal microstructure were observed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) testing, respectively. The results revealed that, compared with standard curing conditions, the decrease of the curing temperature and humidity can result in the volume and proportion of macropores and microcracks being larger, which results in the deceleration of the ultrasonic wave speed inside the concrete and the decrease of the mechanical properties. Under the same curing condition, a lower water-binder ratio (w/b) enables the internal pore surface area of the material to increase, and the mechanical properties are improved. With the decrease of the curing temperature and relative humidity, the stress-strain curve appeared delayed in the initial compaction stage and presents more obvious brittleness characteristics in the failure stage. By fitting the relationship between the concrete strength and the porosity under different curing conditions, an extended model that can be applied to cement-based materials was obtained. Additionally, it was found that the porosity is negatively correlated with the ratio of the compressive strength to splitting tensile strength of the concrete.
Related References:
1. Aïtcin, P. C., “The Durability Characteristics of High Performance Concrete: A Review,” Cement and Concrete Composites, V. 25, No. 4-5, May-July 2003, pp. 409-420. doi: 10.1016/S0958-9465(02)00081-1
2. Liu, Z.; Sha, A.; Hu, L.; Lu, Y.; Jiao, W.; Tong, Z.; and Gao, J., “Kinetic and Thermodynamic Modeling of Portland Cement Hydration at Low Temperatures,” Chemical Papers, V. 71, No. 4, Apr. 2017, pp. 741-751. doi: 10.1007/s11696-016-0007-5
3. Liu, Q.; Shen, X.; Wei, L.; Dong, R.; and Xue, H., “Grey Model Research Based on the Pore Structure Fractal and Strength of NMR Aeolian Sand Lightweight Aggregate Concrete,” JOM, V. 72, No. 1, Jan. 2020, pp. 536-543. doi: 10.1007/s11837-019-03887-w
4. Demirboğa, R.; Karagöl, F.; Polat, R.; and Kaygusuz, M. A., “The Effects of Urea on Strength Gaining of Fresh Concrete under the Cold Weather Conditions,” Construction and Building Materials, V. 64, Aug. 2014, pp. 114-120. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2014.04.008
5. Saengsoy, W.; Nawa, T.; and Termkhajornkit, P., “Influence of Relative Humidity on Compressive Strength of Fly Ash Cement Paste,” Journal of Structural and Construction Engineering, V. 73, No. 631, Sept. 2008, pp. 1433-1441. doi: 10.3130/aijs.73.1433
6. Khatib, J. M., and Mangat, P. S., “Influence of High-Temperature and Low-Humidity Curing on Chloride Penetration in Blended Cement Concrete,” Cement and Concrete Research, V. 32, No. 11, Nov. 2002, pp. 1743-1753. doi: 10.1016/S0008-8846(02)00857-8
7. Mi, Z.; Hu, Y.; Li, Q.; and An, Z., “Effect of Curing Humidity on the Fracture Properties of Concrete,” Construction and Building Materials, V. 169, Apr. 2018, pp. 403-413. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.03.02510.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.03.025
8. Maruyama, I., and Igarashi, G., “Cement Reaction and Resultant Physical Properties of Cement Paste,” Journal of Advanced Concrete Technology, V. 12, No. 6, June 2014, pp. 200-213. doi: 10.3151/jact.12.200
9. Poon, C. S.; Kou, S. C.; and Lam, L., “Compressive Strength, Chloride Diffusivity and Pore Structure of High Performance Metakaolin and Silica Fume Concrete,” Construction and Building Materials, V. 20, No. 10, Dec. 2006, pp. 858-865. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2005.07.001
10. Gajewicz-Jaromin, A. M.; McDonald, P. J.; Muller, A. C. A.; and Scrivener, K. L., “Influence of Curing Temperature on Cement Paste Microstructure Measured by 1H NMR Relaxometry,” Cement and Concrete Research, V. 122, Aug. 2019, pp. 147-156. doi: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2019.05.002
11. Zhao, H.; Qin, X.; Liu, J.; Zhou, L.; Tian, Q.; and Wang, P., “Pore Structure Characterization of Early-Age Cement Pastes Blended with High-Volume Fly Ash,” Construction and Building Materials, V. 189, Nov. 2018, pp. 934-946. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.09.023
12. Schulte Holthausen, R., and Raupach, M., “Monitoring the Internal Swelling in Cementitious Mortars with Single-Sided 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance,” Cement and Concrete Research, V. 111, Sept. 2018, pp. 138-146. doi: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2018.05.021
13. Li, N.; Farzadnia, N.; and Shi, C., “Microstructural Changes in Alkali-Activated Slag Mortars Induced by Accelerated Carbonation,” Cement and Concrete Research, V. 100, Oct. 2017, pp. 214-226. doi: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2017.07.008
14. Korb, J.-P., “NMR and Nuclear Spin Relaxation of Cement and Concrete Materials,” Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science, V. 14, No. 3, June 2009, pp. 192-202. doi: 10.1016/j.cocis.2008.10.004
15. Díaz-Díaz, F.; de J. Cano-Barrita, P. F.; Balcom, B. J.; Solís-Nájera, S. E.; and Rodríguez, A. O., “Embedded NMR Sensor to Monitor Compressive Strength Development and Pore Size Distribution in Hydrating Concrete,” Sensors (Basel), V. 13, No. 12, 2013, pp. 15985-15999. doi: 10.3390/s131215985
16. Fourmentin, M.; Faure, P.; Rodts, S.; Peter, U.; Lesueur, D.; Daviller, D.; and Coussot, P., “NMR Observation of Water Transfer between a Cement Paste and a Porous Medium,” Cement and Concrete Research, V. 95, May 2017, pp. 56-64. doi: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2017.02.027
17. DL/T 5330-2015, “Code for Mix Design of Hydraulic Concrete,” Standardization Administration of China (SAC), China Electric Power Press, Beijing, China, 2015.
18. SL/T 352-2020, “Test Code for Hydraulic Concrete,” Standardization Administration of China (SAC), China Water & Power Press, Beijing, China, 2020.
19. GB/T 50081-2002, “Standard for Test Method of Mechanical Properties of Ordinary Concrete,” Standardization Administration of China (SAC), Ministry of Construction of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing, China, 2002.
20. Tamtsia, B. T., and Beaudoin, J. J., “Basic Creep of Hardened Cement Paste: A Re-Examination of the Role of Water,” Cement and Concrete Research, V. 30, No. 9, Sept. 2000, pp. 1465-1475. doi: 10.1016/S0008-8846(00)00279-9
21. Li, Y.; Chen, J.; Wen, L.; Wang, J.; and Li, K., “Investigation of the Nonlinear Creep of Concrete with Different Initial Defect Rates under Continuous Compression with Acoustic Emission Technology,” Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, ASCE, V. 33, No. 2, Feb. 2021, p. 04020441. doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0003550
22. Shen, Y.; Wang, Y.; Wei, X.; Jia, H.; and Yan, R., “Investigation on Meso-Debonding Process of the Sandstone–Concrete Interface Induced by Freeze–Thaw Cycles Using NMR Technology,” Construction and Building Materials, V. 252, Aug. 2020, Article No. 118962. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.118962
23. Li, J.; Kaunda, R. B.; and Zhou, K., “Experimental Investigations on the Effects of Ambient Freeze-Thaw Cycling on Dynamic Properties and Rock Pore Structure Deterioration of Sandstone,” Cold Regions Science and Technology, V. 154, Oct. 2018, pp. 133-141. doi: 10.1016/j.coldregions.2018.06.015
24. Liu, L.; He, Z.; Cai, X.; and Fu, S., “Application of Low-Field NMR to the Pore Structure of Concrete,” Applied Magnetic Resonance, V. 52, No. 1, Jan. 2021, pp. 15-31. doi: 10.1007/s00723-020-01229-7
25. Shen, P.; Lu, L.; Chen, W.; Wang, F.; and Hu, S., “Efficiency of Metakaolin in Steam Cured High Strength Concrete,” Construction and Building Materials, V. 152, Oct. 2017, pp. 357-366. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.07.006
26. Supit, S. W. M., and Shaikh, F. U. A., “Durability Properties of High Volume Fly Ash Concrete Containing Nano-Silica,” Materials and Structures, V. 48, No. 8, Aug. 2015, pp. 2431-2445. doi: 10.1617/s11527-014-0329-0
27. Griffith, A. A., “The Phenomena of Rupture and Flow in Solids,” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London – Series A: Containing Papers of a Mathematical or Physical Character, V. 221, 1921, pp. 163-198. doi: 10.1098/rsta.1921.0006
28. Zheng, M.; Zheng, X.; and Luo, Z. J., “Fracture Strength of Brittle Porous Materials,” International Journal of Fracture, V. 58, No. 3, Dec. 1992, pp. R51-R55. doi: 10.1007/BF00015623
29. Lawrence, P.; Majumdar, A. J.; and Nurse, R. W., “The Application of the Mackenzie Model to the Mechanical Properties of Cements,” Cement and Concrete Research, V. 1, No. 1, Jan. 1971, pp. 75-99. doi: 10.1016/0008-8846(71)90085-8
30. Palchik, V., and Hatzor, Y. H., “Crack Damage Stress as a Composite Function of Porosity and Elastic Matrix Stiffness in Dolomites and Limestones,” Engineering Geology, V. 63, No. 3-4, Mar. 2002, pp. 233-245. doi: 10.1016/S0013-7952(01)00084-9
31. Roberts, J. T. A., and Ueda, Y., “Influence of Porosity on Deformation and Fracture of UO2,” Journal of the American Ceramic Society, V. 55, No. 3, Mar. 1972, pp. 117-124. doi: 10.1111/j.1151-2916.1972.tb11233.x
32. Wagh, A. S.; Singh, J. P.; and Poeppel, R. B., “Dependence of Ceramic Fracture Properties on Porosity,” Journal of Materials Science, V. 28, No. 13, July 1993, pp. 3589-3593. doi: 10.1007/BF01159841
33. Nielsen, L. F., “Strength Development in Hardened Cement Paste: Examination of Some Empirical Equations,” Materials and Structures, V. 26, No. 5, June 1993, pp. 255-260. doi: 10.1007/BF02472946
34. Odler, I., and Rößler, M., “Investigations on the Relationship between Porosity, Structure and Strength of Hydrated Portland Cement Pastes. II. Effect of Pore Structure and of Degree of Hydration,” Cement and Concrete Research, V. 15, No. 3, May 1985, pp. 401-410. doi: 10.1016/0008-8846(85)90113-9
35. Choi, Y., and Yuan, R. L., “Experimental Relationship between Splitting Tensile Strength and Compressive Strength of GFRC and PFRC,” Cement and Concrete Research, V. 35, No. 8, Aug. 2005, pp. 1587-1591. doi: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2004.09.010