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Title: A New Approach for Testing Concrete Curing Efficiency

Author(s): Ephraim Senbetta and Charles F. Scholer

Publication: Journal Proceedings

Volume: 81

Issue: 1

Appears on pages(s): 82-86

Keywords: abrasion resistance; abrasion tests; absorption; cement pastes; curing; porosity; tests.

DOI: 10.14359/10825

Date: 1/1/1984

Abstract:
The findings of a research project undertaken to develop a new approach and a new test procedure for making a quantitative assessment of how well concrete is cured is presented. This assessment was done by subjecting mortar slabs to widely different curing conditions and examining the difference in the pore structure of the paste at different depths of each test slab by means of the absorptivity of the paste. The idea was that if a sample was adequately cured, it would have approximately the same pore structure at the surface region as that farther beneath the surface, and in a case of poor curing, the opposite would be true. Abrasion testing of the surface of each test specimen was also done according to ASTM C 418. The test procedure is quick and uncomplicated, and was found to be extremely sensitive to changes in the paste as influenced by the curing condition. Curves that show changes in absorptivity with depth of the mortar test slabs were produced. The results showed significantly large changes in absorptivity of the paste between the surface and the bottom regions of poorly cured samples and negligible changes for well-cured samples. Based on these differences in absorptivity values at depths of I and 4 cm from the surfce, a quantitative dividing line between adequate and inadequate curing was established. The abrasion test results were also found to be in agreement with those of the absorptivity test.