Title: Curing of High-Performance Concrete for Strength/What is Sufficient?

Author(s): N. J. Carino and K. W. Meeks

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 193

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 1-36

Keywords: curing; drying; high-performance concrete; mortar; tensile

DOI: 10.14359/5811

Date: 8/1/2000

Abstract:
This paper reports the results of an exploratory study on the effects of curing duration on the variation of mortar strength with distance from the drying surface. A novel, notched cylindrical test specimen was adopted for measuring tensile strength at different depths. Two mortar mixtures with w/c of 0.30 and 0.45 were used; the former was assumed to be representative of the paste system in a high-performance concrete. Specimens were moist cured for (1, 3, or 7) d and then exposed to air at 25 “C and 50 % or 70 % RH. The cylinders were sealed to simulate one-dimensional drying in a large member. Tensile strengths were measured at 28 d. Relationships between tensile strength and depth were compared with those of specimens continuously moist cured. The data tended to show that 1 d of moist curing might be sufficient to ensure adequate strength development at a depth of 25 mm from the exposed surface. The phenomenon of increasing strength with drying may have confounded the results, and recommendations for additional studies are provided.