Abstract
Self-cured concrete is a type of cement-based material that has the unique ability to mitigate the loss rate of water and increase the capacity of concrete to retain water compared to conventional concrete. The technique allows a water-filled internal curing agent to be added to the concrete mixture and then slowly releases water during the hydration process. Many researchers have studied the composition of self-curing concrete using different materials such as artificial lightweight aggregate (LWA), porous superfine powders, superabsorbent polymers (SAP), polyethylene glycol (PEG), natural fibers, and artificial normal-weight aggregate (ANWA) as curing agents. Likewise, physical, mechanical, and microstructure properties, including the mechanisms of curing agents toward self-curing cement-based, were discussed. It was suggested that adopting self-curing agents in concrete has a beneficial effect on hydration, improving the mechanical properties, durability, cracking susceptibility behavior, and mitigating autogenous and drying shrinkage. The interfacial transition zone (ITZ) between the curing agent and the cement paste matrix also improved, and the permeability is reduced.
Highlights
Curing is a process of maintaining the rate and the extent of moisture loss within a proper temperature in concrete during cement hydration and reduces water evaporation [1,2,3,4]
After undertaking the literature review in this field, it can be concluded that many researchers have investigated the influence of different materials as curing agents toward physical and mechanical properties, shrinkage, and microscopic in self-curing concrete
Evidence supports the fact that all curing agents can be used given their capability to absorb water and act as a water reservoir in concrete, thereby gradually releasing water for the hydration process
Summary
Curing is a process of maintaining the rate and the extent of moisture loss within a proper temperature in concrete during cement hydration and reduces water evaporation [1,2,3,4]. Sufficient calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) cannot be developed [7,8], which disrupts the development of dense microstructure and the refined pore structure within the cement matrices allowing the ingress of deleterious agents into the concrete. These subsequently lead to poor quality of concrete, such as causing plastic shrinkage cracks, poorly formed hydrated products, finishing issues, and other surface defects [4,9,10]. The following sections of this study present a review of the techniques which have been studied in self-curing agent reported by researchers, including its mechanism
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