Compressive strength development of concrete with different curing time and temperature

Abstract

In this experimental and analytic research, the strength development for various curing histories was investigated with particular regard to the influences of curing time points with given temperatures. For this purpose, four different points of curing time were considered with an individual interval of 24 h. Two different temperatures of 5°C and 40°C were applied for the selective intervals, whereas the rest period days were under the reference curing condition of 20°C. A new model for the strength prediction was suggested based on the rate constant model. In this model, the equivalent ages introduced in the Saul and Arrhenius models were modified to show the effects of curing temperature at different ages. Test results show that the concrete subjected to a high temperature at an early age attains higher early-age strength but eventually attains lower later-age strength. The concrete subjected to a low temperature at an early age leads to lower early-age strength but almost the same later-age strength. Moreover, the proposed model showed better agreement with the test results than the existing models.