Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the impact of hot and dry environments under different curing conditions on the properties of high-strength concrete. The concrete samples were prepared at a room temperature of 20°C and cured under different curing conditions. Some specimens underwent standard curing from 24 h after casting until the day of testing. Some specimens underwent steam curing in a dry oven at 30°C and 50°C after casting until the day of testing. Other specimens were cured for 3, 7, 21, and 28 days in water and then placed in a dry oven at 30°C and 50°C and tested at the age of 28 days, except for the specimens that were cured for 28 days, which were tested at the age of 31 days, to study the effect of curing period on the strength of concrete exposed to dry and hot environments after moist curing. The effects of hot and dry environments on high-strength concrete with different water/binder ratios (0.30, 0.35, and 0.40), using (30%) fly ash for all mixes, and (0%, 5%, and 10%) silica fume with the binder (450, 480, and 520 kg), respectively, were separately investigated, and the effects of curing under different conditions were evaluated by measuring the compressive strength, flexural strength, microhardness, and chloride diffusion and by assessing the concretes’ microstructure. The relationships between these properties were presented. A good agreement was noted between the concrete compressive strength and concrete properties at different temperatures, curing periods, and curing methods.
Highlights
Severe conditions under hot weather are common in many countries around the world, e.g., in the Middle East, the ambient temperature can reach 50°C and the relative humidity can fall below 10% [1,2,3]
Hot weather leads to a decrease in the workability of concrete and results in slump loss. erefore, we created a mix with low workability to study the effect of hot and dry environments under different curing conditions on the mechanical properties of low-workability high-strength concrete (HSC)
Compressive strength varied with the curing type in these specimens. e specimens cured for three days in the oven and with steam at 50°C showed the same compressive strength, which was higher than that of specimens cured under standard conditions. e compressive strengths of the specimens cured in steam, dry oven, and oven replacement at 50°C was higher than that of the specimens cured at 30°C
Summary
Severe conditions under hot weather are common in many countries around the world, e.g., in the Middle East, the ambient temperature can reach 50°C and the relative humidity can fall below 10% [1,2,3]. Is table depicts the significant positive effect of oven replacement on the compressive strength, especially at 50°C, when the specimens are cured for three and seven days with standard curing (water) and exposed to hot and dry conditions.
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