Effect of curing regime on long-term mechanical strength and transport properties of steam-cured concrete

Abstract

Steam curing is a common method of producing prefabricated elements, achieving high early strength to meet economic benefits. However, this rapid curing method is extremely detrimental to the microstructure and long-term performance of concrete. Therefore, choosing an appropriate measure to remission this adverse effect is critical to the development of long-term performances of steam-cured concrete. In this study, two steam-curing regime and four subsequent curing conditions were employed on the curing of concrete. The long-term compressive strength, surface permeability and microstructure were measured to analyze the effects of curing condition on performance of steam-cured concrete. The results indicate that step-curing is beneficial to the formation of pre-structures, thereby improving the long-term mechanical properties and impermeability of steam-cured concrete. Among the four subsequent curing conditions, saturated limestone immersion is most beneficial to the long-term performance of steam-cured concrete, while water immersion is the most unfavorable.