Experimental Research on Effect of Curing Methods on the Strength and Resistance to Chloride Ion Permeability of Concrete in Simulated Arid and Large Diurnal Temperature Variation Climates

Abstract

Curing techniques and curing conditions have crucial effects to the strength and durability of concrete. The objective of this experimental study is to examine the strength and resistance to chloride ion permeability of high performance concrete under various curing methods in different simulated arid and large diurnal temperature variation climates. Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the strength and electric flux when different curing methods were used. Three curing methods and three simulated climates were applied to concrete specimens. The results show that the difference of measured experiment data are not significant under standard curing (SC), moisture insulation curing (MIC) and thermal and moisture insulation curing (TMIC) in an arid climate. However, the compressive strength and resistance to chloride ion permeability are worse under MIC and TMIC compared with SC in an arid and large diurnal temperature variation due to frost heaving and thermal stress. Moreover, compressive strength and resistance to chloride ion permeability decrease significantly when the large diurnal temperature variation increases and the lowest temperature reduces. The insulation material can effectively reduce concrete temperature variation between near surface and core region. Therefore, TMIC is a better curing method than MIC in an arid and large diurnal temperature variation climate.