The effect of casting and curing temperatures on the properties of concrete

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of casting and curing temperatures on the properties of plain and blended cement concretes. To achieve the objective of this research more than 1200 concrete specimens were cast. The effect of casting and curing temperature on the compressive strength, pulse velocity, and absorption were evaluated u to a period of 168 days. Furthermore, these tests were supplemented with pore size distribution, X-ray diffraction, and differential thermal and thermogravimetric analysis.

The long-term properties of plain cement concrete specimens were not affected for casting temperatures of up to 50, provided they are cured at 20. The long-term properties of blast furnace slag cement concrete specimens cast at 20 and 35 and cured at 20, 35, and 50 were also not affected. Moreover, these concretes can be cast at higher temperatures of 50 and 65, provided they are cured at 20. The long-term properties were not affected in the silica fume cement concrete specimens cast and cured at 20 only. The long-term properties of fly ash cement concrete specimens cast at temperatures of up to 50 were not affected provided they are cured at 20.