Influence of curing conditions on the sorptivity and weight change characteristics of self-compacting concrete

Abstract EN

This paper reports on a study carried out to investigate the influence of curing conditions on the capillary water absorption and weight change characteristics of selfcompacting concrete (SCC).

Specimens were prepared using three types of concrete (SCC, Portland cement (PC), and Fly Ash (FA) concretes) and were cured under three different curing conditions (20°C water and 20°C and 40°C air cure) for 28 days.

Weight gain (water intake) in water curing and weight loss (water loss) in 20°C and 40°C air curing were recorded throughout the curing period.

Compressive strength, water absorption, and capillary water absorption tests were carried out at 28 days.

The results indicated that FA concrete gained about 0.5 % whilst PC and self-compacting concretes gained about 1.0 % of the initial weight.

This indicates that due to the slower reaction process more free water remains within FA concrete avoiding further water intake.

In the weight loss study, FA concrete lost about 4.0 and 6.0% of the initial weight at 20°C and 40°C air curing, respectively; whereas SCC and PC concretes (both had almost identical values) lost about 3.2 and 5.2% at 20°C and 40°C, respectively.

The absorption test results indicated that SCC gave the lowest sorptivity coefficient values followed by PC and FA concretes in all curing conditions.