Authors : Hussein Talab Nhabih, Ameer Mohsin Hashim and Marwa Marza Salman
Abstract: The effect of delayed curing start on durability and mechanical properties of High Strength Concrete (HSC) and Normal Strength Concrete (NSC) was studied. In this study, curing start was delayed for (0, 1, 3, 7, 28) days for samples cured by immersion in water and cast with (HSC) or (NSC). Compressive strength, flexure strength, splitting tensile strength, static elastic modulus, poisson's ratio, carbonation, shrinkage, sulfate resistance and freeze-thaw resistance of concrete were measured. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) as well X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD) were used to evaluate the microstructure of concrete under diverse curing circumstances. The results show that the delay in starting the curing of (HSC) and (NSC) leads to a decrease in the durability and mechanical properties of both types (especially, (HSC)) and reduces the degree of cement hydration and the amount of hydration products and increases the mean diameter of the pores. The biggest effect is delayed curing on the first day.
Hussein Talab Nhabih, Ameer Mohsin Hashim and Marwa Marza Salman, 2018. Effect of Delay Curing Start on Durability and Mechanical Properties of High and Normal Strength Concrete. Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 13: 8216-8223.