Influence of non-standard curing on the strength of concrete in arid areas

✍ Scribed by A. Arafah; R. Al-Zaid; M. Al-Haddad

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 654 KB
• Volume: 26
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-8846
• DOI: 10.1016/0008-8846(96)00124-x

✦ Synopsis

The influence of non-standard curing practice on the strengths of specimen and in-situ concrete is evaluated by experimental testing. Samples were collected randomly from construction sites distributed over two areas of distinct climatic conditions: 1) hot and dry (arid) climate, and 2) hot and moist coastal climate. The in-situ strength of concrete was evaluated by strength testing of cores taken from slab, beam, and column elements. The curing methods were simulated by water sprinkling twice a day for 7 days with and without burlap cover. The strength results for cubes and cores so cured indicate that curing employing water sprinkling, twice a day, and without burlap cover is far below the ACI-3 18 requirements. The results also indicate the need to account for the high variability of the strength ratio of field to standard cured concrete in the assessment of curing procedures specially in arid areas. It is recommended that the curing procedures shall be improved when strength of field cured cylinders is less than 85 percent of that of companion laboratory-cured cylinders in coastal humid areas and 75 percent in arid areas.