The Importance of Measuring Concrete's Compressive Strength using Curing Techniques
Cement hydration is aided at early ages by curing concrete within a range of temperatures which keeps it moist and allows it to absorb moisture. During hydration, various chemicals are formed as a result of the chemical reaction between cement and water. Several factors affect the hydration process, including the concrete's initial temperature, the ambient air temperature, and its dimensions.
Concrete must have sufficient moisture and temperature to ensure that this chemical reaction proceeds rapidly & continuously.
Importance of Concrete Curing
Your concrete structure's quality control and quality assurance depend on controlling moisture and temperature during curing. When concrete is cured correctly, it resists drying, shrinkage, and cracking, thereby preserving the performance of your structure, particularly at the cover zone. After concrete has been placed, it should be cured immediately. In addition, concrete curing conditions must be monitored continuously for seven days.
Concrete will not achieve maximum compressive strength if water evaporates from it before reaching its maximum strength. It is especially important to do so during extreme weather conditions, when your concrete slab is subjected to various environmental elements that may significantly compromise the strength of your concrete.
Efficient Concrete Curing Method
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Loss of Water Reduction
You can apply impervious paper and plastic sheets directly to thoroughly wet concrete, for instance, polyethylene film. A lightweight, easy to apply moisture retarder, this material is designed to stop moisture from entering a building. In order to prevent surface damage, the concrete surface should be sufficiently hard during placement.
Concrete evaporation is retarded or reduced with membrane forming curing compounds. A pigmented white surface can be either clear or translucent. To reflect solar radiation during hot and sunny weather, white pigmented compounds are recommended.
Moisture Maintenance
Fogging & Spraying
When temperatures and humidity are well above freezing, spraying and fogging are used. Through nozzles for sprayers, fog mist is applied over flatwork to slow the evaporation of moisture. In order to minimize shrinkage cracking in plastic, fogging is used. Use burlap or other materials to prevent the concrete from drying between applications of water, if sprinkling occurs at intervals; otherwise, alternate cycles of wetting and drying can cause cracks.