of self-compacting concrete
Hui Zhao
a,
, Wei Sun
a
, Xiaoming Wu
b
, Bo Gao
b
a
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210096, China
b
Jiangsu Transportation Research Institute, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211112, China
a r t i c l e i n f o
Article history:
Received 20 August 2011
Accepted 24 September 2011
Available online 29 September 2011
Keywords:
A. Concrete
E. Mechanical properties
E. Environmental performance
a b s t r a c t
The effect of initial water-curing period and curing condition on properties of self-compacting concrete
(SCC) was studied. Six different curing regimes were applied to the specimens, the rst of which the sam-
ple was stored under initial water-curing periods of 3, 7, 14 days, in the remaining three regimes, the
samples were continuous full water (FW) curing condition, continuous full standard (FS) curing condition
and continuous full room (FR) curing condition. The mechanical properties of SCC under different initial
water-curing period and curing condition were tested, the relationship between compressive strength of
concrete and curing time was analyzed by linear regression, the strength-gaining rates of SCC were cal-
culated by using this regression equation, the durability properties of SCC, i.e. the carbonation depth, the
chloride ion diffusion coefcient of SCC, were also evaluated, the relationship between 28-days compres-
sive strength and 28-days carbonation depths of SCC under different initial water-curing period and cur-
ing condition was studied. The test results showed that it is necessary to apply water-curing to SCC for
the initial 7 days period to expose the pozzolanic activity, SCC under FR curing condition has a higher
compressive strength, exural strength, a lower carbonation depth and chloride ion diffusion coefcient
than SCC under FS, FW curing condition.
2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction
Self-compacting concrete (SCC) is a new category of high per-
formance concrete characterized by its ability to spread to places
under its own weight without the need of vibration, SCC can ll
the formwork and encapsulate reinforcement without any bleed-
ing or segregation [15], SCC can also lower the noise level on
the construction site and diminish the effect on the environment
[68]. The introduction of SCC represents a major technological ad-
vance, it leads to a better quality of concrete produced, a faster and
more economical concrete construction process.
Nearly 40 years ago, Philleo [9] has been recognized that initial
water-curing period and curing condition signicant affect the
strength and durability properties of concrete, it arises fromthe fact
that the properties development of concrete, i.e. mechanical and
durability properties, depends on the hydration of cement. After
the cementing material mixed with water, the factors of effect on
cement hydration are the availability of moisture and temperature,
proper curing can maintain a satisfactory moisture content and
temperature in concrete during its early stages, the loss of water
in concrete can reduce and hydration rate of cement can increase,
the total porosity of concrete reduces and the probability of the
pores being either blocked or narrowed down by continued forma-
tion of hydration products increases, as a result, the desired proper-
ties of concrete may develop [1014]. The over last two decades, the
inuence of initial water-curing period and curing condition on the
properties of concrete has some extensively studied. Ozer and
Ozkul [15] and Tan and Gjorv [16] show that initial water-curing
period has some effect on the compressive strength development
of ordinary Portland and pozzolanic cement concretes, it is neces-
sary to apply water-curing to concrete at least for the initial 7 days
to expose the pozzolanic activity. Ramezanianpour et al. [17] re-
ports the properties of concrete with slag, y ash and silica fume
at different water-curing period, the results indicate that the reduc-
tion in initial water-curing period results in lower compressive
strengths, higher porosity and more permeable. Guo et al. [18] as-
sess the effect of the initial water-curing period on the corrosion
behavior of concrete with y ash, the result indicates that the initial
water-curing period has important effect on steel bars corrosion
behaviors in concrete, with the increase of the initial water-curing
period, protective ability of concrete increase and concrete has a
better protective behaves at the initial water-curing for 14 days.
Al-Khaiat et al. [19] study the effect of initial water-curing period
on early strength and physical properties of lightweight concrete,
the results suggest that the compressive strength of concrete is less
sensitive to lack of initial water-curing period, while depth of water
0261-3069/$ - see front matter 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.matdes.2011.09.053