Concrete Curing

• Curing Methods
– Pavement and On-Grade Slabs
• Wet Burlap
• Waterproof Paper

Concrete Curing •
•
•
Polyethylene
y y sheets
Liquid membrane-forming
Moisture Retaining Cover
• Insulating blankets
• Cover usingg Straw or Hay
y
• Sprinkler System
– Vertical Walls
Ref: www.cement.org
– Curing by Steam
Note: The use of the pictures in this presentation is limited to class – Lab
L bCCuring
i
demonstration only. All pictures are copyrighted by PCA. • Problems for lack of proper curing

Curing: Curing:
Burlap Burlap
Curing should An excellent
b i as soon
begin method of wet
as the curing is to
concrete completely
stiffens
enough to cover the
th
prevent surface with
marring or wet burlap and
erosion
i off th
the keep it
surface. continuously
Burlap wet during the
p y with
sprayed curing period
period.
water is an
effective
method for
moist curing
curing.
Curing: Curing:
Burlap Liquid membrane-forming
Wet burlap Sealing the
makes a good surface with a
curing cover,
as shown
liquid
h
here. Th
The membrane-
membrane
burlap, forming
however, must compound is
be kept another curing
continuously method.
wet.

Curing: Curing:
Liquid membrane-forming Liquid membrane-forming
Liquid Liquid
membrane- membrane-
b
forming forming
compounds compounds are
commonly
sprayedd ontot applied to new
the surface roads by
are effective, gasoline-
economical powered d rigs.
i
moisture The white
barriers for pigment
moist curing
moist-curing reflects heat
concrete. and minimizes
temperature
rise due to the
sun.
sun
Curing: Curing:
Liquid membrane-forming Liquid membrane-forming
Liquid The lack of
membrane-
b adequate
d
forming curing curing can
compounds cause a
should be severe loss of
applied with strength and
uniform and reduce
adequate durability. This
coverage over di
driveway was
the entire cured with a
surface and spray-on
g for
edges q
liquid
effective, membrane-
extended forming
curing of curing
concrete.
concrete compound.
compound

Curing:
Curing
Sprinkler System
For large
g openp
Straw or hay is areas such as
still used to insulate parking lots or
fresh concrete in storage areas,
freezing weather. water curing
can be
effectively
accomplished
li h d
using a
sprinkler
system.
system
Curing: Curing:
Sprinkler System Sprinkler System
Lawn Roller-
sprinklers compacted
saturating concrete is
burlap
p with also cured by
water keep the a sprinkler
concrete system
continuously depending on
moist.
moist th availability
the il bilit
Intermittent of a water
sprinkling is
supply system.
acceptable if
no drying of the
concrete
surface occurs.

Curing:
Curing
Moisture Retaining Cover
Proper curing is
essential to the The roller-
hardening of soil- compacted
cement. concrete is
Compacted and generally cured
finished soil- by continuous
cement contains wetting applied
sufficient moisture
for adequate byy water
cement hydration. trucks.
A moisture-
retaining cover is
placed over the
soil-cement soon
after completion to
retain this moisture
and permit cement
to hydrate.
Curing Curing
A white- Because the
pigmented
i t d US FForestt
curing Service wanted
compound to maintain a
generally used with more natural
conventional look for the
concrete paving has completed
also been used; rehabilitation,
however the
however, they decided to
application is cover the RCC
typically higher than with a 1 ft.
for conventional layer of earth.
concrete because of A moist earth
the more open blanket could
graded surface also provide
texture of RCC. curing for the
RCC protect
RCC, t t it
from freeze-
thaw cycles.

Curing: Curing:
Insulating Blankets Insulating Blankets
Stacks of Curingg
insulating blankets in
blankets. place
These covering
blankets girder and
trap heat forms.
and
moisture in
the
concrete,
providing
beneficial
curing.
Curing: Curing:
Insulating Blankets Polyethylene sheets
Worker covers Polyethylene
footing with sheets are
tarp to effective,
p
protect economical
moisture
i t
curing barriers for
concrete moist-curing
from concrete.
concrete
freezing.

Curing: Curing:
Polyethylene sheets Polyethylene sheets
The wet-cure Polyethyle
y y
method of ne film is an
curing using effective
plastic
p moisture
barrier for
sheeting or curing
waterproof concrete and
paper.
paper easilyy applied
pp
to complex as
well as simple
shapes. To
minimize
discoloration,
the film should
be kept as flat
as possible on
the concrete
surface.
Curing: Curing:
Waterproof Paper Waterproof Paper
Waterproof Here’s how
curing paper waterproof
is an efficient
means of
curing
moist-curing
i t i paper is
pavements used. Joints
and slabs and edges
should be
weighed, or
taped, to seal
in moisture
and slow down
evaporation.

Curing – Vertical Walls Curing – Vertical Walls

Methods for Moist The top of a
masonry wall
Curing Walls covered with a tarp
– Curing
g Compound
p to protect it from the
elements
l t and d aid
id iin
– Wet Burlap curing.

– Soaker Hose
– Watertight Cover
Curing Curing by Steam
Tarpaulin Steam
heated generation
enclosure
maintains an
equipment
adequate
d t for curing.
curing
temperature
for proper
curing and
protection
during severe
and prolonged
winter
weather.

Curing – Lab Samples Curing – Lab Samples

Field box with Insulated
thermostat and curing
i bbox ffor
heating pad for concrete test
initial curing at cylinders.
60°F tot 80°F off A wide variety of
curing box designs
concrete test are possible. They
cylinders. come with
Cylinders are thermostat for curing
test cylinders. Heat
kept in the box is supplied by
until they are electric rubber
heating mats on the
transported to the bottom A wide
bottom.
laboratory curing variety of designs
room, usually the are possible for
curing boxes.
next day.y
Curing – Lab Samples Curing Related Problems
Moist-curing room in Scaled
the laboratory held concrete
at constant
temperature and
surface
h idit ffor standard
humidity t d d resulting from
test specimens at a lack of air
relative humidity of entrainment,
95% to 100% and use of deicers,,
temperature of and poor
23±2°C (73±3°F) finishing and
(ASTM C 511 or curing
AASHTO M 201). practices.

Curing Related Problems Curing Related Problems

An example of Mapp
a mortar bar cracking on
affected by a stucco
expansion as ((Portland
a result
lt off cement
overheating plaster) wall.
during Often caused
accelerated by improper
curing. curing.