Curing Sustainability Assessment in Concrete Pavements: A 20-Year Simulation-Based Analysis in Urban Road Contexts

In urban areas with warm climates, a lack of proper curing during concrete pavement construction can significantly reduce service life, increase maintenance needs, and compromise sustainability goals. Despite its relevance, the comprehensive impact of curing has been poorly quantified from a multidimensional perspective. This study aims to evaluate the effect of applying a liquid curing compound on the sustainability of concrete slab pavements over a 20-year horizon using a simulation-based approach. Two scenarios, cured and uncured, were modeled with HIPERPAV®, incorporating site-specific climatic, structural, and material parameters. Based on projected maintenance cycles, nine sustainability indicators were calculated and grouped into environmental (CO2 emissions, energy, water, and waste), social (accidents, travel time, satisfaction, and jobs), and economic (life-cycle maintenance cost) dimensions. Statistical tests (ANOVA, Welch ANOVA, and Kruskal–Wallis) were applied to assess significance. Results showed that curing reduced CO2 emissions (−13.7%), energy consumption (−12.5%), and waste (−20.7%), while improving accident rates (−40.3%), user satisfaction (+17.8%), and maintenance cost savings (−9.5%). The findings support curing as a cost-effective and sustainability-enhancing strategy for urban pavement design and management.