Effect of Curing Techniques on the Strength of Washed Aggregate Concrete

The effect of curing techniques on the strength characteristic of washed aggregate concrete with a nominal mix ratio of 1:2:4 and a w/c ratio of 0.6 was examined. The fine and coarse aggregates were thoroughly washed and devoid of all impurities. Four curing techniques were considered: full water immersion, periodic water sprinkling, wet covering and open-air (uncured). A total of 48 concrete samples were produced and subjected to compressive strength test at ages 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. The 28-day compressive strength of samples cured by water immersion, sprinkling, wet covering and open-air methods were 20.01 N/mm2, 13.95 N/mm2, 11.16 N/mm2 and 9.07 N/mm2 respectively. The full water immersion technique was discovered to be the most effective. The difference in 28-day strength between samples cured by full water immersion and those exposed to the open-air (uncured) condition was obtained as 54.67%. Undesirable strength performances were recorded for concrete specimens that were allowed to harden without an intentional application of supplemental water or protective coverings.