New composition of film-forming materials for maintaining freshly laid cement-concrete road pavements

Hot and arid climates cause freshly laid concrete pavements to lose moisture rapidly, impeding cement hydration and preventing the concrete from achieving its design strength. Conventional curing methods (such as frequent water sprinkling or covering) are labor-intensive and resource-intensive. In this study, a new film-forming curing compound was developed using a local Uzbek petroleum wax byproduct (“Gach”) to mitigate moisture loss in fresh concrete. The effectiveness of this locally developed film-forming material was compared with that of imported curing compounds in terms of moisture retention and overall impact on concrete performance. Laboratory tests demonstrated that the Gach-based formulation can form an effective protective film at an application rate of about 300-350 g/m 2 , whereas the imported materials required around 400-600 g/m 2 for adequate coverage. Using the Gach-based curing film reduced material consumption by approximately 12.5 % and lowered curing costs by over 50 % for a typical project, all while preserving the concrete’s strength and durability. These results highlight the potential of using local materials like Gach to improve concrete curing efficiency and performance in hot, dry climatic conditions.