Why Curing of Concrete Is Required?: Curing Methods and Materials

CURING METHODS AND MATERIALS
Why curing of concrete is required?

Curing of concrete is required for the following reasons:
To prevent the concrete to dry out prematurely due to solar radiation and wind. This prevents plastic
shrinkage of concrete.
It helps to maintain the concrete temperature by allowing the hydration process. Hydration process
requires water to carry on and releases heat.
Curing helps the concrete to harden and bond with internal materials and reinforcement. This helps to
prevent damage to bond between concrete and reinforcement due to vibration and impact.
This helps development of impermeable, crack free and durable concrete.
The evaporation of moisture is driven by the difference in vapor pressure on concrete surface and
the in surrounding air. When the difference is high, evaporation rate is high.
The right time of curing of concrete depends on:

Initial Curing Bleeding of Concrete:
When the concrete is placed and compacted, bleeding of water occurs and rises through the surface of
concrete due to settlement of concrete. The rate and duration of bleeding depends on many factors
including concrete mix properties, depth or thickness of concrete, method of compaction of concrete etc.
These bleed water starts to evaporate from the surface. When all the bleeding water has disappeared
from the surface, the drying of concrete starts, then initial curing of concrete is required to minimize the
moisture loss and prevent plastic shrinkage cracks to concrete before and during finishing operations.
The initial curing of concrete can be done by techniques such as fogging or using the evaporation
reducers, or by providing the sunshades and windscreens.
Intermediate curing:
Intermediate curing is done when the concrete surface finishing operations has been carried out before
the final setting of concrete. This happens when the required surface texture of concrete member is
achieved rapidly or when the setting of concrete is delayed.
Final Curing:
When the concrete is finished after the final setting of concrete, the final curing of concrete should be
done. This helps to prevent surface drying of concrete because the loss of moisture from the concrete
surface occurs immediately.
Concrete can be kept moist (and in some cases at a favorable temperature) by three curing
methods:
1. Methods that maintain the presence of mixing water in the concrete during the early hardening period.
These include ponding or immersion, spraying or fogging, and saturated wet coverings. These methods
afford some cooling through evaporation, which is beneficial in hot weather.
Ponding and Immersion

On flat surfaces, such as pavements and floors, concrete can be cured by ponding. Earth or sand dikes
around the perimeter of the concrete surface can retain a pond of water. Ponding is an ideal method for
preventing loss of moisture from the concrete; it is also effective for maintaining a uniform temperature
in the concrete. The curing water should not be more than about 11C (20F) cooler than the concrete to
prevent thermal stresses that could result in cracking. Since ponding requires considerable labor and
supervision, the method is generally used only for small jobs.
The most thorough method of curing with water consists of total immersion of the finished concrete
element.
This method is commonly used in the laboratory for curing concrete test specimens. Where appearance
of the concrete is important, the water used for curing by ponding or immersion must be free of
substances that will stain or discolor the concrete. The material used for dikes may also discolor the
concrete.
Fogging and Sprinkling

Fogging and sprinkling with water are excellent methods of curing when the ambient temperature is well
above freezing and the humidity is low. A fine fog mist is frequently applied through a system of
nozzles or sprayers to raise the relative humidity of the air over flatwork, thus slowing evaporation from
the surface. Fogging is applied to minimize plastic shrinkage cracking until finishing operations are
complete. Once the concrete has set sufficiently to prevent water erosion, ordinary lawn sprinklers are
effective if good coverage is provided and water runoff is of no concern. Soaker hoses are useful on
surfaces that are vertical or nearly so. The cost of sprinkling may be a disadvantage. The method
requires an ample water supply and careful supervision. If sprinkling is done at intervals, the concrete
must be prevented from drying between applications of water by using burlap or similar materials;
otherwise alternate cycles of wetting and drying can cause surface crazing or cracking.
Ponding: Used to cure flat surfaces on jobs or controlled areas where water can be easily
retained on top of the concrete slab. Sand or earth dikes surround the slab and a layer of water is
maintained on top of the slab.
Fogging: Fogging or misting is used in circumstances where temperatures are above freezing
and there is low humidity. Fogging raises the humidity
Wet Coverings
Fabric coverings saturated with water, such as burlap, cotton mats, rugs, or other moisture-retaining
fabrics, are commonly used for curing (Fig. 12-5). Treated burlaps that reflect light and are resistant to
rot and fire are available.
Curing concrete with wet covering is done after the concrete has hardened sufficiently and the water
covering will not damage concretes surface. A covering is usually sand, burlap, canvas or straw that is
kept continuously damp during the curing process.
Other forms of curing
Curing Concrete Using Plastic Membranes
Curing concrete with a membrane or plastic sheeting is the most practical and efficient way to cure
concrete in today's construction industrysometimes water is unavailable for water curing or, if it's
done improperly, it can affect the strength or the surface finishing of the concrete product.
A minimum thickness is required to ensure adequate strength in the sheet; ASTM C 171 Sheet Materials
for curing concrete specifies 0.01 mm. Concrete should be covered with a membrane, either plastic or
chemical compound that will seal off the pores and retard the evaporation of water from concrete.
Two common types of membrane curing are:
Plastic Sheeting: Curing concrete with plastic sheeting requires covering all exposed areas of
the concrete as soon as possible without damaging the concrete finish. When plastic sheeting is
used over flat surfaces, such as pavements or slabs, it should extend beyond the edges of the slab
by a length of at least twice the thickness of the slab.
Membrane-Forming Curing Compounds: Curing compounds are chemical products usually
sprayed directly over the concrete surface and allowing it to dry. The compound forms an
impermeable membrane that retards the loss of moisture from the concrete.

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CURING METHODS AND MATERIALS

Why curing of concrete is required?

The right time of curing of concrete depends on:

Ponding and Immersion

Fogging and Sprinkling

Other forms of curing

Curing Concrete Using Plastic Membranes

Two common types of membrane curing are:

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