PERFORMANCE OF CONCRETE UNDER DIFFERENT CURING CONDITIONS

The effect of curing conditions on strength and permeability of concre te was studied. Test results showed that after 3 and 7 days moist curi ng only the concretes with w/c ratios equal to or less than 0.4 were a ccepted, while after 28 days of moist curing however, even the concret e with w/c of 0.6 could be accepted. Silica fume has a significant eff ect on the resistance to water penetration. For the concretes both wit h and without silica fume and with w/c + s of 0.5, the 28-day compress ive strengths of 3 and 7 days moist curing were higher than those of 2 8 days moist curing, and the silica fume concrete seemed to be less se nsitive to early drying. The curing temperatures did not affect the wa ter penetration of concrete, but affected the chloride penetration and compressive strength of concrete significantly.