Effect of curing on concrete in hot exposure conditions

A project was undertaken to improve the quality and performance of concrete structures in the hot weather and severe environment of Kuwait. This paper presents two-year results of specimens exposed to hot inland conditions af ter 1, 3 and 7 days of initial curing. The results suggest that an initial 7 clay curing of both lightweight and normal-weight concrete specimens expo sed to hot outdoor conditions enhances considerably their strength and redu ces water penetration and carbonation. For the total lightweight concrete t ested, both the depth of water penetration and the carbonation depth were f ound to be higher than in the equivalent-strength normal-weight concrete af ter 2 years of exposure to hot outdoor conditions.