Gammad, Brent Charles D.

Nov 11, 2020

BSCE 3, CE 3121 0330 - 0430 MW Engr. Udacion
Course Work No. 04
PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE

OBJECTIVE: To determine different types of concrete curing methods and how to test concrete.

TLO: Explain and design the proportioning of concrete mixes, mixing and handling fresh concrete,
curing concrete, properties of hardened concrete, testing of hardened concrete, alternatives to
conventional concrete and admixtures for concrete.

DIFFERENT METHODS TO CURE CONCRETE

1. WATER CURING – this method prevents water loss from the concrete surface by
uninterrupted wetting of the exposed surface of concrete. It’s done by spraying
or sprinkling water or curing agents over the concrete surface to ensure that the concrete
surface is continuously moist. Moisture from the body of concrete is retained from
evaporating and contributes to the strength-gain of concrete.
 PONDING DESCRIPTION:

On flat surfaces such as pavements, footpaths,

and floors, concrete can be cured by ponding.
Earth or sand dykes around the perimeter of the
concrete surface retain a pond of water within
the enclosed area. An efficient method for
preventing loss of moisture from the concrete,
ponding is also effective for maintaining a
uniform temperature however, the method is
often impractical except for small jobs.
 SPRINKLING DESCRIPTION:

Continuous sprinkling with water is also an

excellent method of curing. If sprinkling is
done at intervals, care must be taken to prevent
the concrete from drying between applications
of water. A fine spray of water applied
continuously through a system of nozzles
provides a constant supply of moisture. This
prevents the possibility of "crazing" or
cracking caused by alternate cycles of wetting
and drying. A disadvantage of sprinkling may
be its cost. The method requires an adequate
supply of water and careful supervision.
 WET COVERINGS DESCRIPTION:

Wet coverings such as hessian or other

moisture retaining fabrics are extensively used
for curing. Such coverings should be placed as
soon as the concrete has hardened sufficiently
to prevent surface damage. Care should be
taken to cover the entire surface, including the
edges of slabs such as pavements and
footpaths. The coverings should be kept
continuously moist so that a film of water
remains on the concrete surface throughout the
curing period.

2. SHEET CURING – this method may not be so efficient but are usually satisfactory for
all except very special work, and they have the big plus point that they can be carried out
more easily on both horizontal and vertical surfaces.
 USING POLYTHENE DESCRIPTION:

The polythene should be placed in position as

 FORMWORK PROTECTION
soon as possible - on vertical surfaces within
half an hour of the removal of the formwork;
on slabs as soon as the concrete is hard enough
to prevent surface damage or marking. Wait
until the water sheen has evaporated, but not so
long that the concrete starts to dry out. When
the surface of the slab has a special finish -
such as a texture - the polythene should be
spread over light frames above the concrete.
With such finishes there is no need to wait for
any bleed water to evaporate before you
position the polythene; the curing can start
immediately the slab is finished.
DESCRIPTION:

While it is in position, formwork protects

concrete against loss of moisture, and thus
allows curing to proceed. It is only after it has
been struck that further curing - of columns,
walls and beams, for instance - may be
necessary. Concrete that is in an exposed
position must be thoroughly cured even after
prolonged protection by the formwork. But in
a mild, protected environment, and provided
that the formwork has been in position for at
least four days, there might be no need for
further curing even in dry weather. However
you should check this point with the engineer
or clerk of works.
3. MEMBRANE CURING – this method is likewise, not as efficient as sheet curing
methods, but have the advantage over the previous two methods in that they do not need any
further supervision once applied.
 USING SPRAY-ON COMPOUNDS DESCRIPTION:

Curing compounds are sprayed on the surface

- hand-held garden spray is suitable for most
jobs - and can be used on both vertical and
horizontal surfaces. It is essential always to
choose the correct type of compound. Mostly,
the compounds consist of a resin in a solvent
that evaporates after it has been applied,
leaving behind a thin, continuous film or
membrane that seals-in most of wind and sun
after about for weeks.

4. STEAM CURING DESCRIPTION:

Steam curing keeps the surface moist and

raises the temperature of concrete to quicken
the rate of strength achievement. It is a
process done to speed up the early hardening
of concrete and mortars by subjecting it to
steam and humidity. This method is most
commonly used for precast concrete plants
where products are mass-produced and the
turnaround or striking time of the formwork is
very quick.

5. INSULATING BLANKETS DESCRIPTION:

Insulated concrete curing blankets and

heating concrete curing blankets are used in
the construction industry and commercial
industry for cold-weather applications.
Insulated tarps are filled with insulation batting
while heating concrete tarps contain a heating
element.
DIFFERENT METHODS FOR TESTING HARDENED CONCRETE

 DESTRUCTIVE QUALITY TEST

1. Compressive Strength - The most common test preformed on concrete is for compressive
strength. There several reasons for this: (1) it is assumed that the most important
properties of concrete as directly related to compressive strength; (2) concrete has little
tensile strength and is used primarily in compression; (3) structural design codes are
based on compressive strength; (4) the test is relatively simple and inexpensive to
perform.
 ASTM CYLINDER TEST DESCRPITION:

The normal compressive specimen in North

America is a cylinder with length to diameter
ratio of 2:1. Molds may be reusable, made of
heavy-gauge metal or single-use, made from
sheet metal or waxed cardboard. Cardboard
molds have been found to yield slightly lower
strength (+/-3%) than other types. Specimen
should be cast on a firm level surface, free
from vibration. If the slump is more than 3
inches, concrete is consolidated by rodding; if
the slump is less than 1 inch, the concrete is
consolidated by vibration. Poorly compacted
cylinders will have lower strength. If the
specimen is to be rodded, it should be filled in
three equal layers, each rodded 25 times with
5/8 inch diameter steel rod with a rounded end.
 CUBE TEST DESCRIPTION:

Cube test, standard in Great Britain and

Germany, uses a6in cubic mold, which is
filled in three layers, rodded 35 times with a
25mm square rod or compacted with a
vibrator. The cube is tested at right angles to
the position casted and therefore required no
capping or grinding. The loading rate is 33
lb/in2/s.
1. TENSILE STRENGTH
2. FLEXURAL TEST
 NONDESTRUCTIVE QUALITY TEST
1. SURFACE HARDNESS METHOD
2. REBOUND HARDNESS
DESCRIPTION:
Two common methods for estimating tensile
strength through indirect tensile tests. The
first, is the splitting test carried out on a
standard cylinder specimen by applying a line
load along the vertical diameter. It is not
practical to apply the true line load to the
cylinder because the side are not smooth
enough and because it would induced high
compressive stresses at the surface. Therefore,
a narrow loading strip made of soft material is
used.
DESCRIPTION:
Flexural strength is one measure of the
tensile strength of concrete. It is a measure of
an un-reinforced concrete beam or slab to
resist failure in bending. It is measured by
loading 6 x 6-inch (150 x 150
mm) concrete beams with a span length of at
least three times the depth.
DESCRIPTION:
One of the oldest nondestructive tests,
developed in Germany in the 1930's. Basically,
the surface is impacted with a mass and the size
of the resulting indention is measured. The
accuracy of these type of tests is only 20 to
30%.
DESCRIPTION:
The most common nondestructive test is the
rebound test. The test measures the rebound of
a hardened steel hammer impacted on the
concrete by a spring. This method has the same
limitations as the surface hardness tests. The
results are affected by: (1) surface finish; (2)
moisture content; (3) temperature; (4) rigidity
of the member being tested; (5) carbonation of
the surface; and (6) direction of impact
(upward, downward, horizontal). Most useful
in checking the uniformity of concrete.
3. PENETRATION RESISTANCE DESCRIPTION:

Resistance of concrete to penetration by a

steel probe driven by a given amount of
energy is measured. This test is not affected
by surface hardness or carbonation as the
above tests, however, the mix proportions
and material properties are still important.

4. PULL-OUT TEST DESCRIPTION:

Pull-out test determine the force required to

pull a steel insert out of concrete which it
was embedded during casting. This test is a
measure of the shear strength of the
concrete which can be correlated with
compressive strength. This test is better
than those previously discussed, however,
the test may be planned in advance and the
assembly embedded in the concrete during
casting.

5. ULTRASONIC PULSE VELOCITY DESCRIPTION:

This test is based on the fact that the

velocity of sound is related to the elastic
modulus. The device is accurate to about +
1%. The position of the testing equipment
can affect the measurement, method A
given the best results. There are several
factors which affect this test: (1) surface
smoothness; (2) travel path of the pulse; (3)
temperature effects on the pulse velocity;
(4) moisture content; (5) presence of steel
reinforcing bars; and (6) age of concrete.
REFERENCE:

https://concretenz.org.nz/page/curing

https://civildigital.com/curing-concrete-purpose-curing-curing-methods/

https://www.constructioncovers.com/curing-blankets/insulated-concrete-blankets/

https://www.slideshare.net/chongjeremy9/testing-of-hardened-concrete

http://www.ce.memphis.edu/1101/notes/concrete/everything_about_concrete/14_testing.html

https://www.nevadareadymix.com/concrete-tips/flexural-strength-
concrete/#:~:text=Flexural%20strength%20is%20one%20measure,least%20three%20times%20the%20depth.

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