The Accelerated Curing of Concrete Test Cubes

Paper No.
6441
THE ACCELERATEDCURING OF CONCRETE TEST CUBES

bY
Thomas Norman Westhead Akroyd, LLB., M.Sc.Tech., A.M.I.C.E.
Chief Engineer, Constructional Services Limited
For written discussion
SYNOPSIS
This Paper describes the results of a series of tests on the accelerated curing
of concrete test cubes. The tests were undertaken to compare the effects of
accelerated curing by boiling and heating in an oven on concrete specimens
made with different brands of ordinary Portland cement and various kinds of
aggregates.
Two methods of boiling were used, one in which the results were obtained
with seven hours of curing and a modified method by which the cubes were
curednormally for 24 hoursand boiled for 33 hours. With the modified
methodthe results can be used withoutit beingnecessary to prepare a
correlation graph.
The tests on oven cured specimens have shownthat the results depend upon
the characteristics of the particular oven used and the exact number and size
of cubes cured at any one time.
INTRODUCTION
FROM time to time in concreting operations or during the design of concrete
mixes, it is advantageous to be able to predict almost immediately after the
concrete has beencast the probable compression strength whichwillresult
after 28 days' curing.
2. The most obvious step is to carry out a compression test and relate this
strength to the 28-day strength at anearlier age. Usually this is done by testing
concrete cubesat 7 days and this procedureis recognized by the Code of Practice
for reinforced concrete C.P.114; methods of carrying out the test have been
standardized in B.S.1881: 1952. In accordance with this Standard the
compression test is carried out on cubes cured at 1419°C. Occasionally tests
are carried out on 3-day-old specimens but the results are often erratic owing
'to the increased effect at early ages of the rate of strength gain of the cement,
the effect of minor impurities, and temperaturechanges.
3. In 1949 Nurse1 reported on the effect of accelerated curing on concrete
when he published results for steam curing, but since then it appears to have
been considered generally that the effect of such factors as chemical composition
1 The references are printed on p. 22.

1 1
Downloaded by [ York University] on [18/09/16]. Copyright © ICE Publishing, all rights reserved.
2 AKROYD ON THE ACCELERATED CURING OF CONCRETE
TEST CUBES
and fineness of the cement, the type of aggregate,and the mix proportions would
be so great as to make an accelerated-cured compression test of little value.
4. In 1955workwas carried out by the Author in collaboration with Mr
R. G. Smith-Gander on the evaluation of a testing procedure,whereby the
28-day strength of concrete could be predicted. It was known at this time that
Professor King of Queen Mary College was also carryingout work on the same
problem.ProfessorKing’sresultshavebeendescribedelsewhere2* 3, while
in an article published in 1956, Akroyd and Smith-Gander4describedtheir
method for determining the accelerated-cured strength of concrete test cubes
by a practical site procedure. The article published the result of a number of
accelerated tests carried out in the concrete laboratory of John Mowlem & Co.
Limited which had been followed by a number of confirmatory tests carried
out during concreting operations on several civil engineeringand building sites.
5. The original procedure consisted of heating and then boiling the cubes
in water for 7 hours and crushingthem in acompressiontestingmachine
1 hour later. The necessity to cure for 7 hours led to some difficulties in site
work, in that operators had to work late at night to carry out the compression
test, SO the procedure was modified. In the modified boiling method the cubes
are kept for 24 hours at a normal curing temperature and are then immersed in
boiling water and boiled for 33 hours and tested in compression 1 hour after
removal from the water. This modified procedure has been found to be more
convenient and to give even better results than the original procedure.
6. Previously it was necessary to carry out a number of accelerated-curing
tests and fromthe results prepare a graph relating the accelerated-cured strength
to the 7- and 28-day strengths. It is now possible to dispense with this because
a graph can be prepared from the 7- and 28-day normal strengths which will
depict the relation between the accelerated-cured strength and the 7-day strength;
that is, the relation of the accelerated strength to the 7-day strength is the same
as that of the 7-day strength to the 28-day strength. The relation between
7- and 28-day strengths may be determined from that between the compressive
strength and waterlcement ratio taken from a report prepared by the Cement
and ConcreteAssociations.
7. Tests have been carried out in the laboratory to check the method against
variations in types of cement and of aggregate. This Paper summarizes the
results of these tests carried out since 1956 and the comparison tests carriedout
on the alternative method of curing the concrete cubes in a laboratory oven.
It is suggested, as a result, that there is no advantage in using the oven method
particularlysince correlation graphsandmore expensiveequipment are
required. These correlation graphs apply only to one oven and to that oven
only when the number of cubes isconstant.
TESTSON DIFFERENT CEMENTS

8. Three series of tests have been carried out. In the first series the effect
of changes in the type of cement were investigated using Thames Valley aggre-
gates. The aggregates were obtained in a single consignment each of the sand
and the p-& in. coarse aggregate. Six brands of ordinary Portland cements
were obtained and from each brand of cement the following eight mixes were
produced; each mix was by weight :-
Two mixes l :1.17:2.33 with w/c ratios of 0.3 and 0.55.
AKROYD ON THE ACCELERATED CURING OF CONCRETE TEST CUBES 3
Two mixes 1:1.5:3.0 with w/cratios of 0.45 and 0.6.
Two mixes 1:1.83:3.67 with w/c ratios of 0 5 and 0.65.
Two mixes 1:2.165:4.35 with w/c ratios of 0.55 and 0.75.
From each mix ten 6-in. concrete cubes were cast and in a number of cases
two extra 4-in. concrete cubes also. The ten cubes were treated as follows:-
Two were oven cured.
Two were boiled on the 7-hour cycle.
Two were boiled on the modified cycle.
Four werecured in accordancewith the British Standard. Of these,two
were tested at 7days and two at 28 days.Where4-in.cubeswerecas
they were cured in the oven.
TESTS ON DIFFERENT AGGREGATES

9. The second series consistedof tests to determine what effect different types
of aggregates had onthe accelerated-curing test. The cement used was ordinary
Portland cementsupplied by A.P.C.M.Research Laboratory; twoconsign-
ments were used. Tests were carried out on the following aggregates:-
Group I Group 2
Gravel. . Salisbury
Gravel . . . River
Mersey
Granite . Mount Sorrel Sandstone . . Pontypridd
Granite . Penmaenmawr Dolomite . . Harrogate
Limestone . Derbyshire
Magnetite . .
Grangesberg, Sweden
Dolerite . Ayrshire
Barytes , . .
Arran
Aglite . . .
Butterley
Company
10. The aggregates in the first group were mixed with the first consignment
of cement, whichhad a mortar cube strength of 4,780 lb/sq. in., and those in the
second group were mixed with cement which had a mortar cube strength of
4,960 Ib/sq. in. Theresults fromthe tests on ThamesValleyaggregatein
which ordinary Portland cement was used have also been incorporated. The
mortar cube strength of this cement was 4,820 lb/sq. in.
11. With each aggregate five dflerent mixes were tested, as follows :-
l :l *09:l a67 with w/c ratio 0.4
1 :1.63:23 with w/c ratio 0.5
1:2.17: 3.34 with w/c ratio 0.6
1 :2.72:4.17 with w/c ratio 0-7
1:3.23: 5.01 with w/cratio 0.8
The watericement ratios are based on d j aggregates. From each mix ten
6-in. cubes were cast and were treated as follows:-
Two were oven cured.
Two were boiled on the 7-hour cycle.
Two were boiled on the modified cycle.
Four were cured in accordance withthe British Standard. Of these, two were
tested at 7 days and two at 28 days.
TESTSON CONCRETE CUBES OF DIFFERENTSIZES

12. The third series of tests were carried out on concrete cubes of different
sizes to determine the effect on the accelerated-curing test. The compression
4 AKROYD ON THE ACCELERATED CURING OF CONCRETE
TEST
CUBES
strength of concrete cubes varies according to the size of the cube tested, as
was shown in a discussion on a Paper by Nevilles.
13. The Author’s tests were plannedfor 6-in.cubes since this size is generally
used on site work.However, the publishedresults for the ovenmethod
have all been for 4-in. cubes; so it was decided during the first series of tests
to include a 4-in. cube in the oven curing tests. When the strength of these
was plotted against the strength of the corresponding 6-in. cubes cured in the
oven at the same time, the resulting graph showed that tests on 4-in.cubes are
not interchangeable with those on 6-in. cubes. As a result it was decided to
carry out a programme of tests on 6-, 4-, and 2.78411. cubes in which cubes of
each size would be cured normally, by the oven, and by the modified boiling
methods of accelerated curing.
14. Testswere carried out usingThamesValleyaggregate and ordinary
Portland cement, the same as in the tests on cement variation.
AKROYD ON THE: ACCELERATED CURING OF CONCRETETEST CUBES 5
IS. Mixes were made as follows, each mix being by weight:-
Two mixes 1 : 1:2 with w/c ratios of 0.3 and 0.35.
Two mixes 1 : 1.17: 2.33 with w/cratios of 0.4 and 0.55.
Two mixes 1 :1 3 : 3 with w/c ratios of 0.45 and 0.65.
Two mixes 1 : 1.83:3.67 with w/c ratios of 0.5 and 0.7.
Two mixes 1:2.165:4.335 with w/cratios of 0.6 and 0.75.
From eachmixeightcubesweremade of eachsize 6, 4, and 2.78 in. For
each size of cube, from the eight cubes, two were oven cured and two were
boiled by the modified boiling method. Four were cured in accordance with
the British Standard, and of these, two weretested at 7 days and two at 28 days.
CURING PROCEDURE
16. Although the methods of curing and the procedure to be adopted have
been described adequately elsewhere, they are given here for convenience and
ACCELERATED STRENGTH: LB/SQ. I N .

FIG.2.-TESTS ON CEMENT: MODIFIED BOILING METHOD
6 AKROYD ON THE
ACCELERATED CURING OF CONCRETE TEST CUBES
completeness. In the followingdescriptions the method of casting cubes is

not described, but reference can be made to the standard procedure given in
the current edition of B.S.1881 on methods of testing concrete. In all the tests
the cubes were cast in cast-iron moulds clamped to an Allan vibrating table.
All cubes were vibratedfor not less than 2 min, with the exception of a few wet
mixes where such a procedure would have induced segregation. Cubes from
such mixes were compacted by hand using a tamper in the standard manner
described in B.S.1881.
Boiling procedure
17. The apparatus, in addition to the usual compression testing machine, is
simple; any convenient container may be used, for example, a small dustbin
issuitable. In both laboratory and sitework,Calorgasburnershavebeen
l I Cur
derived fro1
ACCELERATEDSTRENGTH L B I S Q . IN.
FIG. 3.-TESTS ON CEMENT:MODIFlED BOlLlNG METHOD
AKROYD ON T H E ACCELERATED CURING OF CONCRETE TEST CUBES 7
used for heating the water. It is important to support the cubes clear of the
bottom of the container to ensure proper circulation of the water.
18. 7-hour boiling.-Half an hour after mixing, a steel plate is placed over
the top of the cast concrete cubes,and the cubes, in their moulds, are placed in
water previously brought to a temperature of approximately 60°C. The water
is then boiled and the cubes kept in the water for a total of 7 hours. At the
end of this time the cubes are removed from the boiling water, the moulds
stripped, the density of each cube measured, and, 1 hour after removal from
the water, they are tested in compression.
19. Modified boiling.-Half an hour after mixing, a steel plate is placed over
the top of the cast concrete cubes which are placed in a thermostatically con-
trolled curingtank where they remainin their mouldsfor 24 hours. At the end of
this time they are removed from the tank and complete in their moulds are
plunged into boiling water and boiled for 33 hours. The cubesare then removed
urve
ACCELERATED STRENGTH: LBISQ. IN.
F I G . 4,-TESTS ON CEMENT: OVEN CImING MElNOD
8 AKROM) ON THE ACCELERATED CURING OF CONCRETE TEST CUBES
from the boiling water, the moulds stripped, the density of each cube measured,
and, 1 hour after removal fromthe water, the cubes are tested in compression.
Oven curing procedure
20. Half an hour after mixing, the cubes are placed in a cold oven, each cube
being covered withan additional base plate. The oven is brought to a tempera-
ture of 85°C within 1 hour and kept at that temperature for a further 5 hours.
Some adjustment of the oven will be necessary from time to time t o maintain
the temperature at this figure. The cubes are then removed from the oven,
+
stripped, and allowed to cool for another hour. The density is obtained and
they are then tested in compression.
Curing regime and temperature
21. The temperature at which cubes are cured and the rate of temperature
ACCELERATED STRENGTH: LBfSQ. IN.

FIG. 5.-oVEN METHOD:RESULTS
AKROYD ON THE
ACCELERATED CURING OF CONCRETE
TEST
CUBES 9
increaseaffects the resulting compressive strength, therefore, indevisinga
test by which future strengths can be forecast, care is necessary to ensure that
the desire to obtain early test results does not lead to the adoption of an un-
reliable test procedure.
22. The work of Nurse' and of Sad7 has shown that a rapid increase in the
curing temperature of concrete only a few hours old will result in anomalous
results, and somepreliminary tests carried out by the Authorshowed that
freshly made concrete cubes must not be plunged into boiling water. It is for
this reason that in the 7-hour boiling cycle the cubes are placed in water at
approximately 60°C.
23. When concrete is 24 hours old the curing temperature can be increased
rapidly without harming the concrete, so in the modified boiling method the
concrete cubes when24 hours old are plunged into boiling water and the water
kept boiling to maintain constant curing conditions.
24. The method of curing in water is simple and accurate; the water must
circulate freely about the cubes, but apart from that and keeping the cubes in
the water for only the required curing period there are no strict requirements
in the way the test is carried out.
25. As regards the oven curing method, reference to the published informa-
tion on this method led to some difficulty as to the curing temperature to be
used.ProfessorKingpublished results obtained at acuringtemperatureof
200"F, although in hisarticle he said "work now proceeding indicates it may be
policy to use 185°F as the curing temperature".
26. Ordman and Bondre8re-publishedProfessorKing'scurvebut carried
out all their work at 185°F. It was decided, therefore, to use a curing tempera-
ture of 185"F,notwithstanding that when the workdescribed in this Paper
hadbeenhalfcompleted, further information published by Professor King3
indicated that 200°F was still an alternative curing temperature.
27. A (B.T.L.) Baird and Tatlock Ltd Wide Range oven was used for the
tests on the oven curing method. The capacity of the oven is 3.3 cu. ft, and
when tested in accordance with B.S.2648: 1955 at 110°C it has the following
characteristics:-
Temperature variation : 2.8 "C max.
Temperature fluctuation: 05°C max.
Temperature drift: 1.O"C max.
28. It will be seen from a later section of the Paper that some strange results
were obtainedwith the ovencuringmethod. A discussionwasheldwith
SirBernard Kem, headof the Research and DevelopmentDivision of the
manufacturers, as a result of whichthe manufacturers carried out measurements
of temperatures at twelve points within the ovenwhileitwas in use.These
measurementsshow that the oven curing method is subject to differences in
the curing regime which are beyond control, because the method of curing re-
quires from an ovenaconditionwhichit isimpossible to achieve.This
condition is that for reproducible results the temperature within the oven shall
be constant when all the ventilators are shut and the fan turned off. But while
the shutting-off of all ventilators and fans achieves its object of reducing to the
minimum the evaporation losses from the concrete, it causes wide temperature
differentials across the oven and these vary according to the number of cubes
in the oven.
10 AKROYD ON THE ACCELERATED CURING OF CONCRETE TEST CUBES
TESTRESULTS
29. The results of the various tests, which involved more than 1,OOO cubes,
are plotted in a series of simple graphs relating the accelerated-cured strength
with the 7-day or the 28-day strength. Different graphs are plotted according
to the method of curing whether it be the 7-hour boiling, the modified boiling,
or the oven cured method.
30. Three series of graphs have been plotted, each series depictingthe results
of the tests to determine the variations due to cement, aggregates, or cube size.
The results are shown in Figs 1-5, and 8-13.
31. In considering the results it hasbeenconvenient to plotin addition
accelerated-cured strength
percentagainstaccelerated-curedstrength. If on
normal cured strength
such a plot the results follow a straight line then the results lie on a hyperbolic
curve of the form y = -m +X C That is,if N, = normal cured strength and
A, = accelerated-cured strength, andthe resultsshow that A,/N, plotted
against A, is a straight line, then N, = m.~,+c
9 that is, a hyperbola.
32. This analysismaybeapplied to the originalboilingmethod and the

oven method to produce a curve of fit. (See Figs 4, 5, and 11 for example.)
33. A by-product of the various tests, which is not examined here in detail,
is the resultof comparing the 7- and 28-dayresults as affected by cement,
aggregate, and cube size. When comparison was made it was found that the
relation of the 7- to the 28-day results could be predicted by a curve published
by the Cement and Concrete Association in a Paper by H. C. Emtroy5. This
relation has been labelled the C. & C. A. curve (see Fig. 6). In analysing the
7- and 28-day results and also the accelerated-cured test results, it was found
that the maturityof the modifiedboilingresultswas the samepercentage
(25%) of the 7-day results as the 7-day results were of the 28-day results, again
25%. It wasalso found that the C. & C. A.curverelating7- and 28-day
results fittedthe accelerated-cured (modified boiling method) results plottedwhen
against the 7-dayresults. The implications of this are obvious. If the curve
of 7/28dayresults can beused in predicting normal strengths from the
accelerated-cured strengths then the value of the test is increased and its use
simplified. In Fig. 3 a second curvehas been produced by using the C. & C. A.
curve twice; that is, a strength (accelerated-cured)is fed into the curve (Fig. 6)
and the 7-day result predicted; the 7-day result is then fed into the same curve
and the 28-dayresultpredicted. If the 28-dayresultis plotted against the
original accelerated-cured strength the curve in Fig. 3 results.
34. It is now convenient to consider in more detail the results for each of
the series of tests and it is profitable to compare them, where possible, with any
previously published information.
VARIATIONSDUE TO CEMENT
The 7-hour boiling cycle
35. The accelerated-curedresultsforcubesboiled for 7 hours showa
smaller scatter of results at 28 days than at 7 days. The results for cement No. 3
AKROYJl ON THE ACCELERATED CURING OF CONCRETE
TEST CUBES 11
gave a lower prediction for the 7-day strengths than the other cements, but for
the 28-day curvethe results corresponded more closely to the remainder although
the results were more erratic.
36. In February 1956 Akroyd and Smith-Gander4 published the results of
their tests in which they established the idea of boiling concrete cubes to produce
an accelerated-cured compression test. If the curves they then published are
compared with the present results it will be seen that the prediction is low by
500 Ib/sq. in. but the results of their tests lie within the scatter of the results of
the Author’s tests.
Modified boiling cycle

37. Thereisless scatter with the modifiedboilingmethod than with the
other two methods, although theresults for cement No. 3 also gave a lower pre-
diction for the 7-day strength than the remainder. But again, for the 28-day
0.1 0.5 0.7 09 1.1 1.1 1.5

WATER/CEMENT RATIO (BY WEIGHT). SCALE A
t I I I I I I
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4.000 5.000 6.000
7-DAY STRENGTHS;LB/SQ IN. SCALE 0
FIG. 6.-cORRELATlON OF 28- AND 7-DAY STKENGl H S

Scales A show the relation between28- or 7-day strength and waterlcement
ratio. Scales B correlate the 28- and 7-day strengths.
12 AKROYD ON THE
ACCELERATED CURING OF CONCRETE
TEST CUBES
curve the results corresponded more closely to the remainder but werestill
erratic.
38. The curves drawn on Figs 2 and 3 are those derived from Fig. 6, that is
the relation of 7- and 28-dayresults as mentionedabove.Thesecurves fit
sufficiently well to be considered as depicting the trend of results.
Oven curing method

39. The results of this method show less overallscatter of the 28-day results
than at the 7-day results; with increase in strength the scatter i s greater. The
cement No. 3 results fit no better with this method than with the other two
methods. Figs 4 and 5 show the results, the latter figure showingthe accelerated
strength as a percentage of the 28-day results plotted against the accelerated
strength. A straight line has been drawn through these results and the curve
FIG.7.-MODIFIED BOILINGRESULTS
AKROYD ON THE ACCELERATED CURING OF CONCRETE
TEST
CUBES 13
of this line transferred to Fig. 4. On this figure the curves for this method of
curing proposed by Ordman and Bondres and by King3 have been drawn.
40. The plotting of these curves draws attention to the difference between
the Author’s results and other published curves.
41. Comparing the Author’s curve first withthat due to Ordman and Bondre
itwillbeseen from Fig. 4 that the Author’scurveis of differentshape. If
this is attributed to the Author’s assumption that the curve of fit is a hyperbola
derived from the straight line in Fig. 5, then the simple answer isthat the curve
fits-certainlyOrdmanand Bondre’scurve does not.It wouldseem that
there was some fundamental difference in the oven curing method used by the
Author from that used by Ordman and Bondre and yet the curing procedure
was the same, although the ovenwasmade by adifferentmanufacturer.
Ordman and Bondre’s published resultswere based on 4-in. cubes, whereas the
results shown in Fig. 4 are for 6-in. cubes, but this is not the source of the
difference, because the cube size has little effect so long as the accelerated-cured
cubes are the same size as the normally cured cubes.
42. Ordmanand Bondre8havepublishedtwocurves,oneestablished at
ACCELERATED STRENGTH. LB/SQ. IN.

FIG. TESTS ON AGGREGATES: BOILTNO METHOD
14 AKROYL) ON THE ACCELERATED CURlNG OF CONCRETE TEST CUBES
Queen Mary College, which is identical with King's2 first and curve,
one for work
carried out at the Port of LondonAuthority. The first curve was for specimens
cured at 200"F,the second for specimens curedat 185°F; the difference between
the curves is not more than 100 lb/sq. in. On this basis a nominal oven tempera-
ture difference such as this could not account for the difference between the
Author's results and those of Ordman and Bondre.
43. King has published two curves, the difference between them being due,
accordingto King, to the inaccuracies inthe normal curingof the first specimens
tested. Accepting, therefore, his second curve and the fact that the difference
between hisand Ordman andBondre's is dueto a dserence in oven temperature
of 15"F, then it is even more surprising that the Author's results correspond
more closely to those of King, because the results now published are for tests
carried out at the same nominal temperatureas those of Ordman and Bondre.
The difference between the Author's results and these other results can thus
be due only to a difference in the actual curing regime.
44. The conclusion to be drawn is that with the oventechniquedifferent
Q
ACCELERATED STRENGTH: LB/SQ. IN.
FIG, ~,-TISSTS
ON AGGREGATES; MODIFIED BOILING METHOIZ
results can be expected from those previously published, depending upon the
type of oven used. This is not surprising when it is realized that the variation
of temperature across a laboratory oven can be of the order of 40"C9. L a b e l o
has indicated that even larger temperature gradients may be experienced. As
an originator of the boiling technique for the accelerated-curing testthe Author
feelshewill be excused ifhe here points out that boiling water, at normal
atmospheric pressure, keeps a fairlyconstant temperature. That wide tempera-
ture differentials can occur across even a first-class laboratory oven when used
under the conditions of this test are shown by the results of the measurements
made in the B.T.L. oven used. These results are discussed more fully below.
VARIATIONSDUE TO AGGREGATES
45. The results of carrying out tests on concrete made with eleven samples
of aggregates are shown in Figs 8-1 1. An examination of the results showsthat
they follow the same pattern for the respective methods of test as do the results
for the tests on the different cements, but the scatter of results is greater; aggre-
gate has a greater effect than cement. This is to be expected, perhaps, when
ACCELERATED STRENGTH: LB/SQ. IN.
FIG. TESTS ON AGGREGATES : MODIFIED BOILING METHOD
aggregates as different as sandstone andgranite or Aglite (a lightweight expanded

shale) and magnetite(aheavy iron ore aggregate) are tested. Scatter of the
test results occurs with the oven method of curing as well as the boiling water
method but the variation in results with the oven method is slightly less than
for the other methods. The general shape of the curves obtained from the
tests on the different cements is the same as that due to the aggregates, but the
degree of fit isnot as good becauseof the wider scatter. For maximum accuracy
it is necessary to produce a separate curve for each aggregate.
The 7-hour boiling cycle

46. The original curve by Akroyd and Smith-Gander is shown superimposed
on the results obtained for different aggregates, and as has already been said
this curve was low by a prediction of about 500 lb/sq. in. for any accelerated
strength. The results all lumped together follow the same curve but a detailed
examination of results from anyoneaggregate, as for example for Mersey
gravel, indicates that they may follow a different curve,but thenumber of tests
FIG. 11.-TESTS ON AGGREGATES : OVEN CURING METHOD
carried outon anyaggregateis not sufficient to establishthis point with
certainty.
47. During the tests on cement the results for one cement did not fit the
general curve; similarly when the curing tests were carried out on Salisbury
gravel the results were very different from the remainder. This material is very
flaky and this may have had some effect but there is not enough evidence to
support any hypothesis.
The modified boiling cycle
48. Using as a criterion the relation of 7- and 28-day strengths from the
graph shown in Fig. 6, it will be seen from Fig. 9 that the results follow the
same curve but that there is a wider scatter of results, which increases with
increasing strength.
2
49. Again, as with the 7-hour boiling cycle, examination of the individual
results shows various deviationsfrom the general curve,that is, different aggregates
mayfollowdifferentcurves, but moreresults for eachaggregatewould be
required to establish this. The results, however, are sufficiently close to be of
value in practice. If it is noted that the results follow normal expectations in
givinghigherstrengths for crushed-rock aggregates than would be obtained
with gravel aggregates, then the C. & C. A. curve can be used for predicting
7-and 28-day strengths from the accelerated-cured strength.
The oven curing method
50. The results for this method show lessscatter than fromthe other methods
for all aggregates other than Salisbury gravel, and indeed, up to 4,0001b/sq. in.
at 28 days the results lie very close together, but above this figure there is an
increase in scatter.
2,000
E
1,000
00
FIG.
I.000
1 3.-TESTS
2.000 3,
ACCELERATED STRENGTH: L W S Q . IN.
ON CUBE SIZES : OVEN CURING METHOD
51. It seems a reasonable conclusion from the results that the oven method
cannot be advocated as one in which change in aggregate has no effect on the
test results. On the other hand, considering the wide range of materials tested
the results for normal strengths below 4,500 lb/sq. in. give a small scatter.
52. Comparison with the curves due to Ordman and Bondre and to King
show that while the Ordman and Bondre curve does not fit the results at all,
Professor King's 28-day curve predicts the results below 3,500 lb/sq. in. but
above this gives a too low prediction.
VARIATIONS IN ACCELERATED STRENGTH OWING TO CUBE SIZE

53. The major portion of the investigation into the accelerated-curing test
was carried out on 6-in. cubes, but it appears from the tests carried out on
different cube sizes that it could have been carried out on 4-in. cubes without
fear of introducing a large error. The results of the tests on 2-78-, 4,and 6-in.
cubes are given in Figs 12 and 13, and these show that there is little difference
between the relation of the accelerated-cured and the normal strengths for
4- or 6-in. cubes. There is a tendency, however, for the smaller-size cube to
give a high prediction value. It must be stressed that cube sizes are not inter-
changeable; the result of carrying out an accelerated teston a 4-in. cube permits
the prediction of the normal strength of a 4-in. cubeand not thatof a 6-in. cube.
Modified boiling method
54. As with all the other tests the results(seeFig.12) for the modified
boiling method show increasing scatter with increase in cube strength. Even
so it is clear that for strengths up to 5,000 Ib/sq. in. at 28 days the size of cube
has no effect on the correlation between acceleratedstrength and normal cured
strength. Above this figure there is a tendency for the small-size cubes to give
a higher predictedstrength than the 6-in. cubes.
Oven curing method
55. For this method of curing there is a slight increase in the overall scatter
of the results compared withthe modified boiling method,and scatter at 28 days
is a little less than at 7 days.
56. If the results obtained fromthe tests on cement are compared with these
results,however, it will be seen that an entirelydifferentcurveisobtained
for this series of tests than for the cementtests.Thisis not caused by the
variation in the temperature at which the normally cured specimenswere cured,
for first, the variation of & 1"C on normal curing temperature is too small to
account for the anomalousresults,secondly,a graph of the 7- and 28-day
results showedthat they followedthe normal pattern for all the tests, and thirdly,
there is no corresponding variation in the modified boiling results. It must be
concluded, therefore, that the variation is due to the oven or the oven method
intrinsically. The ovenmighthavegonewrong in its operation but this is
doubtful, and in any case these tests were carriedout after the tests on cement
and before the tests on aggregate,and noanomalous variations occurred between
thesesets of results. The conclusionis,therefore, that the ovenmethodis
subject to variations because different operators use different ovens.
TESTS ON THE CURING OVEN

57. When it wasrealized that variations in results werebeingobtained
20 AKROYD ON T H E ACCELERATED CURING OF CONCRETE TEST CUBES
which appeared to be beyond control the Author contacted the oven manu-
facturers. As a result they undertook to take temperature measurements. It
so happened that the measurementscarried out by the manufacturerswere
delayed until after the accelerated-curingtests had beencompleted.When
theyweremade,however, temperatures weremeasuredevery 15 min during
the whole of the curing period at twelve points within the oven by means of
thermocouples. Thetemperatures weremeasuredwith the oven containing
for the first set, four 6-in. cubes, for the second two 6-in. cubes, and for the
third two 6-in., two 4-in.,and two 2.78-in. cubes. For the same points in the
oven wide variations in temperature occurred depending on the number and
size of the cubes in the oven. During any one testthere were also large tempera-
ture differentials across the oven, for example those shown in Fig. 14.
thermometer in top of oven
TIME HOURS
FIG.14.-oVEN TEMPERATURES: B.T.L. W I D E RANGEOVEN WITH

FOUR 6-IN. CUBES IN OVEN
58. Two facts are immediately obvious from the results. First, the number
of cubes placed in the oven, as well as the nominal oven temperature, controls
the maturity of the cubes, and secondly, steady conditions within the oven are
never reached during the whole of the test. With only two 6-in. cubes in the
oven, there is a temperature differential after 1 hour of 12°C and a difference
between the minimum actual temperature and the nominal oven temperature
of 24OC, while with four 6-in. cubes the temperature differential after 1 hour is
29"C, and the differencebetween the minimum actual temperature and the
nominal oven temperature is 3 1"C.
59. With these results in mind, on re-examination of the results of the oven
curing methodit becomes clearwhy different resultsfor this methodare obtained
by different operators, and why the results from one oven may vary; the results
are influenced by the temperature variations acrossthe oven, and these tempera-
ture variations are controlled by the number and size of the cubes in the oven.
The resultsfor the three series of testsare consistent within themselves, but those
for the variationsofcements and of aggregatesdiffer from those for the
variations due to cube size simply because different numbers and sizes of cubes
were oven cured,
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

60. Tests have been carried out on the accelerated curing of concrete test
cubes by heating the cubes in boiling water and by curing in a laboratory oven
of performance better than that required by B.S.2648.
61. The variations in the test results caused by different brands of ordinary
Portland cements, by different aggregates, and by different sizes of cube, have
been investigated. The different methods of carrying out the tests have been
compared and suggestions advanced as to the reason why results from the oven
curing methodmayvary.Theresults of the varioustests and comparisons
may be summarized, as follows.
62. The compression test results for cubes cured normally for a period of
7 or 28 days may be predictedby accelerating the curing of the cubes and testing
them 29 hours after casting.
63. There are two methodsof acceIerated curing which have been advocated-
curingin a laboratory oven and curinginboilingwater. It ispossible, by
curing for a period of 6 hours, to test cubes 7+ hours after casting. For this
method, correlation graphs have to be prepared relating the accelerated-cured
strength to that of the 7- or 28-day strength. Where cubes are cured for 73
hours, there is little to choose between the oven or the boiling water method
as regards the accuracyof the results. If the cubes are cured normally for
24 hours andthen boiled for 34 hours, there is no need to prepare a correlation
graph. Theaccelerated-curedresultsbear the same relation to the7-day
strength as does the 7-day to the 28-day strength, therefore, existing graphs
and curves may be used. In this connexion the C . & C . A. curve or actual 7-
and 28-day strengths may be used.
64. The relation ofaccelerated-curedstrengths to normal strengths is
affected by changes in cement and in aggregate. Six brands of cement have
been tested and the results are sufficiently accurate for most purposes for the
change in cement to be ignored. The greatest effect of cement is on the pre-
diction ofthe 7-day results, whichprobably arises from the variation of strength
growth of different cements.
65. Aggregates have agreater effect than cements on the accelerated-strength
relation, as might be expected since aggregates have a marked effect on the
normal strength. Where the strength at 28 days does not much exceed 4,000
Ib/sq.in. the normal/accelerated strength relation maybe used; errors in
prediction increase abovethis figure.
66. The size of the cube tested has little effect upon the accelerated-cured
strength relation, so long as the same size of cubes is used throughout. The
normal cured strength of a 4-in. cube at 28 days can be predicted from a 4-in.
accelerated-cured cube,but the accelerated-cured strength of a 4-in. cubecannot
be used to predict the 28-day strength of a 6-in. cube. At high strengths, of
the order of 8,000 lb/sq. in., the smaller the size of cube the greater the tendency
for the predicted strength to be low.
67. A comparison of the results from the boiling method with those from
the oven indicates that theresults for oven curingare affected bythe number and
size of cubes curedin the oven.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
68. Thetestsdescribedwere carried out in the concretelaboratory of
Constructional Services Limited. The Author wishes to thank Mr R. G. Smith-
Gander for his help in carrying out the work and gratefully to acknowledge
the permission of the directors to publish the results.
REFERENCES
1 . R. W. Nurse,“Steamcuring of concrete”.Mag.Concr.Res.,vol. 1, No. 2
(1949), p. 79.
2. J. H. W. King, “Concrete quality control”. Chart. civ. Engr, Nov. 1955, p. 46.
3. J. H. W. King, “Further notes on the accelerated test for concrete”. Chart. civ.
Engr, May 1957, p. 15.
4. T. N. W. Akroyd and R. G . Smith-Gander, “Accelerated curing of concrete test
cubes”. Engineering, Lond., vol. 81 (1956), p. 153.
5. H. C. Emtroy, “The variation of works test cubes”. Cement Concr. Ass., Tech.
Rep. TRA1287, Jan. 1958.
6. A. M. Neville, “The influence of size of concrete test cubes on mean strength and
standard deviation’. Discussion, Mag. Concr. Res., vol. 9, No. 25 (1957), p. 52.
7. A. G. A. Saul, “Principles underlying the steam curing of concrete at atmospheric
pressure”. Mag. Concr. Res., vol. 2, No. 6 (1951), p. 127.
8. N.N. B. Ordmanand N. G. Bondre,“Acceleratedcuringtestsonconcrete”.
Engineering, Lond., vol.185 (1958), p. 243.
9. T. N. W. Akroyd,“Laboratorytestingin soil engineering”.Geotechnical
Monograph No. 1, Soil Mechanics Ltd, Lond., 1957.
10. T. W. Lambe, “Soil testing for engineers”. John Wiley, New York, 1951.
The Paper, which was received on 15 December, 1959, is accompanied by

fourteen sheets of diagrams, from which the Figures in the text havebeen
prepared.
Written discussion on this Paper should be forwarded to reach the Institution

before 15 July, 1961, and will be published in or after November, 1961.
Contributions should not exceed 1,200 words.-SEC.

The Accelerated Curing of Concrete Test Cubes

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Accelerated Curing of Concrete Test Cubes

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Paper No.

THE ACCELERATEDCURING OF CONCRETE TEST CUBES

1 The references are printed on p. 22.

TESTSON DIFFERENT CEMENTS

TESTS ON DIFFERENT AGGREGATES

TESTSON CONCRETE CUBES OF DIFFERENTSIZES

ACCELERATED STRENGTH: LB/SQ. I N .

completeness. In the followingdescriptions the method of casting cubes is

FIG. 3.-TESTS ON CEMENT:MODIFlED BOlLlNG METHOD

ACCELERATED STRENGTH: LBISQ. IN.

F I G . 4,-TESTS ON CEMENT: OVEN CImING MElNOD

ACCELERATED STRENGTH: LBfSQ. IN.

32. This analysismaybeapplied to the originalboilingmethod and the

Modified boiling cycle

0.1 0.5 0.7 09 1.1 1.1 1.5

FIG. 6.-cORRELATlON OF 28- AND 7-DAY STKENGl H S

Oven curing method

ACCELERATED STRENGTH. LB/SQ. IN.

ACCELERATED STRENGTH: LB/SQ. IN.

FIG. TESTS ON AGGREGATES : MODIFIED BOILING METHOD

aggregates as different as sandstone andgranite or Aglite (a lightweight expanded

The 7-hour boiling cycle

FIG. 11.-TESTS ON AGGREGATES : OVEN CURING METHOD

VARIATIONS IN ACCELERATED STRENGTH OWING TO CUBE SIZE

TESTS ON THE CURING OVEN

thermometer in top of oven

FIG.14.-oVEN TEMPERATURES: B.T.L. W I D E RANGEOVEN WITH

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The Paper, which was received on 15 December, 1959, is accompanied by

Written discussion on this Paper should be forwarded to reach the Institution

You might also like