Effect of curing conditions on hydration of ultra-high performance concrete

Abstract

The present study investigated the influence of curing conditions on hydration and microstructural evolution of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). After 1 day of casting, UHPC fabricated with same mix proportion cured for 3 days by three different curing conditions of air curing, water curing, and water curing with a high temperature for comparison. Comparisons according to the curing condition indicated that water curing with a high temperature in early age promoted the hydration and pozzolanic activity and resulted in an increase in the amount of calcium silicate hydrate. As the amount of formation of calcium silicate hydrate in cement matrix increased, the pore size and porosity in cement matrix also decreased. Similarly, as a result of the thermodynamic modelling using the GEMS program, it was predicted that the amount of formation of calcium silicate hydrate in UHPC water-cured with a high temperature was increased.