ACI Journal Manuscript Submission

EFFECT OF INITIAL ON-SITE CURING ON CONCRETE

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SPECIMEN STRENGTH
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Journal: ACI Structural and Materials Journals

Manuscript ID: M-2010-149

Journal Name: ACI Materials Journal

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Date Submitted by the

12-May-2010
Author:
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Complete List of Authors: Calavera, José; INTEMAC, Honorary President

Fernandez-Gomez, Jaime; Politecnical University, Civil Engineer;
INTEMAC, Central Laboratory
Gonzalez, German; INTEMAC, Materials Testing Department
Ley, Jorge; INTEMAC, Structural Testing Department
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Lopez, Pedro; INTEMAC, Materials Testing Department

Keywords: concrete speciments, initial curing, compressive strength

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Page 1 of 15 ACI Journal Manuscript Submission

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2 1 EFFECT OF INITIAL ON-SITE CURING ON CONCRETE
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2 SPECIMEN STRENGTH
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7 3 José Calavera, Jaime Fernández-Gómez, Germán González, Jorge Ley and Pedro López
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12 5 Biography: FACI member José Calavera is Professor Emeritus at the Faculty of Civil
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14 6 Engineering, Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain, and Honorary President of the Instituto
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16 7 Técnico de Materiales y Construcciones (INTEMAC). He is an ASCE fellow and a member
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19 8 of FIB, where he has conducted any number of research studies.
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21 9 ACI member Jaime Fernández-Gómez is a Full Professor with the Building and Precasting
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23 10 Department at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain, and
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26 11 heads the Instituto Técnico de Materiales y Construcciones (INTEMAC) Laboratory. He is
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28 12 also a member of the FIB Prefabrication Committee and of the Administrative Council of the
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13 Spanish Branch of FIB.
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33 14 Germán González heads the Materials Testing Department in the Instituto Técnico de
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35 15 Materiales y Construcciones (INTEMAC) Laboratory. His research interests include concrete
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38 16 properties.
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40 17 Jorge Ley is Associate Professor with the Building and Precasting Department at the Faculty
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42 18 of Civil Engineering, Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain, and heads the Structural
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45 19 Testing Department in the Instituto Técnico de Materiales y Construcciones (INTEMAC)
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47 20 Laboratory. He is actively involved in research on bridge rehabilitation and strengthening.
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21 Pedro López heads the Material Chemical Analysis Department in the Instituto Técnico de
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52 22 Materiales y Construcciones (INTEMAC) Laboratory. He has conducted intensive research
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54 23 on cement the properties of and cementitious materials.
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2 24 ABSTRACT
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25 The initial curing of concrete quality control specimens is addressed in different ways in
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7 26 testing standards, which often lay down requirements difficult to meet in practice unless very
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9 27 costly initial curing chambers are available.
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12 28 The failure to meet these requirements in many areas of the world has had no adverse
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14 29 consequences. The present study analyzed six initial thermal curing schemes, all with cycles
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16 30 similar to natural conditions to avoid the simplifications inherent in constant temperature.
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19 31 Three strengths of concrete and two initial curing times were used in the analysis.
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21 32 The findings showed that initial curing time had a nil effect on 28-day strength and that the
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23 33 three types of concrete tested behaved similarly. Specimen strength also proved to be resilient
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26 34 to variations in the maximum and minimum initial curing temperatures.
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28 35 Keywords: concrete specimens; initial curing; compressive strength.
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36 INTRODUCTION
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33 37 The initial on-site curing of quality control concrete has always been a controversial issue in
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35 38 concrete supplier - builder - control laboratory relations. The standards in place establish
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38 39 conditions that are difficult to meet in practice in many parts of the world, and the limitation
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40 40 of specimen on-site storage time to 24 or 48 hours generates logistical problems difficult to
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42 41 solve on weekends.
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45 42 Ensuring a minimum temperature of 60º F / 68º F (16/20º C) is fairly simple and inexpensive,
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47 43 for all it takes is an electric heater fitted with a thermostat. But in countries or areas where
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44 summertime temperatures are very high, the problem of not exceeding 80º F (27º C) is
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52 45 complex and costly. In fact, in most countries of the vast majority of worksites fail to comply
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54 46 with on-site specimen curing conditions. And yet this appears to have no significant effect on
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47 28-day strength.
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59 48 Three standards that regulate the conditions for making and curing concrete on site are
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49 discussed below.

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2 50 Standard ASTM C 31/C 31M – 09 (1), item 10, provides that specimens are to remain in
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51 molds on site for no more than 48 hours, at a temperature of from 60º to 80º F (16º C – 27º C)
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7 52 for concretes with a strength of under 6000 psi (40 MPa) and from 68º to 78º F (20º C – 26º
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9 53 C) for higher strength concretes.
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12 54 European standard EN 12390-2:2009. Testing hardened concrete. Part 2: Making and curing
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14 55 specimens for strength tests (2) stipulates, in item 5.5.1, that specimens must be kept in their
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16 56 molds for at least 16 hours but no more than three days, protected from impact, vibrations and
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19 57 dehydration, at a temperature of from 20 ±5º C (68º F ± 9º F), or 25 ± 5º C (77º F ± 9º F) in
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21 58 warm climates.
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24 59 The present Spanish Structural Concrete Code, EHE-08 (3), is more restrictive. Table 1
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26 60 summarizes the requirements in this regard.
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28 61 Since fresh concrete specimens should not be transported, for the resulting “revibration”
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31 62 might enhance strength, most standards provide that they should remain on site for 24 hours.
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33 63 This is particularly onerous in linear works such as roads and railways, which tend to involve
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35 64 works requiring structural concrete every 0.5 miles (0.8 km). This calls for a fair number of
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38 65 on-site curing chambers.
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40 66 Such strict conditions render quality control difficult. The Spanish (3) and ASTM (1) codes
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67 require different conditions depending on concrete strength. The Spanish code mandates a
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45 68 maximum of 24 hours on site if concrete strength is greater than or equal to 35 MPa (5000
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47 69 psi), while the ASTM calls for a narrower temperature range (20º C – 26º C; 68º - 79º F) for
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50 70 40-MPa (5000-psi) or greater concretes and consequently the use of climatic chambers with a
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52 71 fairly high degree of precision. The latter standard limits the on-site storage time to 48 hours
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54 72 for all specimens, with the concomitant collection problems mentioned above. The European
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57 73 standard draws no distinction between different concrete strengths and allows for longer on-
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59 74 site periods, thereby solving these two major difficulties.
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2 76 RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE
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77 Prior research (4), (7) and (8) has shown the scant impact of on-site storage time, within the
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7 78 24- to 72-hour range, on the strength of the concretes studied. The initial curing temperature
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9 79 was constant throughout the storage period in these studies. For values of up to 30º C (86º F),
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12 80 the decline in strength did not exceed 7 % in any of the specimens, whereas much more
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14 81 unfavorable and clearly inadmissible results were obtained for initial temperatures of 40º C
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16 82 (104º F). Low temperatures proved to have a lesser effect than expected. The findings showed
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19 83 that the lower initial curing temperature limits established in the standards (adopting the mean
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21 84 of the three, 15º C (59º F)) can be reduced without consequences.

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23 85 All these experiments were conducted under conditions that prevented specimen drying,
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26 86 pursuant to Note 6 in standard ASTM C 31/ C 31M-09.
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28 87 One area that has not been studied systematically to date is initial on-site curing in
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88 temperature cycle conditions representative of the real conditions prevailing in a given
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33 89 climate. The tendency has been to equate the maximum daily temperature to the constant
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35 90 temperature in research studying summer conditions and analogously the minimum daily
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38 91 temperature for researching winter conditions. This would appear to be overly unfavorable.
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40 92 This study analyzed the effect of the above two factors, which impose very restrictive quality
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42 93 control requirements – on-site storage time and decline in strength – using real thermal cycles
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45 94 representative of a continental climate. The research conducted is described below.
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47 95 TEST VARIABLES
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96 Concrete strength
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52 97 The three concrete strengths used were C-3600 psi (C-25 MPa), C-7200 psi (C-50 MPa) and
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54 98 C-11600 psi (C-80 MPa). The constituents and proportions are given in Table 2.
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99 The concretes were prepared at INTEMAC’s Central Laboratory in Madrid in accordance
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59 100 with the applicable specifications laid down in standard ASTM C 192/C 192 M-07 “Practice
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101 for making and curing concrete test specimens in the laboratory” (5).

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2 102 Initial curing conditions
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103 Immediately after the concretes were prepared as described below, the molded specimens
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7 104 were covered with moist burlap and placed in a closed and sealed plastic bag, further to the
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9 105 procedure developed and normally implemented at INTEMAC. They were then placed in the
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12 106 laboratory’s DYCOMETAL chamber (serial number 2635/08), designed to deliver the
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14 107 conditions set out in the test, namely temperatures ranging from -5º to +40º C and a maximum
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16 108 deviation of ±0.5º C. The conservation procedure and climatic chamber are illustrated in
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19 109 Figures 1, 2 and 3.
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21 110 Storage in the climatic chamber

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24 111 Storage times of 24 and 72 hours were used, as times specified in Spanish Code EHE-08,
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26 112 Table 1. These are also the overall upper and lower limits to site storage laid down in the
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28 113 standards discussed here.
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31 114 Initial thermal curing cycles
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33 115 In most experimental work conducted in this area the initial curing temperature is kept
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35 116 constant throughout the curing period. These are not represent the conditions to which
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38 117 specimens are actually exposed during initial on-site curing, however, in which the daily
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40 118 thermal cycle varies considerably. Laboratory curing at a constant mean temperature may,
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119 therefore, alter the results.
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45 120 Consequently, one control and five experimental thermal cycles were defined, with
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47 121 temperatures ranging between the values shown below.
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50 122 Cycle 1: + 22º C to + 40º C (72º F to 104º F)
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52 123 Cycle 2: + 18º C to + 35º C (64º F to 95º F)
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54 124 Cycle 3: + 15º C to + 30º C (59º F to 86º F)
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57 125 Cycle 4: + 9º C to + 20º C (48º F to 68º F)
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59 126 Cycle 5: ± 0º C to + 10º C (32º F to 50º F)
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127 Cycle 6: - 5º C to + 3º C (23º F to 37º F)

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2 128 These values were deduced from a 20-year statistical study of three-hourly extreme dry bulb
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129 temperatures in the city of Madrid, Spain. Conducted by the Asociación Técnica Española en
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7 130 Climatización y Refrigeración (ATECYR, the Spanish technical association for HVAC) (6), it
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9 131 gives the 20-year mean high and low temperatures and standard deviations for each three-hour
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12 132 interval throughout the year.
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14 133 Cycles 1 and 6 constitute the 10% quantile for the two warmest and coldest months,
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16 134 respectively, and cycles 2, 5 and 4 the mean likely values in the warmest, coldest and most
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19 135 temperate months. Finally, the temperature range defined in cycle 3, i.e., +15º C to +30º C
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21 136 (59º F to 86º F), taken from European standard EN 12390-2:2009, was used as a reference.
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23 137 The six cycles are represented in Figure 4.
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26 138 Madrid has a continental climate, with cold (although not extremely cold) winters, very warm
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28 139 summers and low relative humidity. These are perhaps the harshest conditions to which
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140 concrete specimens may be exposed during initial curing.
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33 141 The specimens stored for 72 hours were exposed to three consecutive cycles, each identical to
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35 142 the 24-hour cycles and sequences specified above. The scheme used is shown in Figure 5.
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38 143 TESTS CONDUCTED
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40 144 A 0.15-m3 (0.20 yd3) batch of concrete was prepared for each concrete type, temperature
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42 145 cycle and storage time in a 0.35-m3 (0.20-yd3) counter-current, vertical shaft planetary mixer.
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45 146 Six cylindrical specimens measuring 6 x 12 in (15 x 30 cm) were molded for 28-day
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47 147 compression testing, as follows:
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148 - Two specimens for initial curing in the climatic chamber for 24 hours
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52 149 - Two specimens for initial curing in the climatic chamber for 72 hours
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54 150 - Two reference specimens for initial curing in a standard chamber (20º C ± 2 ºC)
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151 (60º F ± 4º F)
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2 152 EXPERIMENTAL
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153 Results
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7 154 The 28-day strength results given in Table 3 are the values found for the two specimens made
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9 155 for each combination of variables and the mean value. The effect of initial curing was
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12 156 analyzed by dividing the strength values for the specimens cured for 24 and 72 hours by the
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14 157 strength found for the respective specimens cured in a standard chamber, as well as the mean
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16 158 of the two quotients.
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19 159 The findings for each type of concrete tested are shown in the bar graphs in Figures 6, 7 and
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21 160 8, while Figure 9 shows the mean values, in percent, for all the concretes combined.
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23 161 No significant difference was observed between the two on-site storage times for initial
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26 162 curing. The maximum differences detected, for concrete C-25 MPa, were no greater than
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28 163 3.1%. Requiring shorter on-site storage for higher strength concrete would not appear to be
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164 justified.
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33 165 The curing cycle also appeared to have a greater impact on 28-day strength in C-25 MPa
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35 166 concrete. The decline in mean strength observed in concretes C-50 MPa and C-80 MPa in the
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38 167 four thermal cycles whose overall extreme temperatures were +35º C and ±0º C did not
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40 168 exceed 5.9%, whereas the decline recorded for concrete C-25 was 10.9%. Therefore, the more
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169 demanding initial curing temperature conditions imposed by standard ASTM C 31/C 31M –
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45 170 09 for higher strength concrete would not appear to be justified either.
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47 171 The difference between the mean values for all the concretes and the control was no greater
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50 172 than 7% except in the two extreme cycles (+40º C to +22º C and +3º C to -5º C)
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52 173 Thermal cycles involving maximum temperatures of over 30º C may be acceptable, for even
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54 174 at 35º C the values obtained were reasonably close to the control values.. The scant impact of
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57 175 temperature was even more striking for the minimum values. The specimens exposed to the
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59 176 +20º C to +9º C cycle, whose lower limit was non-compliant with all the standards cited,
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177 exhibited strength values that were not perceptibly different from the control.

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2 178 CONCLUSIONS
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179 This study explored the effect of initial curing variables on concrete specimens made at the
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7 180 worksite.
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9 181 Pursuant to the findings described and analyzed above, the following conclusions can be
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12 182 drawn:
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14 183 - In specimens made with 25- to 80-MPa (3600- to 11600-psi) concrete, no significant
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16 184 difference was detected between 24- and 72-hour curing, even under the least favorable
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19 185 conditions. This would lend support to the provisions of European standard EN 12390-
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21 186 2:2009, which specify a maximum 72-hour initial curing period in all cases. The
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187 provisions of standards calling for shorter maximum on-site storage are not justified and
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26 188 are a source of logistical problems with respect to the collection of samples made on
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28 189 Friday or the day before a holiday.
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31 190 - No differences were found between the results obtained for the three categories of
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33 191 concrete tested that would justify the provisions in ASTM C 31/C 31M – 09 and EHE-08
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35 192 that vary the initial curing conditions on the grounds of strength. The present findings also
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38 193 corroborated the EN 12390-2:2009 approach, in which no strength-based distinctions are
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40 194 drawn.
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195 - The range of temperatures specified in the standards are overly narrow and the non-
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45 196 admissibility of values outside that range, overly strict. Even the temperature range
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47 197 prescribed in EN 12390-2:2009, namely 15º C – 30º C (59º F – 86º F) can be exceeded
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198 slightly on the upper end and moderately on the lower with no perceptible effect on the
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52 199 test results.
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54 200 REFERENCES
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57 201 1. ASTM C 31/C 31M – 09 “Standard practice for making and curing concrete test
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59 202 specimens in the field”.
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2 203 2. UNE-EN 12390-2:2009 “Ensayos de hormigón endurecido. Parte 2: Fabricación de
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204 probetas para ensayos de resistencia”.
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7 205 3. Instrucción de Hormigón Estructural EHE-08. Ministerio de Fomento. 2008
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9 206 4. Calavera, J.; Fernández Gómez, J.; González Isabel, G.; Ley, J. “Estudio experimental
10
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12 207 sobre la influencia de distintos procedimientos de curado inicial en obra, en la
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14 208 resistencia a compresión de probetas de hormigón”. Notas de Información Técnica NIT
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16 209 1-05. INTEMAC. November 2005.
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19 210 5. ASTM C 192/C 192M – 07 “Standard practice for making and curing concrete test
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21 211 specimens in the laboratory”.

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23 212 6. Comité Científico de ATECYR “Datos climáticos de Madrid”. ATECYR-CENTRO.
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26 213 Madrid 1996.
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28 214 7. FERNÁNDEZ, J. “Estudio experimental de la influencia de las condiciones de curado
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215 inicial en la resistencia de probetas moldeadas de hormigón”. Hormigón y Acero, nº
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33 216 164, 3er trimestre 1987, pp. 129-145.
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35 217 8. MEININGER, R. “Effects of initial field curing on standard 28 day cylinder strength”.
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38 218 Cement, Concrete and Aggregates (CCA). Volume 5, No. 2, January 1983, pp. 137-
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40 219 141.
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42 220
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45 221 TABLES AND FIGURES
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47 222 List of Tables:
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223 Table 1 Initial curing conditions laid down in Spanish standard EHE-08
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52 224 Table 2 Concrete proportioning for this study
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54 225 Table 3 Findings
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59 227 List of Figures:
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228 Figure 1 Protecting specimens against moisture loss

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2 229 Figure 2 Protecting specimens against moisture loss
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230 Figure 3 Climatic chamber used
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7 231 Figure 4 Thermal cycles applied during 24-hour initial curing
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9 232 Figure 5 Thermal cycles applied during 72-hour initial curing
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12 233 Figure 6 Test findings. Strength relative to control. Concrete C-25
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14 234 Figure 7 Test findings. Strength relative to control. Concrete C-50
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16 235 Figure 8 Test findings. Strength relative to control. Concrete C-80
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19 236 Figure 9 Strength relative to control, mean for three concretes combined
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21 237
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26 239 Table 1 Initial curing conditions laid down in Spanish standard EHE-08
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29 Temperature range fck (MPa) Maximum on-site storage time

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15 - 30 ºC < 35 (5000 psi) 72 hours
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33 (59º - 86º F) ≥ 35 (5000 psi) 24 hours
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35 15 - 35 ºC
Any 24 hours
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241 Table 2 Concrete proportioning for this study
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42 Proportion used (kg/m3)
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Constituent material C-3600 psi C-7200 psi C-11600 psi

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45 C-25 MPa C-50 MPa C-80 MPa
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Siliceous gravel 4/16 1023 981 1045
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48 River sand 0/4 934 895 800

49 CEM II/A-M 42.5 R, Portland Valderrivas 270 360 -
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51 CEM II/A-M 52.5 R, Portland Valderrivas - - 400
52 Water 160 152 139
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54 BASF MELCRET PF multi-purpose admixture 2.2 2.8 3.71
55 BASF GLENIUM TC-1311 superplasticizing admixture - 2.80 8.35
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57 BASF MEYCO MS 610 silica fume - - 32
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2 243 Table 3 Findings
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4 STRENGTH IN
EFFECT OF INITIAL
5 STANDARD STRENGTH WITH INITIAL CURING (MPa)
INFLUENCIA
CONCRETE THERMAL CYCLE CHAMBER (MPa)
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7 fm f24 f72 f24 / fm f72 / fm
8 + 40 ºC a + 22ºC 29.4 26.0 25.4
29.4 25.6 25.5 0.87 0.87
(104º F a 72º F) 29.4 25.2 25.5
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10 + 35 ºC a + 18ºC 27.3 23.9 24.2
27.1 23.8 24.5 0.88 0.90
(95º F a 64º F) 26.9 23.8 24.8
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12 + 30 ºC a + 15ºC 26.5 25.8 24.9
26.1 25.1 24.8 0.96 0.95
13 C - 25 (86º F a 59º F) 25.7 24.4 24.8
14 + 20 ºC a + 9ºC 27.6 28.1 26.7
27.3 27.3 27.7 1.00 1.02
15 (68º F a 48º F) 27.0 26.5 28.7
16 + 10 ºC a ± 0ºC 26.1 23.5 24.1
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25.8 23.8 23.0 0.92 0.89
17 (50º F a 32º F) 25.5 24.0 22.0
18 + 3 ºC a - 5ºC 27.7 18.8 18.3
28.2 18.4 18.4 0.65 0.65
19 (37º F a 23º F) 28.8 18.1 18.4
20 + 40 ºC a + 22ºC 58.8 50.3 49.6
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58.8 50.0 49.6 0.85 0.84

21 (104º F a 72º F) 59.1 49.8 49.5
22 + 35 ºC a + 18ºC 55.9 53.8 51.9
56.5 53.7 52.6 0.95 0.93
23 (95º F a 64º F) 57.1 53.6 53.3
24 + 30 ºC a + 15ºC 52.5 49.7 50.1
52.8 49.8 49.2 0.94 0.93
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25 (86º F a 59º F) 53.2 49.9 48.2

C - 50
26 + 20 ºC a + 9ºC 58.4 55.4 55.5
56.4 55.2 56.2 0.98 1.00
27 (68º F a 48º F) 55.2 54.9 57.0
28 + 10 ºC a ± 0ºC 55.4 54.7 53.1
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29 55.0 54.2 53.7 0.98 0.98

(50º F a 32º F) 54.5 53.7 54.3
30 + 3 ºC a - 5ºC 54.1 37.2 36.1
31 54.8 36.5 36.5 0.67 0.67
(37º F a 23º F) 55.5 35.8 36.9
32 + 40 ºC a + 22ºC 89.6 79.2 79.8
33 89.6 79.3 80.1 0.88 0.89
(104º F a 72º F)
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89.6 79.4 80.4

34 + 35 ºC a + 18ºC 85.4 79.1 82.4
35 84.9 80.5 82.1 0.95 0.97
(95º F a 64º F) 84.4 81.9 81.8
36 84.5 87.9 87.8
+ 30 ºC a + 15ºC
84.5 87.6 88.2 1.04 1.04
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37 (86º F a 59º F) 84.5 87.2 88.5

C - 80
38 87.1 86.7
+ 20 ºC a + 9ºC 86.1
39 86.0 86.5 86.4 1.01 1.00
(68º F a 48º F) 86.0 85.9 86.1
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+ 10 ºC a ± 0ºC 88.0 84.9 87.2
41 86.8 85.2 87.2 0.98 1.00
(50º F a 32º F) 85.5 85.4 87.3
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+ 3 ºC a - 5ºC 84.6 47.5 48.5
43 84.1 48.0 47.4 0.57 0.56
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(37º F a 23º F) 83.6 48.6 46.2

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47 245 (1 MPa = 145 psi)
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Figure 1. Protecting specimens Figure 2. Protecting specimens Figure 3. Climatic chamber used
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17
18
19 + 22º C to + 40º C (72º F to 104º F) + 18º C to + 35º C (64º F to 95º F)
20
rP

45 112 40
40,0 (104,0)
39,1(102,4) 100
21 40 36,2 (97,2)

Tem pera ture (ºF)

102 35,0 (95,0)
35
35 32,0 (89,6) 29,2 Tem pera ture (ºF) 34,2 (93,6)
22
Tem pera ture º C

92

Tem pe rature º C
(84,6) 31,5 (88,7) 90
30 30
23 25 29,2(84,6)
26,5 (79,7)
82
27,6 (81,7) 25,0 (77,0) 80
24,0 (75,2) 22,0 (71,6) 72
24 20
62
25 25,0 (77,0)
22,4 (72,3)
ee

15 20,1(68,2)
25 52
20
70
10 18,0 (64,4)
26 5 42 15 60

27 0 32
9:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00 0:00 3:00 6:00 9:00 10 50
28 9:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00 0:00 3:00 6:00 9:00
rR

Tim e of the day

Time of the day
29
30
31
32 + 15º C to 30º C (59º F to 86º F) + 9º C to + 20º C (48º F to 68º F)
33
ev

40 40
102
100
34 35
Te m pera ture (ºF)

35 92
Te m pera ture º C

35

Te m pe ra ture (ºF)
90
Te m pe ra ture º C

30 (86,0) 30
30 82

36 25
26,6 (79,9) 27,3 (81,1) 80
25
20 (68,0) 72
iew

20
37 20,7 (69,3) 21,2 (70,2)
20,7 (69,3)
70
18,0 (64,4)
62
20 15 17,5 (63,5) 13,5 (56,3) 13,2 (55,8)
38 17,5 (63,5)
15 (59,0) 13,2 (55,8)
10,8 (51,4)
9,0 (48,2) 52
15 15 (59,0) 60 10
39 5
9,0 48,2)
42

40 10
9:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00 0:00 3:00 6:00 9:00
50
0 32
41 Time of the day
9:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00 0:00 3:00 6:00 9:00
Time of the day
42
43
On

44
± 0 to + 10º C (32º F to 50º F) – 5º C to + 3º C (23º F to 37º F)
45
46 20
64
20
64
47
Tem perature (ºF)
Te m pera ture (ºF)

15 15
ly

48 54 54
Tem perature º C
Tem pe rature º C

8,9 (48,0) 10,0 (50,0)

10 8,2 (46,8) 10
49 5,9 (42,6)
44 3,0 (37,4)
44
3,1(37,6) 5 2,2 (36,0)
50 5
1,3 (34,3) 2,1(35,8)
1,6 (34,9)
-0,4 (31,3)
2,1(35,8) 0 (32,0) 34
51 0
34 0
9:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00 0:00 3:00 6:00 -3,0 9:00
9:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00 0:00 3:00 6:00 9:00
52 -5 24
-5 -3,0(26,6) -2,8 (27,0) -4,3 (24,3)
(26,6) 24
-5,0 (23,0)
53 -10 14

54 -10
Tim e of the day
14
Time of the day

55
56 248
57
58
59 249 Figure 4. Thermal cycles applied during 24-hour initial curing
60
250

12
Page 13 of 15 ACI Journal Manuscript Submission

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
251
12
13 252 Figure 5. Thermal cycles applied during 72-hour initial curing
14
15 253
16
Fo

17
18 C - 25
120%
19 I.C. 24 hours
20 I.C. 72 hours
rP

21 100%
22
23 80%
24
ee

25
26 60%

27
28 40%
rR

29
30
20%
31
32
33
ev

0%
34
+

35 +
40

35

30

20

10

3º
C
ºC

ºC

ºC

ºC

ºC

36 (3
(1

(9

(8

(6

(5

7º
04

5º

6º

8º

0º

F)
iew

37
F)

F)

F)

F)
ºF

to
)t

t
o

o
o

-5
38
+

±
+

18

15

9º

ºC
0º
22

C
ºC

ºC

39
(2
ºC

(4

(3

3º
(6

(5

8º
(7

2º

F)
4º

9º

40
F)
2º

F)
F)

F)

254
F)

41
42
43 255 Figure 6. Test findings. Strength relative to control. Concrete C-25
On

44
45 256
46
47
ly

48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60

13
 ACI Journal Manuscript Submission Page 14 of 15

1
2
C - 50
3 120%
I.C. 24 hours
4
I.C. 72 hours
5
100%
6
7
8 80%
9
10
60%
11
12
13 40%
14
15 20%
16
Fo

17
18 0%

19
+

+
20
40

35

30

20

10

3º
C
rP
ºC

ºC

ºC

ºC

ºC

(3
21
(1

(9

(8

(6

(5

7º
04

5º

6º

8º

0º

F)
F)

F)

F)

F)
ºF

22

to
)t

t
o

o
o

-5
+

±
23
+

18

15

9º

ºC
0º
22

C
ºC

ºC

(2
ºC

24

(4

(3

3º
(6

(5

8º
(7

2º

F)
4º

9º

F)
ee
2º

F)
25
F)

F)

257
F)

26
27
28 258 Figure 7. Test findings. Strength relative to control. Concrete C-50
rR

29
30 259
31
32
33 C - 80
ev

120%
34 I.C. 24 hours
I.C. 72 hours
35
36 100%
iew

37
38 80%
39
40
41 60%

42
43
On

40%
44
45
46 20%

47
ly

48 0%
49
50
+

+
+
40

35

30

20

10

3º
C
ºC

ºC

ºC

ºC
ºC

51
(3
(1

(9

(8

(5
(6

7º
04

5º

6º

0º
8

F)

52
ºF
F)

F)

F)
ºF

to
)

to

to

to
to
to

53
-5
+

±
+

18

15

9º

ºC
0º
22

54
ºC

ºC

(2
ºC

(4

(3

3º
(6

(5

8
(7

F
4º

9º

ºF

55
ºF

)
2

F)

F)

260
ºF

)
)

56
57
58 261 Figure 8. Test findings. Strength relative to control. Concrete C-80
59
60 262

14
Page 15 of 15 ACI Journal Manuscript Submission

1
2
MEAN C-25 C-50 C-80
3 120%
4 Mean 24-72 hours
5 97,7%
100,2%
100% 95,8%
6 93,0%
86,7%
7
8 80%
9
62,8%
10
60%
11
12
13 40%
14
15 20%
16
Fo

17
18 0%

19
+

+
20
40

35

30

20

10

3º
C
rP
ºC

ºC

ºC

ºC

ºC

(3
21
(1

(9

(8

(6

(5

7º
04

5º

6º

8º

0º

F)
F)

F)

F)

F)
ºF

22

to
)t

t
o

o
o

-5
+

±
23
+

18

15

9º

ºC
0º
22

C
ºC

ºC

(2
ºC

24

(4

(3

3º
(6

(5

8º
(7

2º

F)
4º

9º

F)
ee
2º

F)
25
F)

F)

263
F)

26
27
28 264 Figure 9. Strength relative to control, mean for three concretes combined
rR

29
30
31
32
33
ev

34
35
36
iew

37
38
39
40
41
42
43
On

44
45
46
47
ly

48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60

15