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Effectiveness of Curing Compounds for Concrete
Filip Chyliński1, Agnieszka Michalik1, Mateusz Kozicki1
1Instytut Techniki Budowlanej, 00-611 Warsaw, Poland.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|April 12, 2022
Summary
Concrete curing compounds vary in effectiveness, with FTIR analysis revealing two main groups based on active substances. Water retention and tensile strength tests showed significant differences, impacting mortar microstructure.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Civil Engineering
- Concrete Technology
Background:
- Concrete curing compounds are essential alternatives to traditional curing methods.
- Understanding their effectiveness is crucial for optimizing concrete performance.
- European market products require comprehensive evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of commonly used concrete curing compounds in Europe.
- To categorize compounds based on their chemical composition and performance.
- To investigate the relationship between compound properties and concrete characteristics.
Main Methods:
- Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for chemical identification.
- Water retention efficiency tests.
- Pull-off tensile strength tests.
- Dry mass content analysis.
- Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for microstructure examination.
Main Results:
- FTIR analysis classified the eleven tested compounds into two primary groups based on active substances.
- Significant variations in water retention and tensile strength were observed among the compounds.
- Dry mass content showed a potential correlation with compound effectiveness.
- SEM revealed distinct microstructural differences in mortars treated with various curing compounds compared to the reference.
Conclusions:
- The type of active substance significantly influences the performance of concrete curing compounds.
- Curing compound effectiveness is linked to water retention, tensile strength, and resulting mortar microstructure.
- Further research into specific compound formulations and their long-term effects is warranted.
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