Influence of SRA on Strength at Different Moisture Conditions on Concrete

Abstract

Today, concrete is the most widely used material for construction purposes because of its good strength and durability. The simple mixture of cement, fine aggregates, coarse aggregates and water is referred as conventional concrete. Water is also used for the most important process which is curing, in which a suitable environment for certain period is provided so that the water in the mixture can be retained and hydration can occur and it achieves the desired strength. Any scarcity in the process can affect badly the strength characteristics of the concrete. Curing is hence can be done either by externally or internally. Self-curing concrete is the one in which the curing process is done by the concrete mixture itself by retaining the water in it for a longer period than normal concrete. A self-curing agent namely, polyethylene-glycol (PEG-400) is used for the process which traps the water inside the structure and prevents the evaporation during hydration. In the present study, concrete mixes of grade M25 and M45 is studied in which the agent PEG-400 is mixed at various proportions from 0% to 2.5% by weight of cement. The test is carried out for 7days, 14 days and 28 days curing with a control of humidity and temperature. The tests carried out are the compressive strength test, slump test and split tensile strength. The result will thus give the favorable conditions for the use of self-curing concrete.