SEDL / STP / STP858-EB / STP34210S

Maturity Functions for Concrete Cured During Winter Conditions

Naik, TR
Associate professor of civil engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI

Pages: 11    Published: Jan 1985

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Abstract

The objective of this paper is to check the validity of the Nurse-Saul and the Arrhenius maturity functions for concrete cured under winter conditions.

The test specimens used for concrete compressive strength determination were 101.6 by 203.2-mm (4 by 8-in.) cylinders. (The measurements were made in English units.) These specimens were cured at nominal temperatures of 2.8, 12.8, and 22.8°C (37, 55, and 73°F). The cylinders were cast from concrete with water-to-cement ratios of 0.50, 0.60, and 0.70. Tests for compressive strength were performed at the ages of 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 72, 120 (five days), and 168 h (seven days). The maturity and temperature of the cylinders were recorded at each test age. Curves were plotted for the compressive strength versus the relative maturity at 20°C for each water-to-cement ratio and for different curing temperatures. It was determined that the Arrhenius function gives better correlation between the relative maturity and the strength than the Nurse-Saul function. The author concludes that the Nurse-Saul function should not be used for maturity-strength determination under winter curing conditions.