Effect of steam curing regimes on temperature and humidity gradient, permeability and microstructure of concrete

• Published in: Construction & building materials Vol. 281; p. 122562
• Main Authors: Shi, Jinyan, Liu, Baoju, Zhou, Feng, Shen, Shuai, Guo, Aofei, Xie, Youjun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 26.04.2021
• Subjects: Air-void structure; Capillary water absorption; Microhardness; Microstructure; Steam-cured concrete; Temperature and humidity gradient; Capillary water absorption; Microstructure; Steam-cured concrete; Microhardness; Air-void structure; Temperature and humidity gradient
• ISSN: 0950-0618; 1879-0526
• DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.122562

[Display omitted] •The temperature and humidity gradient during steam curing process is closely related to its long-term performance.•Surface covering can significantly reduce surface porosity and damage of steam-cured concrete.•The effects of steam-curing regime and surface covering method on the permeability of concrete were evaluated.•The high temperature-humidity gradient during steam curing is detrimental to the development of concrete microstructure. Steam curing has an adverse effect on the long-term performance of concrete, which is inseparable from the early hygro-thermal coupling action. The temperature-humidity field and performance of steam-cured concrete with different surface covering methods were characterized under the treatment temperature ranging from 45 to 75 ℃ by water permeability along with hydration characteristics, porosity, microhardness, and microstructure. The results show that steam-curing regimes directly affect the long-term performance of steam-cured concrete by changing internal temperature-humidity field. During the steam curing process, a higher treatment temperature often corresponds to a more complex temperature-humidity gradient, so that the steam-cured concrete exhibits low compactness and high permeability. In addition, the surface covering methods can reduce the surface porosity and interface transition zone width of steam-cured concrete. Meanwhile, with the increase of treatment temperature, the improvement effect of the surface covering methods on the impermeability of steam-cured concrete is more obvious.