State-of-the-Practice Review on the Field-Curing Methods for Evaluating Strength of Concrete Test Specimen

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to build up the understanding of the current state –of –the practice for field-curing methods of concrete specimens. Specifically, a comprehensive literature review and questionnaire survey were prepared to identify the selection criteria and details of field-curing methods correspondingly. The comparison of literature data and survey outcomes shows that most transportation agencies use field-cured cylinders followed by the maturity method for the decision on when to open pavement to traffic or remove form/falsework. The most commonly used field method was curing near (or on) the casted concrete in the same manner as concrete item represented. The cylindrical specimens are mostly field cured in insulated boxes such as a cooler or under burlap/insulation near the concrete item. On the other hand, beams are mostly field-cured in a damp sandpit or under burlap/insulation near the concrete item. The information provided in this paper could be used by transportation agencies for determining an appropriate cost-effective field-curing technique which is representative of strength gain of the in-place concrete item.