To Cure or Not to Cure?

- National Precast Concrete Association

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To Cure or Not to Cure?

July 18, 2011 11 Comments

Get the most out of concretes many excellent benefits with strict attention to
proper curing.
By Evan Gurley
To cure or not to cure? This should never be the question for anyone who has an
acting role in producing concrete, whether precast or castinplace. Shakespeare
isnt the only analogy that works here; medicine is another. Curing concrete may
not involve white coats and waiting rooms; it does, however, involve sound
treatment for good health. Without proper treatment (sound curing practice to
retain adequate internal moisture), the health of concrete will suffer.
Maturity matters in concrete
Precasters pay so much
attention to ensuring raw
ingredients meet quality
standards, calculating the best
mix design and training
personnel exhaustively on how to batch, place and consolidate. While these are
all essential steps in manufacturing quality concrete, it is all in vain without
proper curing.

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The worlds project specifiers rely on precast concrete because of its exceptional
hardened properties, such as its durability, strength and resistance to harsh
environments. Curing defines those properties.
Why is curing often neglected? Our desire for rapid production is usually the No.
1 culprit. Time is money, and very few precasters can afford to leave product in
forms for seven days or more. Also, its mostly a handsoff process: waiting.
Humans often lack patience, especially when time is money, and curing demands
serious patience and attention to detail.
Curing is much more than simple hardening due to water and cementitious
ingredients undergoing a chemical reaction. Fully cured concrete results from
hydration between water and cement (see Figure 1).
During hydration, calcium silicate hydrate
(CSH) gel forms and makes the glue that
enables concrete to harden. CSH binds all of
the concrete ingredients together, greatly
increasing its strength, watertightness and
service life. No glue: no concrete.
Concrete cures to maturity over time, but the
rate of curing depends on the mix design and the curing environment (hot, cold,
windy, rainy). When we think of curing, we usually think of making sure we keep
moisture on the concretes surface. But a wet surface isnt enough. For full design
strength and all the service it delivers, concrete must be adequately cured at its
surface and deep within its matrix.
Hydration depends on the availability of water and the curing environment. If
there is not enough internal water, cement particles remain unhydrated and will
not crystallize to form the strong bonds we need (see Figure 2).1
A key to concretes strength and durability is not so much the degree of cement
particle hydration as it is the degree to which the pores between the particles
have been filled with hydration products. In addition, the initial water

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cementitious ratio (w/c) plays a major role. Mixes with a lower w/c are better at
filling pores, because low w/c mixtures start out with low porosity. Conversely,
high w/c mixtures need to work harder to hydrate.

Hydration, therefore, is a
direct function of both the
w/c and available water.
Designers know a low w/c
means an inherently
stronger, more watertight
and durable product. On the
other hand, the w/c must
be sufficient to provide the cement with enough water to promote a high degree
of hydration (see Figure 3).

For the specified mix design strength, the majority of the cementitious materials
needs to be hydrated to form the glue required to bind cement with the
aggregate. Mixtures with a low w/c (less than 0.40) may require special curing
conditions. Low ambient humidity could cause a low w/c mix to dry out to a point
where hydration can actually cease. Thats why dry weather requires external
water for proper curing. If the internal humidity (relative to the air) falls below
80% within the first seven days, strength and service life may be jeopardized (see
Figure 4).

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Along with the right w/c, a controlled environment facilitates curing of freshly
cast concrete, because hydration is always a thermally dependent process. High
temperatures accelerate hydration, and low temperatures slow it down. Ambient
temperatures below 50 F (10 C) are bad news, because when concrete falls below
40 F (4.5 C), hydration virtually stops.
Hydration is so dependent on temperature
that an increase of just 18 F (10 C) effectively
doubles the hydration rate. The higher the
curing temperature, the faster the hydration,
the greater the strength gain and, in general,
the shorter the cure time. Excessive loss of
water by evaporation can delay or prevent
adequate hydration. Poorly hydrated (cured)
concrete results in strengthloss
permeability, and vulnerability to freezing
and thawing conditions (see Figure 5).
Three stages of wetcast curing
Curing has typically been viewed as a singlestep process. Adequate moisture
control, however, is never a simple procedure (see Figure 6).
1. Initial curing: Initial curing occurs between concrete placement and final
finishing to reduce moisture loss from the finished surface. In this stage, curing
measures should commence immediately after the bleed water sheen disappears,
as the surface is protected against drying as long as it is covered with bleed
water. If finishing begins immediately after the disappearance of the bleed water,
initial curing measures are unnecessary. Initial curing measures are usually
needed for concretes that exhibit low or negligible bleeding, such as mixtures
with silica fume, fine cements (or other fine cementitious materials), low w/c,
high air contents, or waterreducing admixtures. Initial curing reduces the chance
of plasticshrinkage cracking and often includes evaporation reducers (burlap,
straw, tarps) and fogging (misting the surface).

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2. Intermediate curing: Intermediate curing includes procedures after finishing

but before concretes final set. This is the period when surface evaporation may
need to be reduced but when the concrete is not ready for a plastic or fabric
covering (as coverings may damage the surface). If specifications allow, liquid
curing membranes may be used.
3. Final curing: Final curing refers to the procedures executed after final
finishing and after final set has been achieved. At this point, final curing
applications such as the use of saturated burlap coverings/additional wet
coverings or liquidmembraneforming curing compounds are permitted.
Wetcast curing methods and materials
Increased cement contents, admixtures and other means accelerate normal
curing in precast plants. In addition to these curing accelerators, good physical
practices can also accelerate and enhance curing and, therefore, production rates.
Effective curing methods depend on materials used, intended use of hardened
concrete, construction methods and, especially, hot or cold weather conditions.
Conventional curing entails the continuous saturation of the freshly placed
concretes exposed surface for a predetermined time. Curing measures should
begin when concrete is no longer susceptible to damage at ambient temperatures
and the surface begins to dry (as accumulated bleed water evaporates faster than
water rising to the surface). 2
Curing methods usually involve:
Maintaining mixing water in the concrete during early hardening and after
final set (fogging or spraying; use of natural, saturated coverings)
Fogging. Fogging or spraying involves the use of a relatively
inexpensive nozzle that atomizes the water into a foglike mist,
increasing the humidity of the air above the concrete surface and
reducing the rate of evaporation of the concrete surface. Concrete must
be kept continually moist. Fogging is very effective when the ambient
temperature is well above freezing and humidity is relatively low.
Water from fogging should not be worked into the surface and should

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be removed or allowed to evaporate before finishing. Fogging or

spraying is an effective way to minimize plastic shrinkage cracking but
obviously requires a good source of water and close attention.
Natural coverings. When burlap, cotton, straw or other moisture
retaining fabrics are used, they should be kept saturated at all times
and free of deleterious (oil, excessive dirt, abrasive metals) substances.
As soon as the freshly placed concrete has hardened adequately, wet
coverings may be applied. Coverings should be kept consistently moist
to avoid cycles of wetting and drying that can lead to surface crazing or
cracking. While a seemingly simple procedure, coverings are said to be
one of the most effective curing methods.
Reducing the loss of mixing water from the freshly placed exposed
concrete surfaces (plastic or polyethylene sheeting, membrane
forming curing compounds, internal moist curing with forms left in
place)
Plastic sheeting. Polyethylene sheeting is an effective way to cure
concrete by retaining moisture and heat on freshly cast concrete.
Plastic film used as a moisture barrier for curing concrete should
comply with ASTM C171,3 which specifies the minimum thickness
of the film to be 0.004 in. (0.10 mm). Polyethylene sheeting
should also be applied to the concrete as soon as it has hardened
sufficiently. The sheeting should be overlapped approximately 18
in. (455 mm) and weighted as needed to prevent moisture loss.
All exposed surfaces, including exposed edges and joints, must be
covered.
Membraneforming compounds. Membraneforming curing
compounds should conform to ASTM C309 or ASTM C1315. 4They
are used to reduce the moisture loss from the surface of freshly
placed concrete. Common membraneforming curing compounds
consist of resins, waxes, chlorinated rubber and other materials,
and are clear or translucent. Membraneforming curing
compounds should be:

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Uniformly sprayed on concrete surfaces as soon as the water

sheen disappears following final finishing (one to three
hours after placement)
Stirred or agitated before use
Applied in two perpendicular directions
Left unmodified and never thinned
Forms left in place. Keeping steel or wooden forms on freshly cast concrete
for as long as possible is an effective way to protect against moisture loss.
Forms help seal the exposed concrete surfaces and retain the moisture.
Accelerating strength gain by supplying outside heat and moisture
(electrical heating, oil heating, microwave and infrared curing, and steam
curing)
Electrical, oil, microwave and infrared curing. Alternative curing
methods include electrical, oil, microwave and infrared applications.
Circulating hot oil through steel forms to heat the concrete, or the use
of infrared rays under a covering or enclosed in steel forms are used by
some precasters in place of traditional curing methods. Other examples
include reinforcing steel as the heating element, electric blankets,
electrically heated steel forms, using wire as the heating element, and
the use of concrete itself as the electrical conductor.
Steam curing. Steam curing significantly accelerates the rate of
hydration by adding moisture and elevating temperature. Steam is
especially important when early strength gain is necessary or when
additional heat is required for hydration (cold weather). See the
sidebar Essentials of Steam Curing for more detailed information.
Drycast curing
The curing process is particularly important with drycast mixes. As with wet
cast mixes, adequate curing of drycast concrete greatly enhances strength,
impermeability, surface hardness and crack resistance. Early curing is most
critical to ensure protection from extreme temperatures and dry, windy
conditions that can cause cracking.

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Drycast concrete cannot hydrate properly without adequate water in the mix. As
forms are removed immediately, drycast products have a tendency to desiccate
too quickly without protection. Drycast concrete, therefore, benefits from
insulated curing enclosures with misters or steam. In many cases, full design
strengths can be achieved in one day.
Curing, indeed, is the question
The importance of proper curing cannot be overstated. It can literally make or
break a precast concrete product, in spite of the most technologically advanced
batching systems, highly trained personnel or topquality raw ingredients. A
closer look at curing procedures and educating plant personnel on the critical
phenomenon of adequate cement hydration will, without doubt, bring precast
production one step closer to the successful final act it deserves.
Sidebar
Autoclave, dry heat and live steam systems have all been utilized for accelerated
heat curing. Since precasters rarely use costly autoclave furnaces, dry heat and
live steam are typical methods of choice.
Dry heat: As long as it is humid enough for moisture on fresh concrete not
to readily evaporate, dry heat systems can be effective. The concern with
using dry heat, of course, is insufficient ambient humidity, which can lead to
surface cracking or crazing. If using dry heat, it is critical that no mix water
is lost during curing. Examples of dry heating systems include electric heat,
radiant heaters, and the use of heat blankets (in addition to the use of a
misting system to ensure adequate humidity). Blower heaters are not
recommended, as dry, hot air will tend to desiccate fresh concrete, leaving a
weak and chalky surface.
Moist heat: Live steam curing provides an additional advantage over other
curing methods, as this method supplies both the necessary heat and
moisture required for successful accelerated curing. Live steam curing
enclosures can be constructed using canvas canopies where the steam is
circulated through holes in distribution piping or hoses. If using steam
curing, remember not to use other means of accelerated curing until after

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the concrete has attained its initial set. Initial set can be determined in
accordance with ASTM C403 5. Early application of heat can cause
permanent damage.
A typical steamcuring cycle consists of:
1. An initial delay prior to steaming or a preset time. Concrete should sit for a
predetermined period of time (minimum of 30 minutes, recommended two
to three hours) or until initial set.
2. A period for increasing the temperature or ramp time. Duration of time
required to increase curingcell temperature from initial temperature to
target temperature. The ramping temperature should be limited to a
minimum rise of 20 F (11 C)/hour and maximum rise of 40 F (22 C)/hour.
Any rise in temperature exceeding 40 F/hour may cause thermal shock,
resulting in cracking; anything below 20 F/hour will stunt rapid curing.
NPCAs QC Manual states: Ambient curing temperature shall not exceed 150
F (65 C) unless measures to prevent delayed ettringite formation (DEF) are
employed.
3. A period of time holding the maximum temperature constant or holding
time. Duration of time the concrete is maintained at the predetermined
target temperature, which should be held until concrete reaches desired
strength. Holding time will depend on the concrete mixture and steam
temperature in the enclosure.
4. A period of time for decreasing the temperature or soak time. Duration of
time that concrete is allowed to cool after the steam has been shut off and
prior to removing the enclosure.
These curing cycles will vary with the type of
product being cured. Precasters using steam
curing methods should take proper measures to
monitor temperature and curing cycles as well as
ensure there are no leaks in the enclosure. Casting
temperature sensors can be used to monitor time.
Evan Gurley is a staff engineer with NPCA.

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Filed Under: 2011 - May-June, Precast Inc. Magazine, Precast Magazines, To Cure or Not to Cure?
Tagged With: cement, concrete, curing, dry-cast, final curing, hydration, precast, steam curing, wet-cast

Comments

Ernesto Trostinetzky says

November 25, 2011 at 8:38 am
Gentlemen:
You avoided treating, when curing, the shape of the element being cured or more carefully
speaking the proportions between their parts exposed to the curing, specially if by steam is
applied.
A wide wings bridge beam with rectangular strong body, receives a lot more steam contact
in their wings surface than in their solid body, with proportionally less exposed surface. So
the wings temperature must be watched during the process of steaming and probably
slow it down to avoid higher temperatures along the wings that will possible damage
concrete in those areas.
Reply

John Miller says

April 7, 2012 at 1:55 am
Have you seen any test results using temperature controlled concrete ingredients as a
method of starting the curing process. On prior large project we used a local ready mixed
company (Hawaii) where the ingredients would have been in the 70/75 F range , steam
curing was added 1 hr later until temp was 140F, two 85 ton units were cast every day in
each mold ( 12 hr Day ).
Is there any way we can accelerate the curing process or eliminate the steam curing .
Thanks John Miller

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Reply

Curing Compound says

December 13, 2012 at 12:26 am
Forms provide the adequate protection against moisture loss.It inform us in which place
the Curing Compound suitable
Reply

bob a says
January 29, 2016 at 9:36 am
when you pour huge pieces with slabs or floors that have a big exposed surface area,
then a curing compound is used.
Reply

giridhar says
April 5, 2015 at 11:33 am
what is the strength required for striking of tunnel formwork aftter 12 hrs with thermal
curing,it is mentioned any where in any specifications.
Thanks.
Giridhar
Reply

Kirk Stelsel says

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April 7, 2015 at 2:46 pm

Giridhar, this answer is from our technical department. Thank you for contacting
NPCA with your inquiry. It is recommended that you contact the design engineer for
the project to determine the specified compressive stripping strength minimum at 12
hours. Precasters set minimum stripping strengths at their facility to ensure no
damage is inflicted when stripping, handling and transportation, but the design
engineer can supersede the plants recommendations if deemed necessary.
Reply

Jer says
May 22, 2015 at 12:54 pm
My precast is showing blue/greenish stains on my white cement, although they seem to
fade slightly with time they are difinitly visable, any ideas on what is causing this?
We have changed our release oil and checked our raw materials, this isnt happening with all
the pieces, our rubber molds seem to be ok, but our Hdo wood molds seem to have the
issue.
Any ideas,
thanks
Reply

Frank says
September 3, 2015 at 9:35 am
I experienced something similar when using green (as in just-purchased and either
un-cured or freshly from the manufacturer) pressure treated lumber.
Apparently the copper compounds in the wood somehow react with the alkalinity of
the concrete.

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Reply

Leonidas Daniil says

January 17, 2016 at 8:53 am
We are applying steam curing in precast panels in Iraq.We have started this procedure back
in June and continuing until now.The problem is that while in summer and until the
beginning of October we were reaching compressive strength of >21 MPa (the concrete is
C30), now after the same procedure (not changing the process or the mix) we reach
maximum 15 MPa after finishing steam curing.The only thing significantly changed is the
weather temperature that is dropped at least 15 C and the environmental humidity is
increased very much (up to 85% during the night when we mostly co the steam curing).Are
these two factors the reason for getting so low strength?What can we do to improve this
condition?
Reply

Derek Mcdoogle says

August 10, 2016 at 6:58 pm
My friend noticed some big cracks in his concrete and wants to have it replaced. You
mentioned that concrete cures to maturity over time but the rate of curing depends on the
mix design and the curing environment. Do all companies use the same type of mix? It
seems beneficial for him to contact a concrete company to see what his best options are.
Reply

Sara Geer says

August 11, 2016 at 8:23 am
Thank you Derek for the comment. I agree it would be beneficial for your friend to
contact a company near him for advice. Not all mix designs are the same since

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factors do depend on the geographic location and the areas temperature. If

interested to contact a precaster, you can visit our Find Precast Products & Supplies
feature on our website. There, you can search by precaster and by location to find
a company in your state. If you have any more questions about curing or mix designs,
Id be happy to direct those to our technical engineers for a response.
Reply

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