Effect of Curing Conditions on the Mechanical Properties and Permeability of Concrete Incorporating Sulfate-Resistant Admixture

Concrete needs an adequate time and proper curing condition to reach its potential strength and durability. Curing is a vital procedure that keeps concrete at a sufficient moisture content and temperature throughout the hydration of the cementitious material, allowing the required qualities of concrete to develop. This paper presents an experimental investigation on the influence of different curing conditions, i.e., drying, water, and curing with seawater on the mechanical properties and permeability of concrete containing a sulfate-resistant admixture up to an age of 28 days. Two concrete mixtures with and without sulfate-resistant admixture were prepared with a constant water-to-cement ratio of about 0.37. It has been found that the inclusion of the sulfate-resistant admixture is effective in enhancing the compressive and splitting tensile strengths as well as the impermeability of concrete at 28 days, regardless of the curing conditions. Additionally, the results suggest that the concrete should be cured by immersion in water for up to 28 days, rather than other curing conditions, in order to obtain the best performance before being exposed to other environments such as drying or marine environments.