Strength and durability properties (effect of salts) of internal curing concrete

Concrete is the second most largely consumed material on Earth. The strength and durability parameters of concrete largely depends on the curing process. The quality of concrete to a great extent relies upon the process of curing. It is estimated that 1m³ of concrete requires about 3m³ of water, approximately and a period of 28 days continuous water curing is required to develop the desired properties. In order to restrict the usage of excess amount of water, Internal Curing of Concrete is perhaps the best other option. In this study, internal curing agent – Poly Ethylene Glycol is used at various dosages, 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, and 3.0% by cement weight and the mechanical properties are evaluated. The effect of salts on Internal Cured Concrete are evaluated by using two salt solutions viz., NaCl and CaCl₂. It was perceived that 2% PEG solution was effective for compressive strength and 1.5% for split tensile and flexural strengths. NaCl and CaCl₂ solutions had shown an adverse effect on Internal Cured Concrete.