Temperature and moisture effects on mechanical properties of concrete: evaluation of prediction relations for sulphate resistant concrete

摘要

This study investigates the influence of different curing temperatures and humidity conditions on the development of mechanical properties of sulphate resistant concrete (SRC) and its prediction relations. A series of experiments were performed considering three distinct curing temperatures (20℃, 40℃, and 60℃). For each curing temperature, 60-specimen were cast and exposed to four different moisture conditions (moist, 55% humidity, three-day moist then 55% humidity, seven-day moist then 55% humidity). The experimental results revealed that higher curing temperatures along with continuous lower and higher degrees of saturation yield high early-age and lower 28-day compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and elastic modulus of SRC and vice versa for lower curing temperatures. Finally, applicability of existing relationships to estimate elastic modulus and splitting tensile strength from compressive strength of concrete were investigated. Prediction models which best fits the current experimental results were identified and proposed for their future uses in SRC.