Performance Evaluation of Internally Cured High Performance Concrete

S Praveena, Pradeep .P

Abstract: Internal curing has been rapidly emerging over the last decade as an effective way to improve the performance of concrete. Internal curing uses saturated lightweight aggregate to supply ?curing water? to low w/c pastes as they hydrate. These prewetted lightweight aggregates stores water in it and act as reservoirs which will be able to release the water whenever the concrete requires. In this research paper Fly ash based light weight aggregates has been used in partial replacement of coarse aggregates in 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%.The study was extended to prove that using prewetted lightweight aggregates can aid in reduction of curing periods.By using 20% of light weight aggregate as a partial replacement to natural coarse aggregates the compressive strength is promising. This study also deals with testing of internally cured concrete to meet standards that it would ever need to face.

Keywords: Curing Periods, High Performance Concrete Internally Cured Concrete, Low W/C Pastes, Prewetted Lightweight Aggregates.