Influence of accelerated curing on the compressive strength of concrete incorporating fly ash

Abstract

Quality of concrete is an important factor in assimilating the strength of a structure. The factors that influence the quality of concrete more or less depend on the curing conditions. The type of curing used in this study are normal water curing and accelerated curing by boiling water method. The important aspect of any construction is time constraint that leads to the high impact on the economy of any project. The strength and the curing of concrete can be expedited by raising the temperature and thereby increasing the rate of hydration. This study aimed to investigate the behavior of the strength of M30 grade of concrete when cured under both conditions. The mix design was prepared by referring IS 10262:2009. The types of sample that were prepared was nominal mix and binary mix that incorporated fly ash with varying percentage i.e.25%, 30% and 35%. The specimen was prepared and tested according to IS 516:1959. The results obtained were then tabulated and compared. The comparison was done according to the curing conditions and respective percentage of fly ash. The optimum dosage of fly ash was concluded. Keywords- Accelerated Curing, Boiling Water, Rate of Hydration, Mix Design, Binary Mix, Fly Ash