Concrete, usually Portland cement concrete,[2][3] is a composite material composed of fine and

coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens over time—

most frequently a lime-based cement binder, such as Portland cement, but sometimes with
other hydraulic cements, such as a calcium aluminate cement. It is distinguished from other, non-
cementitious types of concrete all binding some form of aggregate together, including asphalt
concretewith a bitumen binder, which is frequently used for road surfaces, and polymer
concretes that use polymers as a binder.
When aggregate is mixed together with dry Portland cement and water, the mixture forms a
fluid slurry that is easily poured and molded into shape. The cement reacts chemically with the
water and other ingredients to form a hard matrix that binds the materials together into a durable
stone-like material that has many uses.[4]Often, additives (such as pozzolans or superplasticizers)
are included in the mixture to improve the physical properties of the wet mix or the finished
material. Most concrete is poured with reinforcing materials (such as rebar) embedded to
provide tensile strength, yielding reinforced concrete.
Famous concrete structures include the Hoover Dam, the Panama Canal and the
Roman Pantheon. The earliest large-scale users of concrete technology were the ancient Romans,
and concrete was widely used in the Roman Empire. The Colosseum in Rome was built largely
of concrete, and the concrete dome of the Pantheon is the world's largest unreinforced concrete
dome.[5] Today, large concrete structures (for example, dams and multi-storey car parks) are
usually made with reinforced concrete.

Workability of Concrete Definition

Concrete workability is a broad and subjective term describing how easily freshly mixed
concrete can be mixed, placed, consolidated and finished with minimal loss of homogeneity.
Workability is a property that directly impacts strength, quality, appearance, and even the cost of
labor for placement and finishing operations. But opinions don’t matter much when testing and
documenting concrete properties, so how can we define these qualitative characteristics in
quantitative terms? This blog post will cover everything you need to know about concrete
workability, factors that can affect it, and necessary equipment.

Importance
There are different expectations and agendas across the spectrum of the design/construction team
when it comes to engineering concrete design. The structural engineer wants higher strength and
a good bond with reinforcing steel. The architect obviously wants cosmetic appeal; Strength is
attractive to the owner because it allows smaller cross sections of structural elements and
therefore more usable floor space. A laborer needs a mix that can be moved, placed and
consolidated properly, and a finisher is looking for something that takes a durable, high-quality
finish quickly and easily. Designing a concrete mix with good workability brings all these factors
together in balance to result in a quality product with long service life.
Factors Affecting Workability
 Water/Cement Ratio: a higher proportion of cement or cementitious materials usually
means greater strength, and with the proper amount of water, more paste is coating the surface of
aggregates for easier consolidation and a better finish. Not enough water means poor strength
development and an uncooperative mix that resists easy placement and finishing. Adding
excessive water could be said to increase workability because it makes it easier to place and
consolidate. However, the negative impact on segregation, finishing operations and final strength
can be so detrimental that it should be approached very cautiously. A water to cementitious
material ratio (w/cm) of 0.45 to 0.6 is the sweet spot for production of workable concrete.
 Aggregate Size and Shape: As aggregate surface area increases, more cement paste is
needed to cover the entire surface of aggregates. So mixes with smaller aggregates are less
workable compared to larger size aggregates. Elongated, angular and flaky aggregates are
difficult to mix and place and have greater surface area to cover, decreasing workability.
Rounded aggregates have less surface area, but lack the angularity to develop sufficient bond
strengths with the cement paste.
 Admixtures: Many types of admixtures alter the workability of fresh concrete, either by
design or as a side-effect. Some surfactants such as super plasticizer reduce attraction between
cement and aggregate particles, allowing mixes that can be quite flowable without the negative
strength and segregation effects of too much water. Air entraining admixtures for freeze-thaw
resistance produce air bubbles of a controlled size that can make for easier finishing, although
using too much produces a sticky mix with the opposite effect.
Workability of Concrete by Slump Test
Which brings us to what is by far the most popular (some say overused) measure of workability.
The slump test originated as a way for workmen to judge how easy their day was going to be
using freshly mixed concrete. A Slump Cone is placed on a solid, level base and filled with fresh
concrete in three equal layers rodded in a specified manner to consolidate. The concrete is struck
even with the top of the cone, and the cone is carefully lifted away. The concrete then settles or
slumps, and the final height is subtracted from the original height of the cone and recorded. This
value is considered to be a measure of workability and a rough indicator of water/cement ratio.
Slumps of 4 to 6 inches (100 to 150mm) are generally considered to be in a desirable range for
typical placement and finishing operations, provided they also have suitable w/cm ratios and
meet mix design requirements when placed. The form or profile of the slump is also noted and
used to judge the reliability of each test:
 True slump - concrete subsides, maintaining its general form
 Shear slump - the top portion of the concrete shears off and slips sideways
 Collapse slump - the concrete collapses completely, likely from the mix being too wet
Shear or collapse slumps often indicate a problem with execution, and the test should be repeated
with a fresh sample.

This chart shows different ranges of slump values and how they might be used.

Degree of Slump,
Workabilit in Application
y (mm)
0-1 (0-
Very low Very dry mixes used in paving machines with high-powered vibration
25)
1-2
Low-workability mixes used for foundations with light reinforcement; Pavements
Low (25-
consolidated by hand-operated vibrators
50)
2-4
Medium workability mixes; manually consolidated flat slabs. Normal reinforced
Medium (50-
concrete manually placed; heavily reinforced sections with mechanical vibration
100)
4-7
High workability concrete for sections with congested reinforcement; May not respond
High (100-
well to vibration
175)
To learn more about the slump test and workability of concrete, contact Gilson’s technical
support. The American Concrete Institute has a page on frequently asked technical
questions related to this topic as well.
Workability of Concrete

Workability of concrete is the property of freshly mixed concrete which determines the ease and
homogeneity with which it can be mixed, placed, consolidated and finished’ as defined by ACI
Standard 116R-90 (ACI 1990b).

ASTM defines it as “that property determining the effort required to manipulate a freshly mixed
quantity of concrete with minimum loss of homogeneity”.

The workability of concrete depends on many factors which are explained in factors affecting
workability of concrete. Water cement ratio has much effect in the workability. Workability is
directly proportional to water cement ratio. An increase in water-cement ratio increases the
workability of concrete.

1. Unworkable Concrete – Harsh Concrete

An unworkable concrete can also be called as harsh concrete. It is a concrete with very little
amount of water. The hand mixing of such concrete is not easy.

Such type of concrete has high segregation of aggregates as cement paste is not lubricated
properly to stick to the aggregates. It is very difficult to maintain the homogeneity of concrete
mix and compaction of concrete requires much effort. Water cement ratio of such concrete is
below 0.4.

2. Medium Workable Concrete

This type of concrete workability is used in most of the construction works. This concrete is
relatively easy to mix, transport, place and compact without much segregation and loss of
homogeneity.

This type of concrete workability is generally used in all concrete construction with light
reinforcement (spacing of reinforcement is which allows the concrete to be compacted
effectively). Water cement ratio for medium workable concrete is 0.4 to 0.55.

3. Highly Workable Concrete

A highly workable concrete is very easy to mix, transport, place and compact in structures. Such
concrete is used where effective compaction of concrete is not possible or in mass concrete. Such
concrete flow easily and settle down without much effort. But there is high chances of
segregation and loss of homogeneity in this case.
The coarse aggregates tend to settle at the bottom and the concrete paste comes up. Such
concrete is used in case of heavy reinforcement is used where vibration of concrete is not
possible. Example of highly workable concrete is self-compacting concrete. Water cement ratio
of such concrete is more than 0.55.

Workability requirement of concrete varies with each type of construction and compaction
method used. For example, concrete workability required for a slab construction can be same as
a mass concrete footing construction.

Workability requirement when vibrators are used for construction are different from when
vibrators are not used. Similarly, concrete workability used in thick section is not workable when
used in thin sections.

Factors Affecting Workability of Concrete

The workability requirements for a concrete construction depends on:

 Water cement ratio

 Type of construction work
 Method of mixing concrete
 Thickness of concrete section
 Extent of reinforcement
 Method of compaction
 Distance of transporting
 Method of placement
 Environmental condition

Concrete Mix Proportions

Four-two-one and the Seven Part Mix Ratio

The safest bet for any concrete mix is four-two-one: four parts crushed rock; two parts sand; and
one part cement. The four-two-one mix, obviously, has seven parts. Conveniently, when mixing
concrete, the ratio can be mixed on any range of scales. That can mean four shovel fulls of rock
with two of sand and one of cement; four 5-gallon buckets full of rock, two of sand and one of
cement; or four front-end loader buckets full of rock, two sand and one cement.
But, the four-two-one mixture is not ideal for every situation. For those projects that require even
extreme compressive strength — the floor of a diesel engine mechanic shop, for example, — a
greater amount of rock is required: maybe a five-two-one-and-a-half mix. For projects that will
not require concrete with high compressive strength, but a great degree of workability — a
garden fountain, for example, — more sand and less rock is best: a two-four-one mix possibly.

Water Proportions
The biggest x-factor in concrete, water is an unpredictable variable. The amount of water
required depends on the air temperature outside, the humidity, the amount of direct sunlight, and
the concrete mix ratio. The most important thing to remember about water is that the more there
is in concrete mix proportions, the weaker the cement’s cured tensile strength, adhesive strength.
Ideally, the least amount of water possible is the best if strong adhesion is a high priority.
But, again, sometimes there are situations where where workability is a higher priority than
structural integrity and water is the secret to workability.

Concrete Mix Proportions Notes to Remember

1) The more rock, the greater the compressive strength of concrete. The more sand, the greater
the workability.
2) Adhesion (cement) and compressive strength (rock) are two different factors in the quality of
concrete. More cement does not mean more compressive strength; it means more tensile
strength.
3) The less water, the stronger the adhesion of cement, but the more difficult it is to work with
the concrete.
Once you have the concrete mix proportions down to a T, remember to equip yourself with the
proper tools for all-out project success. 
The water–cement ratio is the ratio of the weight of water to the weight of cement used in
a concrete mix. A lower ratio leads to higher strength and durability, but may make the mix
difficult to work with and form. Workability can be resolved with the use
of plasticizers or super-plasticizers.
Often, the ratio refers to the ratio of water to cement plus pozzolan ratio, w/(c+p). The pozzolan
is typically a fly ash, or blast furnace slag. It can include a number of other materials, such as
silica fume, rice husk ash or natural pozzolans. Pozzolans can be added to strengthen concrete.
The notion of water–cement ratio was first developed by Duff A. Abrams and published in 1918.
Refer to concrete slump test.
Concrete hardens as a result of the chemical reaction between cement and water (known
as hydration, this produces heat and is called the heat of hydration). For every pound (or
kilogram or any unit of weight) of cement, about 0.35 pounds (or 0.35 kg or corresponding unit)
of water is needed to fully complete hydration reactions.[1]
However, a mix with a ratio of 0.35 may not mix thoroughly, and may not flow well enough to
be placed. More water is therefore used than is technically necessary to react with cement.
Water–cement ratios of 0.45 to 0.60 are more typically used. For higher-strength concrete, lower
ratios are used, along with a plasticizer to increase flowability.
Too much water will result in segregation of the sand and aggregate components from the
cement paste. Also, water that is not consumed by the hydration reaction may leave concrete as it
hardens, resulting in microscopic pores (bleeding) that will reduce final strength of concrete. A
mix with too much water will experience more shrinkage as excess water leaves, resulting in
internal cracks and visible fractures (particularly around inside corners), which again will reduce
the final strength.

Transporting the concrete mix is defined as the transferring of concrete from the mixing plant to
the construction site. The main objective in transporting concrete is to ensure that the water-
cement ratio, slump or consistency, air content, and homogeneity are not modified from their
intended states. Concrete produced from a mixer is required to be transported to the forms for
placement. This handling may produce segregation and loss of slump, if the distance is long.

That is further defined in different ways like:

Methods of Transporting Concrete

Methods of transporting and placing concrete which are used widely, are:

a. Discharge directly into forms through short chute

b. By barrows:
 i. Wheel burrows and handcarts.
ii. Power barrows or power buggies
c. Dumpers and trucks (agitating or non agitation)
d. Monorail system
e. Elevating towers and hoists
f. Skips operated by cranes or overhead cable ways
g. Belt conveyers and boom conveyers, it can use on small location
h. Tremie
i. Concrete pumps and pneumatic placers
j. Any combination of above.
a. Direct Discharge, Manual Transport in Containers and short chutes
 Free fall of concrete over a height of 2 m should be avoided.
 Short chutes with proper lower end treatment (Concrete should be re-mixed at the lower
end by passing down through a funnel-shaped pipe or drop chute so that the concrete mix
is workable and cohesive) are simple to use and economical.
 Chutes which are Metallic, half round in section, stiffened at places may last to handle
about 1500m3 of concrete.
 Long chutes are less desirable as they have the tendency to cause segregation in the
concrete mix.
b. Burrows
 Manual wheel burrow has capacity up to 80 kg of concrete (2.5 Cu-ft). It is used for long
horizontal distances.
 Power burrows' capacity is up to 800 kg and can be used for horizontal distances upto
300m. They can also be used to haul concrete to a gradient of 20%. Part of the mixer is
single burrow. If you take a part of concrete in one burrow and the other part of concrete
in another burrow, it might be problematic because uniformity of concrete will be
disturbed.
c. Dumpers and Trucks
 Dumpers and trucks (Horizontal transport) are used for long hauls. Because of the jolting
on the ground, ordinary trucks and dumpers tend to cause segregation of concrete during
transit.
d. Monorail system
 Monorail system needs a track and consists of a power wagon mounted on the single rail
track, which can move at a speed of 80-90 m/min. This kind of tracks are used in
construction of tunnels, dams and other such kind of constructions.
 Segregation of concrete may take place due to jolting of concrete in the wagon over each
rail joint. Hence, wet mixess are generally unsuitable for monorail transport. When the
rail track runs over the slab form, the wagon can directly discharge on the form.
e. Elevating towers and hoists (Vertical transport)
 Elevating towers are used for lifting concrete buckets, which can be distributed using a
chute or by other means such as barrows, etc. This kind of transport can be used
for construction of multi-storey building, bridges and towers.
 Hoists operate on similar principle; a cantilever platform hoist operates along a steel
lattice mast.
 Concrete skip can be used directly, that can till and discharge the concrete on some
distribution system.
f. Cranes and Cable way (Two or three dimensional transport)

Cranes and cableway is use for three dimensional purpose of transport. It can be used in projects
where concrete is to be transferred across a valley or some obstruction like a river, sea or road.
Cranes can be used for various high rise buildings and many other type of constructions also.

 Cranes or cableways may be used for three dimensional transport of concrete. Cable way
is useful in river valley projects; cranes of various types are also useful in high rise
building construction in congested sites.
 Depending upon the site, cranes may be any one of the following types such as derrick
crane, tower crane, crawler mounted, or wheel mounted, or a hydraulic crane.
  The main consideration in selecting the crane is height and radius of operation.
g. Belt Conveyor

Belt conveyor is used for very short distance, not for large distances

 Belt conveyors needs small power.

 Discharge can be as high as 115 cu-m/hour on a narrow strip of belt the main
consideration in selecting the crane is height and radius of operations.
 Conveying concrete through a limited elevation of 30 degrees is also possible through
belt conveyors.
 For wet mixes the capacity of the belt is reduced as the inclination through which
concrete can be lifted is also lowered.
 It is recommended that low slump concrete be used for slower moving belts and higher
slump concrete by faster moving belts.
 Concrete tends to segregate in steep inclines as the belt passes over the rollers, this
problem is less acute in drier mixes, and segregation at the discharge point may be
avoided using proper hopper and the chute arrangement.
 In case of a breakdown of machines, large amount of concrete in the belt needs removal
by other means and the belt is to be cleaned and washed.
 Their initial cost of setting up is also high.
Concrete Buckets or Skips

The buckets and skips are very common equipment. They are used together with many things.
Some different types of buckets which are used in concrete transporting are:

1. Roll-over and
2. Constant altitude type

o The capacity of skip may vary from 0.2 m3 in small jobs to 10m3. It depends upon
the size.
o The control of discharges is obtained from good design in terms of shape of the
gate for proper flow. The ease of filling and resistance to wear and tear are other
aspects of good design.
o Buckets are also used for under water concreting.

Transportation of Concrete in Under Water Concreting:

Under water placing of concrete poses a number of problems, as concrete cannot be compacted
and concrete may get mixed with water. Whenever, possible under water connecting is to be
avoided. To overcome the problems mentioned above, concrete must be self compacting and wet
enough to flow under its own weigh, and must be placed with least disturbances.

Methods of Transporting Concrete Under Water

1. Pre packed or grouted concrete
2. Termite or buckets
3. Pumping
4. Dumping by bags

Each of this method is used in different situation. First let look at buckets, buckets can be used
through cranes and that sort of equipment. It is filled up from top and lifted off up, when its
reach the ground where it is supposed to discharge, open the screws at the bottom, when buckets
is lifted up more so the scot is actually on the ground and concrete is discharged with in scot
which does not immediately come into water, this is one common way to use under water
concrete.
Tremie

The most common way to use concrete under water is tremie; this is done by tremie pipe. There
are 2 retaining walls beside the tremie pipe. This pipe is made piece by piece, and concrete is
discharged at the bottom. Only the cement of top surface will contact with water, rest of the
concrete will not contact with the water. The other method which can be used for mixing and can
transport over a large distance is through "ready mixed concrete". This is very much used where
the area is congested and one cannot mix the concrete on site.

The placement of concrete is a very important operation, which largely determines the success of
a structure and its durability. Particular care is therefore necessary and all the technical and
cllimatic parameters must be considered.

The placement of concrete is a very important operation, which largely determines the success of
a structure and its durability. Particular care is therefore necessary and all the technical and
cllimatic parameters must be considered.
There are a number of different phases between the time when concrete leaves the mixer and the
finished structure: transport, pouring into formwork or a mould, vibration, maturing, form
removal and curing. These phases require techniques which must comply with what are known
as the "rules of good engineering practice".
DELIVERY OF CONRETE
The requirements here are to avoid shocks or sudden manoeuvres that could lead to segregation,
ensure that transport times are compatible with the start of the setting process and protect the
concrete from frost in cold weather.

CONCRETE PLACEMENT
The formwork should be sufficiently rigid not to be deformed under the pressure of the fresh
concrete and sufficiently watertight so laitance does not leak out. Before each time it is used it
must be cleaned and treated with a suitable bond breaker.
The reinforcement must be correctly positioned and held in place.
The height the concrete falls must be limited to avoid the danger of segregation and the rate of
concreting must be as constant as possible. 
Concrete placement is an important process in the construction that determine the success of the
structure and its life. Technical and environmental conditions are taken into strict consideration
while placing the concrete.

The concrete is allowed to pass through different phase from the point it come out of the mixer
till it complete as a finished concrete. The concrete is transported, poured, vibrated, matured,
form removed and cured. Each of these phases must follow techniques that will come under good
construction practice.

Here we will discuss the special considerations and procedures followed to achieve good
concrete placement.

Procedure for Placing Concrete

1.Planning for Concrete Placement

Before any concrete is placed the entire placing, programme consisting of equipment, layout,
proposed procedures and methods is planned and no concrete is placed until formwork is
inspected and found suitable for placement.

Equipment for conveying concrete should be of such size and design as to ensure a practically
continuous flow of concrete during depositing without segregation of materials considering the
size of the job and placement location.

Concrete is placed in its final position before the cement reaches its initial set and concrete is
compacted in its final position within 30 minutes of leaving the mixer and once compacted it
should not be disturbed.

In all cases the concrete is deposited as nearly as practicable directly in its final position and
should not be re-handled or caused to flow in a manner which may cause segregation, loss of
materials, displacement of reinforcement, shuttering or embedded inserts or impair its strength.

2. Formwork Requirements for Concrete Placement

The formwork must be rigid so that it does not get deformed under the pressure of placement of
fresh concrete and water tight so the concrete does not leak out. For every new use of formwork,
the surfaces have to cleaned and brushed.

The concrete reinforcement must be held properly in the formwork. Special care is taken where
concrete is dropped from a height especially if reinforcement is in the way particularly in
columns and thin walls.

Concrete should be placed in the shuttering by shovels or other methods and should not be
dropped from a height more than one metre or handled in a manner which will cause segregation.

It is recommended to maintain the rate of concreting as constant as possible.

3.Concrete Placement in Special Conditions

Concrete placed in restricted forms by borrows, buggies, cars, sort chutes or hand shoveling
should be subjected to the requirement for vertical delivery of limited height to avoid
segregation  and should be deposited as nearly as practicable in it’s final position.

For locations where, direct placement is not possible and in narrow forms suitable drop and
Elephant Trunks to confine the movement of concrete is provided.
For hot or cold weather concreting the temperature of the concrete must be kept accordingly to
undergo effective placement. So that the concrete does not dry out or freeze out before
completing the placement and related procedures.

4.Considerations in Concrete Placement Layers

Concreting once started should be continuous until the pour is completed. Concrete should be
placed in successive horizontal layers of uniform thickness ranging from 150 mm to 900 mm.

The thickness of each layer should be such that it can be deposited before the previous layer has
stiffened.

Before placing the next concrete layer, it is necessary to properly compact the below layer. Every
underlying layer will be responsive to the vibrations above. These layers hence will Knits
together.

Concrete placement has to be done rapidly as practicable to prevent the formation of cold joints
or planes of weakness between each succeeding layer within the pour. Cold joints are prominent
in large pouring sessions. These types of pouring will require proper planning.

The bucket loads or other units of deposit should be spotted progressively along the face of the
layer with such overlap as will facilitate spreading the layer to uniform depth and texture with a
minimum of shovelling.

5.Consideration for Segregation during Concrete Placement

Any tendency to segregation should be corrected by shovelling stones into mortar rather than
mortar onto stones. Such a condition should be corrected by redesign of mix or other suitable
means.

The top surface of each pour and bedding planes should be approximately horizontal unless
otherwise specified in drawings.

Curing plays an important role on strength development and durability of concrete. Curing takes
place immediately after concrete placing and finishing, and involves maintenance of desired
moisture and temperature conditions, both at depth and near the surface, for extended periods of
time. Properly cured concrete has an adequate amount of moisture for continued hydration and
development of strength, volume stability, resistance to freezing and thawing, and abrasion and
scaling resistance.

The length of adequate curing time is dependent on the following factors: 

 Mixture proportions
 Specified strength
 Size and shape of concrete member
  Ambient weather conditions
 Future exposure conditions

Slabs on ground (e.g. pavements, sidewalks, parking lots, driveways, floors, canal linings) and
structural concrete (e.g. bridge decks, piers, columns, beams, slabs, small footings, cast-in-place
walls, retaining walls) require a minimum curing period of seven days for ambient temperatures
above 40 degrees Fahrenheit1.

American Concrete Institute (ACI) Committee 301 recommends a minimum curing period
corresponding to concrete attaining 70 percent of the specified compressive strength2. The often
specified seven-day curing commonly corresponds to approximately 70 percent of the specified
compressive strengths. The 70 percent strength level can be reached sooner when concrete cures
at higher temperatures or when certain cement/admixture combinations are used. Similarly,
longer time may be needed for different material combinations and/or lower curing temperatures.
For this reason, ACI Committee 308 recommends the following minimum curing periods3:

 ASTM C 150 Type I cement seven days

 ASTM C 150 Type II cement ten days
 ASTM C 150 Type III cement three days 
 ASTM C 150 Type IV or V cement 14 days
 ASTM C 595, C 845, C 1157 cements variable

Effect of curing duration on compressive strength development is presented in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Moist Curing Time and Compressive Strength Gain

Higher curing temperatures promote an early strength gain in concrete but may decrease its 28-
day strength. Effect of curing temperature on compressive strength development is presented in
Figure 2.
 Figure 2. Effect of Curing Temperature on Compressive Strength

There are three main functions of curing: 

1) Maintaining mixing water in concrete during the early hardening process

Ponding and immersion

Ponding is typically used to cure flat surfaces on smaller jobs. Care should be taken to maintain
curing water temperature at not more than 20 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the concrete to
prevent cracking due to thermal stresses. Immersion is mainly used in the laboratory for curing
concrete test specimens.

Spraying and fogging

Spraying and fogging are used when the ambient temperatures are well above freezing and the
humidity is low. Fogging can minimize plastic shrinkage cracking until the concrete attains final
set.

Saturated wet coverings

Wet coverings saturated with water should be used after concrete has hardened enough to
prevent surface damage. They should be kept constantly wet. 

Left in Place Forms

Left in place forms usually provide satisfactory protection against moisture loss for formed
concrete surfaces. The forms are usually left in place as long as the construction schedule allows.
If the forms are made of wood, they should be kept moist, especially during hot, dry weather.

2) Reducing the loss of mixing water from the surface of the concrete
Covering concrete with impervious paper or plastic sheets
Impervious paper and plastic sheets can be applied on thoroughly wetted concrete. The concrete
surface should be hard enough to prevent surface damage from placement activities. 

Applying membrane-forming curing compounds

Membrane-forming curing compounds are used to retard or reduce evaporation of moisture from
concrete. They can be clear or translucent and white pigmented. White-pigmented compounds
are recommended for hot and sunny weather conditions to reflect solar radiation. Curing
compounds should be applied immediately after final finishing. Curing compound shall comply
with ASTM C3094 or ASTM C13155.

3) Accelerating strength gain using heat and additional moisture

Live steam
Live steam at atmospheric pressure and high-pressure steam in autoclaves are the two methods of
steam curing. Steam temperature for live steam at atmospheric pressure should be kept at about
140 degrees Fahrenheit or less until the desired concrete strength is achieved.

Heating coils
Heating coils are usually used as embedded elements near the surface of concrete elements.
Their purpose is to protect concrete from freezing during cold weather concreting. 

Electrical heated forms or pads

Electrical heated forms or pads are primarily used by precast concrete producers.

Concrete blankets
Concrete insulation blankets are used to cover and insulate concrete surfaces subjected to
freezing temperatures during the curing period. The concrete should be hard enough to prevent
surface damage when covering with concrete blankets.

Other forms of curing include internal moist curing with lightweight aggregates or absorbent
polymer particles. For mass concrete elements (usually thicker than 3 feet), a thermal control
plan is usually developed to help control thermal stresses. Additional information can be found
in ACI Committee 308 report Guide to Curing Concrete3. For specialty concretes, it is
recommended to refer to other ACI reports as follows:

 Refractory concrete ACI 547.1R

 Refractory concrete ACI 547.1R
 Insulating concrete ACI 523.1R
 Expansive cement concrete ACI 223
 Roller-compacted concrete ACI 207.5R
 Architectural concrete ACI 303R
 Shotcrete ACI 506.2
 Fiber-reinforced concrete ACI 544.3R
 Vertical slipform construction ACI 313

Curing in either cold or hot weather requires additional attention. In cold weather, some of the
procedures include heated enclosures, evaporation reducers, curing compounds, and insulating
blankets. The temperature of fresh concrete shall be above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The curing
period for cold weather concrete is longer than the standard period due to reduced rate of
strength gain. Compressive strength of concrete cured and maintained at 50 degrees Fahrenheit is
expected to gain strength half as quickly as concrete cured at 73 degrees Fahrenheit. In hot
weather, curing and protection are critical due to rapid moisture loss from fresh concrete. The
curing actually starts before concrete is placed by wetting substrate surfaces with water.
Sunscreens, windscreens, fogging, and evaporation retardants can be used for hot weather
concrete placements. Since concrete strength gain in hot weather is faster, curing period may be
reduced. Additional information can be found in ACI 306.1, Standard Specification for Cold
Weather Concreting, ACI 306R, Cold Weather Concreting, ACI 305.1, Specification for Hot
Weather Concreting, and ACI 305R, Hot Weather Concreting

Curing Concrete Test Specimens

Curing of concrete test specimens is usually different from concrete placed during construction.
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has developed two standards for making
and curing concrete specimens. ASTM C1926 is intended for laboratory samples while ASTM
C317 is intended for field samples. Both documents provide standardized requirements for
making, curing, protecting, and transporting concrete test specimens under field or laboratory
conditions, respectively.

ASTM C192 provides procedures for evaluation of different mixtures in laboratory conditions. It
is usually used in the initial stage of the project, or for research purposes.

ASTM C31 is used for acceptance testing and can also be used as a decision tool for form or
shoring removal. Depending on its intended purpose, the standard defines two curing regimes:
standard curing for acceptance testing and field curing for form/shoring removal. Variation in
standard curing of test specimens can dramatically affect measured concrete properties.
According to the National Ready Mix Concrete Association8 (NRMCA), strength for concrete air
cured for one day followed by 27 days moist cured will be approximately 8 percent lower than
for concrete moist cured for the entire period. The strength reduction is 11 percent and 18
percent for concrete specimens initially cured in air for three days and seven days, respectively.
For the same air/moist curing combinations, but 100 degrees Fahrenheit air curing temperature,
the 28-day strength will be approximately 11 percent, 22 percent, and 26 percent lower,
respectively.