Extending internal curing to concrete mixtures with W/C higher than 0.42

Internal curing (IC) is an effective method for improving performance of low W/C – low permeability concretes because they require additional water to hydrate the cementitious materials. Conventional concretes, on the other hand, contain enough water to hydrate the cementitious materials, but are frequently not properly cured, allowing drying and compromising strength gain and durability. The aim of this investigation is to assess the effect of IC as a complement to traditional curing in relatively high W/C concretes (W/C above 0.42) under drying conditions. Degree of hydration, compressive strength, and permeability were measured in concretes with IC and without IC. Results show that even under drying conditions, mixtures with IC exhibit 16% higher hydration, 19% higher compressive strength, and 30% lower permeability than their counterparts with no IC. This suggests that IC can be very useful for improving performance in concrete mixtures with relatively high W/C under poor curing conditions.