Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
DOI 10.1007/s12205-013-0236-x
Structural Engineering
www.springer.com/12205
Abstract
This study deals with experimental investigation of strength gaining characteristics of concrete made with Portland Composite
Cement (PCC) and Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). Compressive strength of concrete is often considered as a measure to
determine the rate of strength gain of concrete with age and different cement composition. Strength developments of five concrete
types have been investigated in terms of cement content and curing duration. Experimental observations on 495 specimens reveal
that the early age strength of PCC concrete is lower than that of OPC concrete. Based on the test results, lack of proper pozzolanic
reaction in the presence of fly ash in PCC concrete strength is lower at early age. The pozzolanic activity of fly ash also contributes to
the strength gain at later stages of continuous curing. This study also concludes that drying ambient conditions reduce the strength
potential of PCC concrete as the secondary (pozzolanic) reaction fails to contribute to the development of strength.
Keywords: strength gain, cement composition, curing time, compressive strength, pozzolanic reaction
1. Introduction
The strength of concrete is one of the most important engineering
properties of construction materials. There are many factors
affecting the rate of strength gain of concrete. Concrete is composed
of cement as well as other cementitious materials such as fly ash,
slag, coarse aggregate, fine aggregate, water, and chemical
admixtures. In building construction sector, there is a common
complain that concrete does not gain target strength within specified
period (28 days). A decision should be taken at the time (28 days) to
remove formwork depend on the rate of strength gain of the concrete
considering safety, economy and quality. Freiesleben and Pedersen
(1977) reported that the rate of strength gain of concrete depends on
temperature. In view of Saul (1951) and Kim et al. (1998)
investigation, the strength gain of concrete is subjected to combined
effect of curing time and temperature during hardening process.
They found that the concrete gain strength at early-age subjected to a
high temperature. In an experimental study, Price (1951) and
Zhutovsky and Kovler (2012) pointed out that due to the first 2 hrs
of curing at high temperature concrete gain a higher strength at early
*Ph.D. Candidate, School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia (Corresponding Author, E-mail: mauce52@siswa.um.edu.my)
**Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Civil Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (E-mail: jameel@um.edu.my)
***Ph.D. Candidate, School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia (E-mail:
habibkuet@gmail.com)
****Researcher, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh (E-mail: shahinul02@gmail.com)
*****Lecturer, School of Civil Engineering, Linton University College, Legenda Education Group, 71700 Mantin, Malaysia (E-mail: noorhasan@legendagroup.edu.my)
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Md. Alhaz Uddin, Mohammed Jameel, Habibur Rahman Sobuz, Md. Shahinul Islam, and Noor Md. Sadiqul Hasan
Local sand
2.36
2.56
1.21
2.73
Crushed stone
19
2.71
0.45
1556
6.74
PCC
20.60
4.74
3.28
64.82
1.84
2.4
0.21
0.38
1.73
OPC
19.24
4.78
2.90
64.05
1.65
3.36
0.25
0.81
2.96
Experimental Study on Strength Gaining Characteristics of Concrete using Portland Composite Cement
Ingredient
Type-A (%)
66.4
3.36
30.24
Clinker
Gypsum
Slag, Fly Ash, Limestone
Type-B (%)
74.53
3.21
22.26
Type-C (%)
72.32
2.90
24.78
Type-D (%)
87.56
1.77
10.67
OPC
Type-E (%)
96.47
3.53
-
Slump (mm)
(76-101)
(25-51)
(25-51)
Cement (Kg/m3)
476.74
581.55
807.95
Water (Kg/m3)
357.46
331.21
331.21
vibrating table (Fig. 2). After that, leaving the molded concrete
specimens in place of hardening for a period of 24 h, and then demolded. The total 495 numbers of concrete specimens have been
prepared according to different curing condition (continuously
curing and only 14 days curing). In this project PCC of four different
compositions and one OPC have been used in making concrete for
target strength of 17.24 MPa, 27.58 MPa and 41.37 MPa.
Non air
Entrained
0.75
0.57
0.41
Air
Entrained
0.67
0.48
---
Fig. 2. Preparing of Concrete Specimens: (a) Casting, (b) Compacting on Vibration Table
Vol. 17, No. 4 / May 2013
791
Md. Alhaz Uddin, Mohammed Jameel, Habibur Rahman Sobuz, Md. Shahinul Islam, and Noor Md. Sadiqul Hasan
Fig. 4. Compressive Strength Test: (a) Applying Load on the Concrete Cylinder by Compression Test Machine, (b) Failure Surface of the
Crushed Concrete Cylinder
792
Experimental Study on Strength Gaining Characteristics of Concrete using Portland Composite Cement
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
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Md. Alhaz Uddin, Mohammed Jameel, Habibur Rahman Sobuz, Md. Shahinul Islam, and Noor Md. Sadiqul Hasan
Fig. 11. Time Required for Gaining Full Target Strength at Different
Cement Type at Continuous Curing Condition
Table 6. Compressive Strength Gain with Age of Concrete for 17.24 MPa
Cement Type
A(PCC)
B(PCC)
C(PCC)
D(PCC)
E(OPC)
Curing condition
14 days curing
Continuous curing
14 days curing
Continuous curing
14 days curing
Continuous curing
14 days curing
Continuous curing
14 days curing
Continuous curing
28 days
084.72
087.56
083.56
084.96
084.68
090.84
087.64
092.04
101
102.72
% of Compressive strength
90 days
180 days
101.04
113.6
102.92
121.32
104.76
113.72
105.28
123.84
108.96
117.92
111.92
127.48
110.2
118.2
110.48
126.44
115.92
122.08
119.8
132.36
365 days
119.52
132.4
119.2
135.56
124.28
137.88
123.2
137.04
126.72
138.12
Table 7. Compressive Strength Gain with Age of Concrete for 27.58 MPa
Cement Type
A(PCC)
B(PCC)
C(PCC)
D(PCC)
E(OPC)
Curing condition
14 days curing
Continuous curing
14 days curing
Continuous curing
14 days curing
Continuous curing
14 days curing
Continuous curing
14 days curing
Continuous curing
% of Compressive strength
28 days
78.175
79.575
74.15
76.65
79.65
81.9
83.55
84.65
94.4
95.85
794
90 days
087.625
098.825
090.35
096.95
096.325
099.7
096.7
102.925
101.2
105.175
180 days
090.675
103.075
097.225
111.125
101.55
108.075
103.55
113.675
107.125
112.725
365 days
092.85
107.025
098.7
117.175
104.1
115.6
105.55
121.35
109.8
117.075
Experimental Study on Strength Gaining Characteristics of Concrete using Portland Composite Cement
Table 8. Compressive Strength Gain with Age of Concrete for 41.37 MPa
Cement Type
A(PCC)
B(PCC)
C(PCC)
D(PCC)
E(OPC)
Curing condition
14 days curing
Continuous curing
14 days curing
Continuous curing
14 days curing
Continuous curing
14 days curing
Continuous curing
14 days curing
Continuous curing
28 days
82.37
83.20
75.12
77.37
80.27
80.78
85.48
86.42
91.00
93.23
4. Conclusions
This experimental study has investigated the strength gain
characteristics of five different composition cement types in
terms of different curing conditions. The compressive strength
gain at early ages of Portland cement concrete is lower than that
of ordinary Portland cement concrete. Lack of proper Pozzolanic
Vol. 17, No. 4 / May 2013
% of Compressive strength
90 days
180 days
088.58
090.63
091.63
096.93
085.02
089.08
090.22
095.92
090.48
092.88
093.97
099.17
092.02
094.05
095.83
100.13
094.43
097.10
100.97
103.38
365 days
089.75
101.87
090.87
101.05
094.35
104.30
095.20
102.62
097.92
104.92
Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge Civil Engineering Department
of Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology and the
grant RG093-10AET provided by University of Malaya.
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