Effect of temperature and aging on the mechanical properties of concrete

This paper reports the results of curing temperature and aging on the strength and elastic modulus and the Part II paper suggests a prediction model based on these experimental results. Tests of 480 cylinders made of Types I, V, and V cement+fly ash concretes, cured in isothermal conditions of 10, 23, 35, and 50 °C and tested at the ages of 1, 3, 7, and 28 days are reported. According to the experimental results, concretes subjected to high temperatures at early ages attain higher early-age compressive and splitting tensile strengths but lower later-age compressive and splitting tensile strengths than concretes subjected to normal temperature. Even though the elastic modulus has the same tendency, the variation of elastic modulus with curing temperature is not so obvious as compressive strength. Based on the experimental result, the relationships among compressive strength, elastic modulus, and splitting tensile strength are analyzed, considering the effects of curing temperature, aging, and cement type.