Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of initial curing on absorption and pore size distribution of paste and concrete containing slag

  • Structural Engineering
  • Published:
KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The water absorption by shallow immersion and capillary rise of concrete with and without slag is investigated. Paste specimens representing the binder phase of the concrete mixes were prepared to study their porosity and pore size distribution. Specimens were subjected to elevated and normal temperature curing at different relative humidities. The results show that the inclusion of slag is beneficial when mixes are subjected to some initial moist curing. However, concrete containing slag is more sensitive to dry curing than concrete without slag. The influence of sample location within a concrete or paste specimens on absorption and pore size distribution is also considered. Substantial difference in absorption exists between samples taken from the top (trowelled) face and the bottom face of concrete cube of 100 mm in size for both the control and slag mixes. Also the intruded pore volume and pore size distribution of paste vary depending upon the location within a cube relative to the casting position. Correlation between the intruded pore volume of the paste and absorption of concrete shows a relationship between these parameters.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Chan, S. Y. N. and Ji, X. (1998). “Water sorptivity and chloride diffusivity of oil shale ash concrete.” Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 12, No. 4, pp. 177–183.

    Google Scholar 

  • Concrete Society (1982). Non-Structural cracks in concrete, Concrete Society Technical Report, No. 22, p. 26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fagerlund, G. (1981). Test of capillarity, Cementa AB Research Paper.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glanville, W. H. (1926). The permeability of portland cement concrete, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Building Research Technical Paper No. 3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gopalan, M. K. (1996). “Sorptivity of fly ash concrete.” Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 26, No. 8, pp. 1189–1197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hadjsadok, A., Kenai, S., Courard, L., Michel, F., and Khatib, J. M. (2012). “Durability of mortar and concretes containing slag with low hydraulic activity.” Journal of Cement and Concrete Composites, Vol. 34,Issue 5, pp. 671–677.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hall, C. (1981). “Water absorption in porous building materials-IV. The initial surface absorption and sorptivity.” Building and Environment, Vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 201–207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hall, C. (1989). “Water sorptivity of mortar and concretes: A review.” Magazine of Concrete Research, Vol. 41, No. 147, pp. 51–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ho, D. W. S. and Lewis, R. K. (1987). “The water sorptivity of concretes: The influence of constituents under continuous curing.” Durability of Building Materials, Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 241–252.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelham, S. (1988). “A water absorption test for concrete.” Magazine of Concrete Research, Vol. 40, No. 143, pp. 106–110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khatib, J. M. (2009). “Low curing temperature of metakaolin Concrete.” Materials in Civil Engineering Journal, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Vol. 21, No. 8, pp. 362–367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khatib, J. M., Baig, S., Bougara, A., and Booth, C. (2010). “Foundry sand utilisation in concrete production.” 2nd International Conference on Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies, Ancona, Italy, 28–30 June, Eds. (J Zachar, P Claisse, T R Naik, E Ganjian), Vol. 1, pp. 931–938.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khatib, J. M. and Clay, R. J. (2004). “Absorption characteristics of metakaolin concrete.” Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 19–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khatib, J. M., Herki, A. B., and Kenai, S. (2013). “Capillarity of concrete containing foundry sand.” Construction and Building Materials, Vol. 47, No. 10, pp. 867–871.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khatib, J. M., Kayali, O., and Siddique, R. (2009). “Strength and dimensional stability of cement-fly ash-metakaolin mortar.” Materials in Civil Engineering Journal, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Vol. 21, No. 9, pp. 523–528.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khatib, J. M. and Mangat, P. S. (1995). “Absorption characteristics of concrete as a function of location relative to the casting position.” Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 25, No. 5, pp. 999–1010.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khatib, J. M. and Mangat, P. S. (2003). “Porosity of cement paste cured at 45°C as a function of location relative to the casting position.” Cement and Concrete Composites, Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 97–108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khatib, J. M., Mangat, P. S., and Wright, L. (2008). “Sulphate resistance of blended binders containing FGD waste.” Construction Materials Journal — Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Vol. 161, Issue CM3, pp. 119–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khatib, J. M. and Wild, S. (1996). “Pore size distribution of metakaolin paste.” Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 26, No. 10, pp. 1545–1553.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCarter, W. J. Ezirim, H., and Emerson, M. (1992). “Absorption of water and chloride into concrete.” Magazine of Concrete Research, Vol. 44, No. 158, pp. 31–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCarter, W. J., Ezirim, H., and Emerson, M. (1996). “Properties of concrete in the cover zone: Water penetration, sorptivity and ionic ingress.” Magazine of Concrete Research, Vol. 48, No. 176, pp. 149–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parrot, L. J. (1992). “Variation of water absorption rate and porosity with depth from an exposed concrete surface: Effects of exposure conditions and cement type.” Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 22, No. 6, pp. 1077–1088.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • RILEM (1980). “Water absorption coefficient (Capillarity), RILEM tentative recommendations.” Test No. 11.6, Materials and Structures, Vol. 13, No. 75, pp. 208–213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Senbetta, E. and Scholar, C. F. (1981). “Absorptivity, a measure of curing quality as related to durability of concrete surfaces.” Proceeding of the Second International Conference on the Durability of Building Materials and Components, Maryland, pp. 153–159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siddique, R. and Khatib, J. M. (2010). “Mechanical properties and abrasion resistance of HVFA concrete.” Materials and Structures — RILEM Journal, Vol. 43, No. 5, pp. 709–718.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wild, S., Hadi, M. and Khatib, J. M. (1995). “The Influence of gypsum content on the porosity and pore size distribution of cured PFA-Lime mixes.” Advances in Cement Research Journal, Vol. 7, No. 26, pp. 47–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, WV1 1LY, UK

    J. M. Khatib

Authors
  1. J. M. Khatib
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. M. Khatib.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Khatib, J.M. Effect of initial curing on absorption and pore size distribution of paste and concrete containing slag. KSCE J Civ Eng 18, 264–272 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-014-0449-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-014-0449-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation