Mechanical characteristics of concrete under initial steam curing using solar energy

In this article, the study is based on the effect of initial steam curing using solar energy on the mechanical characteristics of concrete for precast concrete production. During the early hours of heating, the concrete reaches the minimum strength considered essential for the rotation of the molds, with which he is able to support loads without deform or loss of bearing capacity. The curing period and temperature, is an important parameter in the steam curing process. An experimental program was conducted to investigate the effect of hardening time by steam curing on the mechanical characteristics of concrete. The concrete specimens were cast with a water/cement ratio of 0.40 and were subjected to steam hardening according to two cycles of covering steam curing of two periods of the year hot and cold at 45 and 29 °C for each one 8 hours, then they are left in the open air cured for 3 and 7 days. The results show that a gain of time and shorter manufacturing lead times to reach the mechanical strengths (compressive strength and flexural) at 28 days in the free air after a one day steam curing and 3 days of hardening in the free air