Influence of temperature on the early-age behavior of concrete

The hydration of cement is known to be sensitive to thermal effects, particularly during the first stages of the reaction. A restrained shrinkage frame was used to investigate the influence of temperature on the volume instability of concrete at early age. Experiments were conducted under isothermal conditions. Test variables included the water to cement ratio (0.30, 0.35 and 0.45) and curing temperature (10, 20 and 30° C). Test results confirm that there is a significant influence of temperature on the behavior of concrete at early age. The internal stresses induced in the material tested in restrained conditions were found to markedly increase with temperature. Temperature was also found to have a significant influence on the visco-elastic properties of concrete. A theoretical analysis of the results is presented and the applicability of the maturity concept to analyze the impact of temperature on creep results is briefly discussed.