Determination of optimal microwave curing cycle for fly ash mortars

TOPÇU İ. B., Toprak M. U., Akdag D.

CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING, vol.35, no.4, pp.349-357, 2008 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 35 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 2008
  • Doi Number: 10.1139/l07-132
  • Journal Name: CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.349-357
  • Keywords: microwave curing, accelerated curing, strength prediction, mortar, COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH, LATER-AGE, CONCRETE, MATURITY, ENERGY
  • Eskisehir Osmangazi University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Microwave energy can accelerate the hydration of cement, which results in the rapid strength development of concrete. In this paper, prediction of later age compressive strength of fly ash cement mortars, based on the accelerated strength of mortars cured with microwave energy, was investigated. To accelerate curing properly, optimal processing parameters of microwave curing (MC) on Portland cement mortars (CM) and fly ash cement mortars (FA) were first determined and then were applied to mortars. The possible early ages for the strength prediction were found to be at 6 and 8 h for CM and FA, respectively. The error percentages for prediction of CM were +/-2.22% and 2.91% for 7 and 28 d, respectively. Error percentages for FA, on the other hand, were +/-4.36% and 5.20% for 7 and 28 d, respectively.