What is Curing? Importance of Curing. Method of Curing.
What is Curing?
Curing is a process
during which spraying of water is done on a freshly constructed area of a
building or structure to complete the hydration process and to ensure better
hardening, strength and durability.
Importance Of Curing
·
To complete
the hydration process between cement and water.
·
To prevent
the concrete structure from cracking.
·
To achieve
or gain the maximum strength of concrete, brick wall and plaster etc.
Method of Curing:
1) Ponding Method: This is the best method of curing. It is suitable for curing horizontal
surfaces such like floor slabs and road pavements. After placing of concrete,
small ponds of clay or sand are built across and along the concrete surface.
The area is then divided into a number of rectangles or squares. The water is
filled between the ponds twice or thrice a day, depending upon the atmospheric
conditions. This method is very efficient but the amount of water required is
huge.
2) Sprinkling
Water: In this process, water is sprayed on the
concrete with the help of nozzles at proper intervals. This process is not very
effective because of the difficulty of keeping the concrete surface moist all
the time.
3) Covering The Surface: In this process of curing, the concrete
surface is covered with wet gunny bags or waterproof papers to avoid water loss
and to protect the concrete from further damage. This process of curing gives
satisfactory results for concrete slabs and surfaces.
4) Plastic Sheeting: Concrete could be properly covered with
a plastic sheet in order to seal the evaporation of water within concrete. A
plastic sheet made from polyethylene film is an effective moisture retarder,
lightweight and can be used on horizontal and vertical surfaces as well as on the
surface of different shapes and sizes.
5) Steam Curing: This type of curing is done by
increasing the temperature of concrete in wet conditions. This method of curing
allows the concrete to gain its full strength within a short time; hence,
curing is also finished within a short time. Steam curing is mostly used or
adopted for the production of precast members.
Time Duration For Different Building Components and Members.
|
S.No |
Building Component |
Mini.Days of Curing |
Max. Days of Curing |
|
1 |
Slab |
7 days |
14 days |
|
2 |
Brick Wall |
8 days |
10 days |
|
3 |
Plaster Work |
7 days |
10 days |
|
4 |
RCC Beam/Column |
7 days |
10 days |
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