AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF ECO-FRIENDLY SELF-CURING CONCRETE INCORPORATED WITH POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL

Abstract: The aim of this investigation is to study the strength and durability properties of concrete using water-soluble Polyethylene Glycol as self-curing agent. The function of self-curing agent is to reduce the water evaporation from concrete, and hence they increase the water retention capacity of concrete compared to the conventionally cured concrete. The use of self-curing admixtures is very important from the point of view that saving of water is a necessity everyday (each one cubic metre of concrete requires 3m3 of water in a construction, most of which is used for curing). In this study, compressive strength and split tensile strength of concrete containing self-curing agent is investigated and compared with those of conventionally cured concrete. It is found through this experimental study that concrete cast with Polyethylene Glycol as self-curing agent is stronger than that obtained by sprinkler curing as well as by immersion curing.

Keywords: Self-curing concrete - Water retention - Polyethylene Glycol - Immersion curing - Sprinkler curing