Construction

and Building

MATERIALS

Construction and Building Materials 21 (2007) 12821287

www.elsevier.com/locate/conbuildmat

Self-curing concrete: Water retention, hydration and moisture transport

A.S. El-Dieb

Department of Structural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University, 1 El-Sarayat St., Abbasia 11517, Cairo, Egypt
Received 5 May 2005; received in revised form 7 February 2006; accepted 19 February 2006
Available online 1 September 2006

Abstract
Water retention of concrete containing self-curing agents is investigated. Concrete weight loss, and internal relative humidity measurements with time were carried out, in order to evaluate the water retention of self-curing concrete. Non-evaporable water at dierent ages
was measured to evaluate the hydration. Water transport through concrete is evaluated by measuring absorption%, permeable voids%,
water sorptivity, and water permeability. The water transport through self-curing concrete is evaluated with age. The eect of the concrete mix proportions on the performance of self-curing concrete were investigated, such as, cement content and w/c ratio.
 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Self-curing concrete; Water retention; Relative humidity; Hydration; Absorption; Permeable pores; Sorptivity; Water permeability

1. Introduction
Curing of concrete is maintaining satisfactory moisture
content in concrete during its early stages in order to
develop the desired properties. However, good curing is
not always practical in many cases. Several investigators
asked the question whether there will be self-curing concrete [1,2]. Therefore, the need to develop self-curing agents
attracted several researchers [3]. The concept of self-curing
agents is to reduce the water evaporation from concrete,
and hence increase the water retention capacity of the concrete compared to conventional concrete [4,5]. It was found
that water soluble polymers can be used as self-curing
agents in concrete [5].
Concrete incorporating self-curing agents will represent
a new trend in the concrete construction in the new millennium [3]. Curing of concrete plays a major role in developing the concrete microstructure and pore structure, and
hence improves its durability and performance. The concept of self-curing agents is to reduce the water evaporation
from concrete, and hence increase the water retention

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doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2006.02.007

capacity of the concrete compared to conventional concrete [4,5].

The aim of the investigation is to evaluate the use of
water-soluble polymeric glycol as self-curing agent. The
use of self-curing admixtures is very important from the
point of view that water resources are getting valuable
every day (i.e., each 1 m3 of concrete requires about 3 m3
of water for construction most of which is for curing).
The benet of self-curing admixtures is more signicant
in desert areas where water is not adequately available.
In this study water retention and hydration of concrete
containing self-curing agents is investigated and compared
to conventional concrete. Also, water transport through
this concrete is evaluated and compared to conventional
concrete continuously moist-cured and air-cured. Concrete
weight loss and internal relative humidity measurements
with time were carried out in order to evaluate the water
retention ability. Non-evaporable water at dierent ages
was measured to evaluate the hydration of self-curing concrete. The water transport, as durability index [610], is
evaluated by measuring water absorption%, permeable
voids%, water sorptivity and water permeability. Brief
description of tests and specimens is given in Section 2.2.
The parameters included in the study were mainly the
cement content and the w/c ratio.

A.S. El-Dieb / Construction and Building Materials 21 (2007) 12821287

2. Experimental work
2.1. Materials and concrete mixes
The main constituent variable parameters in this study
were the cement content and the w/c ratio. Table 1 gives
the details for the mixes used in the study. For each cement
content and w/c ratio, two concrete mixes were cast; one
which includes the self-curing agent and the other is conventional mix. A total of eight mixes were used in this
investigation. The initial slump for all the conventional
concrete mixes was kept constant (about 90120 mm) using
variable dosage of high-range water reducer-retarding
admixture (Type G). The admixture dosage was kept constant for concrete mixes when self-curing agent was used.
For evaluating water transport, two curing regimes were
used for conventional concrete mixes without self-curing
agent; continuously moist-curing under water, and aircuring.
The cement used was ordinary Portland cement. The
coarse aggregate was crushed stone with two sizes; S1 (5
20 mm particle size) and S2 (1025 mm particle size). The
two coarse aggregate sizes were mixed with a 1:1 ratio.
The sand used was natural sand with neness modulus of
2.58; the percentage of the sand was 32% of the total aggregate weight.
The self-curing agent used in the study was water soluble
polymeric glycol (i.e., polyethylene-glycol) [3,5]. The dosage of the self-curing agent was kept constant for all the
self-curing concrete mixes. The dosage was 0.02% by
weight of the cement.

1283

of the cube. The hole was then cleaned using air jet to
remove any loose particles. The hole was then sealed using
a rubber stopper. The cube was then sealed from the surrounding environment using wax lm. A digital relative
humidity probe was used to measure the relative humidity
inside the cube at several time intervals up to 91 days of
age; a one-hole rubber stopper was used to seal the humidity sensor into the concrete block. The probe was kept
inside the whole for about 23 h before taking the measurements. Measurement of the relative humidity took about
2030 s to stabilize. The holes were kept sealed using the
solid rubber stopper when not being in use to measure
the internal relative humidity. Fig. 1 shows the set-up for
measuring the internal relative humidity. Duplicate specimens were prepared for each mix and the average results
are used in the discussions.
The non-evaporable water content was carried out on
concrete specimens cast from the mixes. The specimens
were left in air (i.e., under drying condition). The nonevaporable water was determined at several time intervals
up to 28 days of age. At each age a concrete specimen from
each mix was crushed and a cement paste sample was
obtained for the test by sieving crushed concrete sample
to remove aggregate particles. The samples were kept in
porpan-ol2 to stop hydration until testing. The propan-

2.2. Specimens and testing

Concrete weight loss was carried out by lling polypropylene containers of capacity 1.5 l, with internal diameter
120 mm and height 130 mm, with concrete. The containers
were kept at constant temperature of about 25 C and relative humidity environment of about 65%. The weight of
the containers was measured after casting and at several
intervals to determine the weight loss with time. Measurement of the weight was carried-out till 28 days of age. Two
specimens were used for each mix and the average values
are used in the discussion.
A cube specimen of dimensions 158 158 158 mm was
cast from each mix. The cubes were cured in the moulds for
24 h. After de-moulding a hole of diameter 20 mm and
depth 100 mm was drilled in each cube from the top face

Fig. 1. Internal relative humidity set-up.

Table 1
Concrete mixes
Concrete mix type

Self-curing concrete
3

Cement content (kg/m )

w/c Ratio
Mix I.D.
Curing I.D.

350
0.3
0.4
Self-curing
Self-curing (no curing)

Conventional concrete
450
0.3

0.4

350
0.3
Conv.
Moist-curing

0.4

450
0.3
Air-curing

0.4

1284

A.S. El-Dieb / Construction and Building Materials 21 (2007) 12821287

ol2 was dried o before testing (i.e., the specimens were

dried in a 105 C oven). The non-evaporable water was
determined as the weight loss after burning in a mue furnace at 1050 C. The non-evaporable water was calculated
as the sample weight loss to the sample weight (g/g). Replicate samples were used for each mix and at each test age
and the average values are used in discussions.
Water absorption% and permeable pores% tests were
conducted according to ASTM C-642. A concrete disc of
diameter 100 mm and height 50 mm was cut from a cylinder and used for testing. Water absorption and permeable
pore tests were conducted at 28 day of age. The test was
conducted on replicates and the average values are
reported and used for discussion.
Water sorptivity test was carried out for measuring rate
of absorption of hydraulic cement concretes [11]. The specimens used were discs of diameter 100 mm and height
50 mm cut from a cylinder. The specimens were oven dried
at 110 C for 24 h, and then the specimens were left to cool
in dry condition for the following 24 h. The test was carried
out by allowing one surface of the specimen to be in contact with water of 5 mm depth using a circular aluminum
support as shown in Fig. 2. Using the supporting frame
and keeping the outside water level at 13 mm above the
aluminum support allows continuous contact between the

Fig. 2. Water sorptivity set-up.

70

Cement Content = 350 kg/ m

3. Test results and discussion

3.1. Water retention
The weight loss with time due to the moisture evaporation was found to be less for the self-curing mixes than that
for the conventional mixes. This indicates better water
retention for self-curing mixes. Fig. 3 shows the weight loss
with time for all the mixes. The weight loss for the concrete
mixes with w/c ratio 0.4 was greater than that for concrete
mixes with w/c ratio 0.3 for both cement contents. Also,
the weight loss for the concrete mixes with cement content
450 kg/m3 was slightly higher than that for concrete mixes
with cement content 350 kg/m3.
Fig. 4 shows the internal relative humidity for the selfcuring and conventional concrete with time. The cement
content and the w/c ratio have a signicant eect on the
internal relative humidity of the concrete whether self-curing or conventional mixes, this conrms with the ndings
previously concluded for conventional concrete mixes
[14,15]. For the concrete mixes with cement content
350 kg/m3, the internal relative humidity for the self-curing
70

w/c = 0.4

60

w/c = 0.4
w/c = 0.4

50

Weight Loss (gm)

Weight Loss (gm)

60

specimen surface and the water without changing the water

depth during the test time. The sides of the test specimens
were sealed with electric vinyl tape to create unidirectional
ow through the concrete specimen. The weight of the
specimen was recorded at xed time intervals with a total
time of 25 min [1113]. The sorptivity test was conducted
at 28 days and 56 days of age on duplicate specimens for
each mix.
The water permeability test was conducted using constant water pressure head during a constant time period.
The water inow was measured and the water coecient
of permeability (m/s) was calculated. The water permeability test was conducted on saturated concrete specimens of
diameter 100 mm and height 50 mm cut from concrete cylinders. The specimens were saturated using vacuum saturation before testing. The water permeability coecient (m/s)
was measured at 7, 14, 28 and 56 days of age for each mix
on duplicate specimens fro each mix and for each age.

w/c = 0.3

40

w/c = 0.3

30
20

w/c = 0.4
w/c = 0.3

50

w/c = 0.3

40
30
Self -Curing

20

Self-Curing

10

Conventional

10

Conventional

Cement Content

= 450 kg /m

16
24
Time (days)

32

40

16
24
Time (days)

Fig. 3. Weight loss with time for self-curing and conventional mixes.

32

40

A.S. El-Dieb / Construction and Building Materials 21 (2007) 12821287

100

100

C.C. 450 kg/m 3

C.C. 350 kg /m 3
Self-Curing
Conventional

95

90
w/c = 0.4
85

w/c = 0.3
w/c = 0.4
w/c = 0.3

80

Self-Curing
Conventional

95
Relative Humidity (%)

Relative Humidity (%)

1285

90

85
w/c = 0.4
w/c = 0.3
w/c = 0.4
w/c = 0.3

80

75

75

20

40

60

80

100

120

20

40

60

Time (days)

80

100

120

Time (days)

Fig. 4. Internal relative humidity with time for self-curing and conventional mixes.

mixes was slightly higher than 85% after 91 days, and

below 85% for the conventional mixes. For the concrete
mixes with cement content 450 kg/m3, the internal relative
humidity was below 85% for the self-curing mixes while it
was below 80% for conventional mixes. This shows that
the self-desiccation is more pronounced for the conventional mixes compared to the self-curing mixes which could
have a direct impact on the hydration of the cement.
3.2. Hydration
The non-evaporable water (Wn) measured on unsealed
specimens (i.e., under drying condition) at dierent times
for self-curing and conventional concrete mixes is shown
in Fig. 5. It could be seen that self-curing concrete with
its ability to retain water resulted in higher non-evaporable
water which in turn imply higher degree of hydration. The
eect is aected by the mix proportions as found from the
results of the measurement of the weight loss and the internal relative humidity.
3.3. Water absorption and permeable pores
Fig. 6 shows water absorption% and permeable pores%
for the self-curing and conventional concretes with dierent

0.2
C.C. 350 kg/m

cement contents and w/c ratios. The water absorption%

and the permeable pores% were found to be slightly higher
for self-curing concrete than those for continuously moistcured conventional concrete. On the other hand, the selfcuring concrete showed lower water absorption% and permeable pores% compared to air-cured conventional concrete. This indicates that self-curing concrete develops
lower permeable pores% compared to the air-cured conventional concrete. This could be attributed to the water
retention of the self-curing concrete and the continuation
of hydration compared to the air-cured conventional
concrete.
3.4. Water sorptivity
The water sorptivity was measured at two ages, 28
days and 56 days of age, in order to study the eect of
self-curing on the development of the capillary pores,
and the capillary water suction of the concrete. Fig. 7
shows the water sorptivity for the self-curing and the conventional concrete with its two curing regimes at 28 days
and 56 days of age respectively. For the 450 kg/m3 cement
content conventional concrete mix, the water sorptivity
values at both ages were not signicantly reduced when
w/c ratio was reduced from 0.4 to 0.3 for the continuously

0.2

0.18

0.18
w/c = 0.4
w/c = 0.3

w/c = 0.3

0.16
Wn (gm/gm)

0.16
Wn (gm/gm)

w/c = 0.4
w/c = 0.4
w/c = 0.3

C.C. 450 kg/m 3

w/c = 0.4

w/c = 0.3
0.14
0.12

0.14
0.12
0.1

0.1

Self -Curing

Self-Curing
0.08

0.08

Conventional

Conventional

0.06

0.06
0

10

15

20
Time (days)

25

30

35

40

10

15

20

Time (days)

Fig. 5. Non-evaporable water versus time for self-curing and conventional mixes.

25

30

35

40

A.S. El-Dieb / Construction and Building Materials 21 (2007) 12821287

Pores %

Absorption %

18

Absorption %

16

14

12

10

20

C.C. 450 kg /m 3

18

Pores %

16

14

12

10

6
2

6
2

0.4

0.3
0.4
w/c Rati o

Moist -Curing

28 - D Pores %

28 - D Pores %

20

C.C. 350 kg /m 3

28 - DAbsor. %

28 - D Pores %

1286

4
2
0

0.3

0.4

0.3

0.4

0.3

Self -Curing

Air- Curing

w/c Ratio

Self -Curing

Air -Curing

Moist -Curing

Fig. 6. Water absorption% and permeable pores%.

0.3

0.3

C.C. 450 kg /m

C.C. 350 kg/m

1/2

56 - Day Sorptivity (mm/min )

1/2

56 - Day Sorptivity (mm/min )

C.C. 350 kg /m
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0

C.C. 450 kg/m

0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0

0.4

0.3

0.4

0.3

0.4

w/c Ratio
Moist -Curing

Self -Curing

Air- Curing

0.3
Moist -Curing

w/c Ratio

0.4

Self -Curin g

0.3

Air- Curing

Fig. 7. Water sorptivity at 28 days and 56 days of age for self-curing and conventional mixes.

moist-cured regime. For the continuously moist-cured

conventional concrete mix with 350 kg/m3 cement content, reducing the w/c ratio resulted in a water sorptivity
value very close to that of similar conventional moistcured mix with cement content 450 kg/m3 and w/c of
0.4. This trend was found at both ages. The water sorptivity values for the self-curing concrete were higher than

C.C. 350 kg/m

w/c = 0.4

4E-11

9E-12

C.C. 450 kg /m

8E-12

w/c = 0.3

Perm. Coeff. (m/s)

Perm. Coeff. (m/s)

5E-11

those for moist-cured conventional mixes, but lower than

those of air-cured conventional mixes. This conrms with
the results obtained in the water absorption% and permeable pores%.
The sorptivity values were found to decrease with time
for both self-curing and the moist-curing concrete mixes;
the reduction for the moist-curing mixes was higher than

3E-11
2E-11

w/c = 0.4

7E-12

w/c = 0.3

6E-12
5E-12
4E-12
3E-12
2E-12

1E-11

1E-12
0

0
7

14

28

Moist-Curing

56
7
Age (days)
Self-Curing

14

28

56

Air -Curing

14

28

Moist -Curing

56
7
Age (days)

14

Self -Curing

Fig. 8. Water permeability coecient with time for self-curing and conventional mixes.

28

56

Air- Curing

A.S. El-Dieb / Construction and Building Materials 21 (2007) 12821287

that of the self-curing mixes. This could be attributed to the

continuation of hydration in both mixes but the eect in
the case of self-curing mixes is not signicant in reducing
the large pores volume (i.e., capillary pores). In the case
of air-cured conventional concrete mixes, the reduction in
the water sorptivity value with age is marginal for both
cement contents. This could be attributed to the slower rate
of hydration.
3.5. Water permeability
The water permeability was measured at dierent ages
up to 56 days of age. Fig. 8 shows the water permeability
coecient with time for both self-curing and conventional
mixes for cement contents 350 kg/m3 and 450 kg/m3,
respectively. For both cement contents it was noticed that
self-curing resulted in water permeability higher than that
of moist-cured conventional mixes, and that the permeability coecient values decreased with time. This indicates the
continuation of hydration and the development of the pore
structure of the concrete; nevertheless, the eect of moistcuring is signicant on reducing the water permeability values due to the better reduction in the larger pores volume
compared to the self-curing concrete. It was noticed that
for the air-cured concrete mixes, the reduction in the water
permeability coecient with time was not signicant indicating slower rate of cement hydration and high-permeable
pores%. This conrms with the results obtained in the
water sorptivity test.
4. Conclusions
The following could be concluded from the results
obtained in this study in spite of the scattering of test
results:
Water retention for the concrete mixes incorporating
self-curing agent is higher compared to conventional
concrete mixes, as found by the weight loss with time.
Self-curing concrete suered less self-desiccation under
sealed conditions compared to conventional concrete.
Self-curing concrete resulted in better hydration with
time under drying condition compared to conventional
concrete.
Water transport through self-curing concrete is lower
than air-cured conventional concrete.
Water sorptivity and water permeability values for selfcuring concrete decreased with age indicating lower permeable pores% as a result of the continuation of the
cement hydration.

1287

Also, the following conclusions could be considered for

further research:
Performance of the self-curing agent is aected by the
mix proportions, mainly the cement content and the
w/c ratio.
Eect of the self-curing agent on the microstructure and
the pore size distribution of the self-curing concrete
require additional study.
Durability of self-curing concrete to sulphate salts and
chloride induced corrosion is needed to be evaluated.
The eect of using higher w/c ratios, dierent cement
types, and supplementary cementing materials (SCM),
such as silica fume y ash and ground granulated blast
slag on water retention, hydration and moisture transport of the self-curing concrete needs further
investigation.
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