Electrical curing of concrete

Abstract

Summary: The effects of a number of variables on the compressive strength of concrete, heated by an alternating electric current passing through it, have been examined and tests made at refrigeration temperatures with a view to relaying small areas of the floors of cold storage chambers. A constant voltage was applied to the concrete so that the temperature increased quickly to a maximum (somewhat below the boiling point of water) and then gradually decreased; no control of the current was required. The relationship between the compressive strengths of treated concrete and the same mix cured normally has been examined in detail; it was found to vary with the maximum temperature and the time of treatment. Analysis of temperature and resistance measurements showed that the rise in temperature to the maximum was directly proportional to the rate of heating per unit volume of concrete. The possibility of employing the principle of electrical curing for accelerated compressive strength tests is discussed briefly, and the application of the method to the repair of the floors of cold storage chambers is outlined.