Concrete Curing

When concrete is first poured, it is in a liquid to sludgy state. Over time, the concrete cures, growing harder and harder until it reaches the final point, at which point it is a tough matrix of crystallized materials which are strong enough to allow people to walk, drive, and support buildings on the finished concrete. If concrete curing goes wrong, however, the finished material will lack strength.… More

When concrete is first poured, it is in a liquid to sludgy state. Over time, the concrete cures, growing harder and harder until it reaches the final point, at which point it is a tough matrix of crystallized materials which are strong enough to allow people to walk, drive, and support buildings on the finished concrete. If concrete curing goes wrong, however, the finished material will lack strength. It can be brittle and prone to fractures, and may develop problems over time. Some issues which can affect concrete curing include heat and ambient moisture. Concrete normally cures best in relatively humid, cool to neutral weather; if the weather is dry and hot, the hydration process which happens inside the concrete does not proceed as it normally does, weakening the concrete during the curing time. Less