Study of Mechanical Properties of Self-Compacting Concrete Incorporating Pozzolan Materials When Subjected to Microwave Curing
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Abstract
Abstract
This research is to study the microwave energy to improve the early-age compressive strength development of self-compacting concrete (SCC) incorporating low reactivity rice husk ash (RHA), pulverized fuel ash (FA), and limestone powder (LS). A multi-mode microwave system operating at a frequency of 2.45 GHz was used in this study. The SCC mixtures were formulated using a water-to-binder mass ratio of 0.22 and a cement content of 450 kg/m3, the pozzolan material was replaced in Portland cement at level 20% by mass. The effects of curing by microwave power level, and exposure time on early strength were examined and the compressive strengths were compared to concrete samples which cured by using lime saturated-deionized water. From the test results, it was found that samples cured using microwave energy developed 1-day compressive strengths up to 40% greater than the conventionally cured samples.
Keywords : Microwave; Curing; Compressive Strength; Self-compacting Concrete