In This Section

Other Sources for Answers

Search other resources on the ACI website for answers to technical questions

Technical Questions

ACI Committees, Membership, and Staff have answered common questions on a variety of concrete related topics.



What methods are commonly used to ensure sufficient moisture for curing concrete?

Q. What methods are commonly used to ensure sufficient moisture for curing concrete?

 

A. Concrete is kept moist by providing water through ponding, continuous sprinkling, covering with wet burlap, cotton mats, or similar materials, or by moisture retention through covering with specially prepared paper, polyethylene, or other plastic sheeting; or by spraying with a liquid membrane-forming curing compound. Leaving metal or well-oiled wood forms in place may offer considerable protection against the loss of moisture, especially if the upper unformed concrete surfaces are kept saturated with wet burlap, sand, or soaker hoses. Water is added to replace the water that has been lost. If none is lost, none needs to be added unless the w/cm is less than 0.4 by mass, or unless the composition of the cement requires added water (ACI 223).

 

References: SP-1(02); ACI 308R-16; ACI 209R-92; ACI 302.1R-15; ACI 223R

Topics in Concrete: Concrete Fundamentals; Curing; Placing