Application of Low-Carbon Ecofriendly Microwave Heat Curing Technology to Concrete Structures Using General and Multicomponent Blended Binder

Abstract

Concrete structures that employed general and multicomponent blended binders were constructed using a low-carbon, ecofriendly microwave heat curing technology with the aim of accelerating the concrete’s curing process. In this study, a field-cast concrete tunnel lining that employed a general binder (portland cement) and a precast box culvert that employed a multicomponent blended binder were constructed using the microwave heat curing technology. In the precast concrete box culvert, portland cement was partially replaced by ground granulated blast furnace (GGBF) slag and fly ash, and rapid-cooled steelmaking slag was used as an alternative to fine aggregates. Through a series of evaluations, it was found that the proposed curing technology was able to fully complete the curing process with the use of electric power alone, reduce the time required to cure the concrete in the field-cast concrete tunnel lining and permit form removal to 4 h, and potentially lower the cost of curing by about 70% compared with conventional steam curing.