Comparison of the properties between high-volume fly ash concrete and high-volume steel slag concrete under temperature matching curing condition

• Steel slag reduces more hydration temperature rise than fly ash.
• Temperature match curing does not promote the early strength of HVSS concrete so much.
• The effect of temperature match curing on the permeability of HVSS concrete is small.

Massive concrete structures tend to have high cracking risk due to early temperature rise. High-volume mineral admixture concrete, which has low hydration heat, is suitable for massive concrete structures. In this paper, the properties of high-volume fly ash (HVFA) concrete and high-volume steel slag (HVSS) concrete were compared under two different curing conditions (standard curing condition and temperature match curing condition). The results show that the promoting effect of temperature match curing on the early strength of HVFA concrete is more obvious than that on HVSS concrete. Temperature match curing has negative effect on the late strength and elastic modulus of HVSS concrete. The promotion of temperature match curing to the elastic modulus development is not so obvious as that to the strength development. Temperature match curing can significantly decrease the chloride permeability of HVFA concrete, but its influence on the chloride permeability of HVSS concrete is inconspicuous. Though the adiabatic temperature rise of HVSS concrete is lower than that of HVFA concrete, which is beneficial to its application to the massive concrete structures, its strength especially the splitting tensile strength and resistance to chloride ion penetration need to be improved.