Thermal crack control in mass concrete structure using an automated curing system

•Automated curing system resulted lower temperature difference of test specimen.•Proposed method achieved the highest strength and lowest chloride ion penetrability.•Automated curing system reduced thermal cracking of massive concrete structure.

Heat of hydration raises the internal temperature of concrete and also induces thermal stress. Subsequently, thermal cracks occur when the tensile stress reaches the tensile strength of concrete. Researchers of this study developed a new automated curing system, which maintains the gap between the internal temperature and external temperature of a structure below a temperature criterion in order to minimize the thermal cracks of mass concrete. The developed curing method was successfully demonstrated through a mock-up test and a field application. Accordingly, it is concluded that the automated curing system developed in this study can improve the quality of mass concrete structure.