Consequences of longer sealed curing on drying shrinkage, cracking and carbonation of concrete

Linear correlations were found between five properties: compressive strength and degree of hydration at exposure, carbonated depth, median pore diameter, and drying depth. These indicators can be used to optimize the durability of concrete. Sealed curing should be as long as possible to allow hydration of cementitious materials, to minimize drying depth, and to maximize the resistance to carbonation. However, drying shrinkage shows a pessimum; this should be taken into account in the design of durable concrete cover.