materials Article The Influence of Ambient Temperature on High Performance Concrete Properties Alina Kaleta-Jurowska * and Krystian Jurowski Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Opole University of Technology, Katowicka 48, 45-061 Opole, Poland;
[email protected] * Correspondence:
[email protected] Received: 2 September 2020; Accepted: 12 October 2020; Published: 18 October 2020 Abstract: This paper presents the results of tests on high performance concrete (HPC) prepared and cured at various ambient temperatures, ranging from 12 ◦C to 30 ◦C (the compressive strength and concrete mix density were also tested at 40 ◦C). Special attention was paid to maintaining the assumed temperature of the mixture components during its preparation and maintaining the assumed curing temperature. The properties of a fresh concrete mixture (consistency, air content, density) and properties of hardened concrete (density, water absorption, depth of water penetration under pressure, compressive strength, and freeze–thaw durability of hardened concrete) were studied. It has been shown that increased temperature (30 ◦C) has a significant effect on loss of workability. The studies used the concrete slump test, the flow table test, and the Vebe test. A decrease in the slump and flow diameter and an increase in the Vebe time were observed. It has been shown that an increase in concrete curing temperature causes an increase in early compressive strength. After 3 days of curing, compared with concrete curing at 20 ◦C, an 18% increase in compressive strength was observed at 40 ◦C, while concrete curing at 12 ◦C had a compressive strength which was 11% lower.