Effects of Temperature and Curing Methods on the Pore Structure and Mechanical Properties of Multi-Admixture Concrete

Effects of Temperature and Curing Methods on the Pore Structure and Mechanical Properties of Multi-Admixture Concrete | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Effects of Temperature and Curing Methods on the Pore Structure and Mechanical Properties of Multi-Admixture Concrete xiaoling zhong, shiqiang Yin, chen Zhang, xueshuai Liu This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9189274/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 10 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract To elucidate the relationship between concrete pore structure and mechanical properties under multiple factors, the response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the mix design. Combined with XRD and various characterization techniques, this study investigated the influence of temperature (0°C, 20°C, 40°C), curing method (standard curing, water-sprinkling curing, film curing), and mix design on concrete pore structure (pore chord length distribution, porosity, etc.) and mechanical properties. Results indicate: Temperature regulates pore structure through dual effects of capillary pressure hardening and temperature stress deterioration. Low temperatures favor micro-pore formation, while high temperatures tend to cause large-pore series connections. Curing method influences hydration processes via moisture replenishment stability, thereby altering pore parameters. Standard curing yields optimal results, water sprinkling serves as an effective alternative, and film curing leads to pore structure deterioration due to insufficient moisture. The fly ash-granulated blast furnace slag-foam suppressant blended system (H0) significantly optimizes pore structure under various temperatures and curing conditions through synergistic effects. It increases the proportion of micro-pores while reducing large-pore content, thereby enhancing mechanical properties and thermal expansion adaptability. The core principle is: “Higher micro-pore proportion and lower large-pore proportion correlate with superior mechanical performance.” Physical sciences/Engineering Physical sciences/Materials science concrete response surface composite mix design curing method pore structure mechanical properties Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files SupplementalMaterials.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 24 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 13 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 02 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 01 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 31 Mar, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 31 Mar, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 27 Mar, 2026 Editor invited by journal 27 Mar, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 26 Mar, 2026 First submitted to journal 26 Mar, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9189274","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":616585473,"identity":"53fb795f-921e-4728-bd34-b41db98d906b","order_by":0,"name":"xiaoling zhong","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA10lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACfvmDjQ8kfvyT42dvPkCcFskZzIcNLHsOGEv2HEsgTovBDbY0iQq2A4kGM3IMiHTZ7R4ziRs8dxIMJHI+3njDYCen20BAB+OcM8aWMyye5ZnzvN1sOYch2djsAAEtzAw5hrcleJiLLdtzt0nzMBxI3EZICxtDjoH0HzbmxA0Hcp4Rp4VHIi1JQoLtcOKGEzlsxGmR4Dl82ECyJw0UyMaWcwyI8Iv98UZQVNqAovLhjTcVdnIEtaBZSWzUIGkhVccoGAWjYBSMCAAAG2hGc2uLwBEAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Xinjiang Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"xiaoling","middleName":"","lastName":"zhong","suffix":""},{"id":616585474,"identity":"3e314cf8-f2b4-456b-945f-cc9850145eb0","order_by":1,"name":"shiqiang Yin","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Xinjiang Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"shiqiang","middleName":"","lastName":"Yin","suffix":""},{"id":616585475,"identity":"801896c2-cb0d-44c7-9fcb-a6d334f2df27","order_by":2,"name":"chen Zhang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Xinjiang Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"chen","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhang","suffix":""},{"id":616585476,"identity":"8e45308d-16a8-4d9b-b679-fea23dce5bec","order_by":3,"name":"xueshuai Liu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Xinjiang Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"xueshuai","middleName":"","lastName":"Liu","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-03-22 05:53:29","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9189274/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9189274/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":106103611,"identity":"67c8c2a5-299b-4268-802c-12646f82d77b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-03 13:21:29","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1409084,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"EffectsofTemperatureandCuringMethodsonthePoreStructureandMechanicalPropertiesofMultiAdmixtureConcrete.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9189274/v1_covered_0c321b85-6215-46ab-b161-e49179bfa1b4.pdf"},{"id":106103610,"identity":"c19fc152-bb15-4173-9db7-6b87f527aa9d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-03 13:21:23","extension":"docx","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":41930,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"SupplementalMaterials.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9189274/v1/2569d374b9c9761bd0ed25c1.docx"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Effects of Temperature and Curing Methods on the Pore Structure and Mechanical Properties of Multi-Admixture Concrete","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"scientific-reports","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"scirep","sideBox":"Learn more about [Scientific Reports](http://www.nature.com/srep/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Scientific Reports","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Scientific Reports","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"concrete, response surface, composite mix design, curing method, pore structure, mechanical properties","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9189274/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9189274/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eTo elucidate the relationship between concrete pore structure and mechanical properties under multiple factors, the response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the mix design. Combined with XRD and various characterization techniques, this study investigated the influence of temperature (0\u0026deg;C, 20\u0026deg;C, 40\u0026deg;C), curing method (standard curing, water-sprinkling curing, film curing), and mix design on concrete pore structure (pore chord length distribution, porosity, etc.) and mechanical properties. Results indicate: Temperature regulates pore structure through dual effects of capillary pressure hardening and temperature stress deterioration. Low temperatures favor micro-pore formation, while high temperatures tend to cause large-pore series connections. Curing method influences hydration processes via moisture replenishment stability, thereby altering pore parameters. Standard curing yields optimal results, water sprinkling serves as an effective alternative, and film curing leads to pore structure deterioration due to insufficient moisture. 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