Evaluating the Relationship between Curing Time and Compressive Strength in Concrete: A Statistical Analysis

Abstract

limitations exist in relating curing time and strength through standardized testing methods. These limitations include difficulty replicating real-world variations in curing conditions. Accurately measuring the true curing history of concrete in the field remains challenging, making it difficult to precisely correlate curing time to achieve strength in real-world applications. This study investigated the statistical relationship between curing time and crushing resistance of concrete cubes cured by ponding. Minitab software was used to analyze the data. The compressive strength increased significantly with curing time, as the hydration process between cement and water continued for days after pouring. Data showed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.921) between curing days and strength. A polynomial regression model effectively captured this relationship (R-squared = 0.9803, adjusted R-squared = 0.9655). The model suggests that longer curing durations lead to stronger concrete. The fitted equation allows the estimation of compressive strength based on curing time. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) confirmed that curing time significantly impacts compressive strength (p-value < 0.001). The cubic regression equation incorporates linear, curvature, and minor deviation terms to accurately model the strength gain pattern.