Download or read book Extended Life Concrete Bridge Decks Utilizing Internal Curing to Reduce Cracking written by Xuhao Wang and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With the ongoing concern about premature cracking of concrete bridge decks that reduces the service life of bridges and results in increased maintenance and replacement costs, this work aimed at assessing the benefits of using lightweight fine aggregate (LWFA) in concrete mixtures to assist the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) in preparing a specification to increase the probability of achieving crack-free, long-lasting bridge decks. A laboratory testing program led to a recommended mix design for implementation on a bridge construction project in Ohio. The design included the use of 50% slag cement and LWFA for internal curing. Construction of two bridge decks involved a control using a conventional mix design and the other containing the recommended mixture. The decks were instrumented and load tested shortly after construction and inspected one year after placement. No differences in structural performance were noted, but there were far fewer cracks in the test deck compared to the control. A life-cycle cost analysis was also conducted and shown that the premium for the recommended mixture would be recovered in reduced maintenance over the life of the bridge.

Download or read book Improving Service Life of Concrete Structures Through the Use of Internal Curing written by Timothy J. Barrett and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 483 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) commissioned the construction of six bridge decks utilizing a new class of internally cured high performance concrete (IC HPC). The first four bridge decks were constructed in the summer of 2013, while the fifth was built in November of 2014 and the sixth is planned for the summer of 2015. These decks implement research findings presented in the FHWA/IN/JTRP-2010/10 report (Schlitter, Henkensiefken, et al. 2010) where internal curing was proposed as one method to reduce the potential for shrinkage cracking, leading to improved durability. In addition, the use of higher performance concrete mixtures and a new specification composed of prescriptive and performance based measures was implemented with the intention of extending the service life of the bridge decks. The objectives of this thesis are to provide documentation of the construction and performance of the IC HPC bridge decks cast in Indiana and provide a viable, practice-ready method for the assessment of the potential durability of these concretes. In fulfillment of these objectives, samples of the IC HPC used in construction were compared to a reference high performance concrete (HPC) which did not utilize internal curing and was made by the same producer with the same constituent materials. The samples collected in the field were transported to the laboratory where the mechanical performance, resistance to chloride ingress, and potential for shrinkage and cracking was assessed. Using experimental results and mixture proportions, the diffusion based service life of the bridge decks was able to be estimated. The construction process was documented for first four bridge decks made using internal cured high performance concrete (IC HPC). These concretes were able to be designed, batched, and placed and are now in service. While avoidable issues were observed during batching construction related to corrections of batching water, batching tolerances and fluctuations in air content (which apply to any concrete), the IC HPC was able to be batched and placed using slight modifications to conventional methods. The production of the IC HPC mixtures was implemented using a mixed specification using prescriptive and performance based measures representing an improvement on previous specifications which did not specifically have provisions that consider durability. To aid in the implementation of internal curing in the field, a new quality control technique for lightweight aggregate utilizing a centrifuge has been implemented is now standardized in Indiana Testing Method 222 (Miller, Barrett, et al. 2014). The results of laboratory testing indicate that the compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, and tensile strength of the IC HPC mixtures was not substantially different than the HPC mixtures and as such current codified equations are able to be used to predict the modulus of elasticity and tensile strength if the compressive strength is known. The diffusion of chlorides in these concretes was assessed, where it was shown that each of the mixtures tested had a charge passed in the rapid chloride permeability test of less than 1500 C at 91 days (AASHTO T277-07 2007); additional testing provided equivalent results when performing the Nordtest (NT Build 492 1999), Stadium migration test , or electrical resistivity test. Using experimental results which determined the chloride diffusion and permeability, the diffusion based service life of the IC HPC bridge decks was estimated to be between approximately 60 to 90 years, compared to approximately 18 years for the conventional class C bridge deck concrete used in Indiana. The susceptibility to early age shrinkage and cracking was evaluated where it was shown that IC HPC concretes exhibited a reduction in early age shrinkage of 70 to 90%, resulting in a reduction in residual stresses of 80% or more while reducing thermally induced stress by up to 55% when compared to HPC mixtures. Collectively, these results indicate that the IC HPC mixtures that were produced as a part of this study exhibit the potential of for substantially increased service life while markedly reducing the potential for early age cracking. The second phase of this thesis investigated the role of initial sample conditioning and the effect of changes in degree of saturation on the measured electrical resistivity, where a new function was developed to describe this relationship in air entrained concretes. The consistency and variability in the determination of the chloride diffusion coefficient was investigated through standardized testing methods, where it was shown that the coefficient of variation associated with the accelerated tests was approximately 15% or less and are dependent on the test. Chloride profile measurements made on cores taken from samples which were exposed with a known deicing solution and the temperature fluctuations of West Lafayette, Indiana indicated that on average, the coefficient of variation for determining the apparent chloride diffusion coefficient under is 30% or less. In addition, the use of resistivity measurements on sealed samples was used to evaluate the variability of the concrete produced throughout the construction of the fifth IC HPC bridge deck while comparisons of the samples from the first four bridge decks produced in the laboratory and in the field were also made. The results indicated that the coefficient of variation associated with the resistivity measurements made on the fifth bridge deck was less than 5%, while experimental results indicated that industrial production consistently results in lower performance as measured by the resistivity test when compared to laboratory production. In this study it was also shown that measurements of mechanical properties are not indicative of the potential durability of the concrete. The conclusions of this thesis and the findings presented in the FHWA/IN/JTRP-2010/10 report (Schlitter, Henkensiefken, et al. 2010) and the CDOT-2014-3 report (Jones et al. 2014) indicate that internal curing is a practice-ready, engineered solution that may lead to the production of higher performance concretes which have a reduced potential for cracking. To aid in the implementation of internal curing in practice, spreadsheets which automate calculations necessary for quality control for lightweight aggregates, mixture proportioning, and moisture adjustments have been developed by Miller (2014) and have been made available with the report documenting the construction of the first four bridge decks (Barrett et al. 2015). This thesis also provided the framework for a durability based design approach using sealed electrical resistivity measurements which may be implemented in practice. This method has been shown to be a viable way to rapidly evaluate the chloride diffusion coefficient of concrete and is appropriate for testing large numbers of samples during construction. It is recommended that the approach outlined in this work be implemented in performance based specifications in lieu of other accelerated testing methods which define the performance of the concrete based on the result of that test. Finally, it should be emphasized that the implementation of technologies such as those that are presented in this thesis alone does not guarantee higher performance, as the production of such concrete requires a degree of technical competence in design, production, and construction of concrete materials. As is the case with the production of any concrete, internally cured or not, performance will be directly tied to the careful accounting of water, be it on the surface of aggregates, in the mixing drum after washing, or elsewhere. Special attention should be paid to the proper operation of batching systems, while placement techniques should be reviewed to minimize unwanted effects, and proper finishing and curing techniques must always be practiced. Only after performing the basics of concrete production properly will the full benefits of internal curing be actualized.

Download or read book Mitigating Shrinkage Cracking of Concrete in Bridge Decks Through Internal Curing written by Daniel Robert Goad and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As the need for durable, long lasting infrastructure increases, new methods and techniques are being explored to prolong the service life of roads and bridges. One method to reduce shrinkage and early age cracking in concrete is internal curing. Internal curing supplies water to concrete, using pre-wetted lightweight aggregate (LWA), as needed throughout the process of hydration to reduce self desiccation, which leads to cracking. This research project analyzed two types of coarse LWA, expanded clay and expanded shale. The mixtures were developed specifically for use in bridge decks and adhered to specifications of the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD). The concrete mixtures contained LWA at rates of 0, 100, 200, and 300 lb/yd3. The research was divided into two phases. The first phase measured autogenous and drying shrinkage in both plastic and elastic states using embedded vibrating wire strain gages (VWSG) cast in concrete prisms. The expanded clay LWA mixtures, with the 300 lb. replacement rate yielding the best results, were most effective in reducing shrinkage. Compressive strength decreased as the amount of LWA included in the mixture increased. However, all mixtures surpassed the 28 day compressive strength specified by AHTD. The second phase of the research project measured plastic shrinkage cracking in thin concrete test slabs. Methods and materials were investigated to produce consistent plastic shrinkage surface cracks of the concrete slabs. The extent of plastic shrinkage that occurred was quantified by measuring the total crack area of the test slabs. Implementation of 300 lb. of expanded clay LWA did not reduce the crack lengths, but did reduce the average crack widths experienced by the test slabs due to plastic shrinkage.

Download or read book Behavior of Bridge with Internally Cured Concrete Deck Under Environmental and Truck Loading written by Waleed Khalid Hamid and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The long-term performance of a bridge deck depends on its resistance to bridge cracking. Most of these cracks are initiated at the early age. Early age cracking of bridge decks is a typical issue in the U.S. that reduces bridge service life. Therefore, internally cured concrete (ICC) has been used in some states to reduce or eliminate the development of cracks in reinforced concrete decks. In this study, the early age behavior of ICC deck and the effect of the internal curing on the long-term behavior of the bridge was measured and evaluated in the laboratory and field for newly adjacent constructed bridge, which were located on Route 271 in Mayfield, Ohio. Two different types of concrete mixtures were utilized for the decks: conventional concrete (CC) and internally cured concrete (ICC). Firstly, the ICC and CC mixtures were examined in the laboratory in terms of a mechanical properties test, a plastic shrinkage test, a free shrinkage test, and a restrained shrinkage test. Second, the field behavior of an ICC deck and an adjacent CC deck during their early age and long-term performance were evaluated. Also, the shrinkage development for both decks was examined during the very early age. Instrumentation was used to measure the concrete and reinforcement strains and the temperature in both bridges. The instrumentation and results for both bridges are discussed. Laboratory results indicated that using pre-wetted lightweight concrete in the concrete mixture led to decreased density, coefficient of thermal expansion, and free shrinkage strain, and increased tensile strength and cracking time of concrete compared to conventional concrete. In the field, from the early age test, it was observed that the time to develop concrete shrinkage was approximately 5-6 hours after casting the deck of the ICC and the CC.

Download or read book Low Shrinkage Mix Designs to Reduce Early Cracking of Concrete Bridge Decks written by Eric Simonton and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract Shrinkage cracking is reducing the service life of concrete bridge decks in South Dakota due to premature deterioration. In this study, the effects of varying concrete mix design parameters on autogenous and drying shrinkage was observed. Tested mix design changes include aggregate type (limestone and quartzite) and gradations (ASTM C33, Tarantula Curve, and 0.45 Power Curve), supplementary cementitious materials (fly ash), cementitious content, water-to-cementitious ratio, internal curing using saturated lightweight aggregates (expanded shale), and shrinkage reducing admixtures. These changes were evaluated for their effect on the shrinkage of paste, mortar, and concrete as measured by ASTM C1698 (autogenous shrinkage) and ASTM C157 (drying shrinkage). Fresh property tests, compressive strength, and electrical resistivity measurements were performed on each mix as well. A survey of state Department of Transportations revealed the current state-of-the-art practices on shrinkage reduction in bridge decks, including the use of admixtures, internal curing agents, and external curing methods.

Download or read book Documentation of the INDOT Experience and Construction of the Bridge Decks written by Timothy Barrett and published by . This book was released on 2015-09-01 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) constructed four bridge decks utilizing internally cured, high performance concrete (IC HPC) during the summer of 2013. These decks implement research findings from the research presented in the FHWA/IN/JTRP-2010/10 report where internal curing was proposed as one method to reduce the potential for shrinkage cracking, leading to improved durability. The objective of this research was to document the construction of the four IC HPC bridge decks that were constructed in Indiana during 2013 and quantify the properties and performance of these decks. This report contains documentation of the production and construction of IC HPC concrete for the four bridge decks in this study. In addition, samples of the IC HPC used in construction were compared with a reference high performance concrete (HPC) which did not utilize internal curing. These samples were transported to the laboratory where the mechanical properties, resistance to chloride migration, and potential for shrinkage and cracking was assessed. Using experimental results and mixture proportions, the diffusion based service life of the bridge decks was able to be estimated. Collectively, the results indicate that the IC HPC mixtures that were produced as a part of this study exhibit the potential to more than triple the service life of the typical bridge deck in Indiana while reducing the early age autogenous shrinkage by more than 80% compared to non-internally cured concretes.

Download or read book Using Internal Curing to Prevent Concrete Bridge Deck Cracking written by Eric Charles Mack and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Evaluation of High Absorptive Materials to Improve Internal Curing of Low Permeability Concrete written by Norbert J. Delatte and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Early age cracking of bridge decks is a national problem, and may substantially reduce service lives and increase maintenance costs. Cracking occurs when the tensile stress exceeds the tensile strength of the concrete. This is a time-dependent phenomenon, since both the stress and strength change at early ages. Moisture loss increases stress (with increasing shrinkage) and impairs strength gain. Internal curing is one method that has been suggested to reduce early age bridge deck cracking, particularly of concretes with low water to cementitious materials (w/cm) ratios. Many state highway agencies have implemented high performance concrete (HPC) for bridge decks. The low permeability of HPC is used to protect reinforcing steel and prevent corrosion. However, if the concrete cracks, then the protection may be greatly diminished. Transverse cracks due to concrete shrinkage allow water and corrosive chemicals to quickly reach the reinforcing steel causing corrosion and shortening the lifespan of the bridge deck. Reducing shrinkage cracking has been the focus of recent research into mitigation strategies. One unintended consequence of the use of high performance concrete may be early-age cracking. Field studies have shown that, in some cases, high performance concrete bridge decks have cracked less than a year after placement. The use of internal curing to reduce autogenous shrinkage was investigated in this study. One method of internal curing was through the use of coarse aggregates with high absorption capacities. Another method discussed is the use of a partial replacement of the fine aggregate with a structural lightweight aggregate with a very high absorption capacity. Bridge deck cracking is also affected by the nominal maximum size coarse aggregate. The effect on shrinkage with increasing size is discussed. ODOT's District 12, located in Northeastern Ohio, found in an investigation of 116 HPC bridge decks placed between 1994 and 2001 that bridges with little or no cracking used coarse aggregate with an absorption> 1 %, while 75 % of bridges with unacceptable cracking used coarse aggregate with absorption 1 %. This report discusses the laboratory investigation of the field results to determine the better ways to prevent bridge deck cracking-- internal curing or paste reduction by using an aggregate blend. The laboratory investigation found that the strongest effect on cracking was due to the replacement of a small maximum size coarse aggregate with an optimized coarse aggregate gradation. Increasing the coarse aggregate absorption level from

Download or read book Bridge Decks written by Ardavan Ardeshirilajimi and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 91 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Use of Lightweight Concrete for Reducing Cracks in Bridge Decks written by and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 18 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cracks in bridge decks can be due to many factors related to environmental effects, chemical reactions, and structural loads. Careful selection of materials and mixture proportions can minimize cracking to some degree. To reduce cracking, shrinkage must be reduced; however, cracking also depends on other factors such as modulus of elasticity, creep, tensile strength, and restraint. A low modulus of elasticity and high creep help to minimize cracking. Lightweight concrete (LWC) has a lower modulus of elasticity, higher inelastic strains, a lower coefficient of thermal expansion, a more continuous contact zone between the aggregate and the paste, and more water in the pores of aggregates for continued internal curing when compared to normal weight concrete. These properties tend to reduce cracking in the concrete and are highly desirable in bridge decks. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has been successfully using LWC in bridge structures. In most of these bridges, the coarse aggregate has been lightweight and the fine aggregate normal weight natural sand. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of LWC in reducing cracks in bridge decks. Seven bridges from six VDOT districts were included in the study. Three bridge decks each were constructed in 2012 and 2013, and one was constructed in 2014. The results showed that bridge decks with fewer cracks than were typical of decks constructed with normal weight aggregate over the past 20 years or no cracks can be constructed with LWC mixtures. The study recommends that LWC with a maximum cementitious content of 650 lb/yd3 be used in VDOT bridge deck concrete mixtures.

Download or read book Internal Curing of Concrete Bridge Decks in Utah written by Joseph Michael Yaede and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 97 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the field, Schmidt rebound hammer testing showed that the internally cured concrete was neither consistently stronger nor weaker than the conventional concrete. On average, the internally cured concrete exhibited higher chloride concentrations than the conventional concrete. On average, the conventional concrete bridge decks had 4.6, 21.5, and 2.8 times more cracking than the internally cured concrete decks at 5 months, 8 months, and 1 year, respectively. At 1 year, very distinctive reflection cracks from the joints between the underlying pre-cast half-deck panels were observed on all of the decks.

Download or read book Construction of Low cracking High performance Bridge Decks Incorporating New Technology Phase II written by Alireza Bahadori and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The construction, crack surveys, and evaluation of 12 bridge decks with internal curing provided by prewetted fine lightweight aggregate and supplementary cementitious materials following internally cured low-cracking high-performance concrete (IC-LC-HPC) specifications of Minnesota or Kansas are described, as well as those from two associated Control decks without IC (MN-Control). Nine IC-LC-HPC decks and one Control deck were monolithic, while three IC-LC-HPC decks and one Control deck had an overlay. The internally cured low-cracking high-performance concrete had paste contents between 23.8 and 25.8 percent by volume. Of the 12 IC-LC-HPC decks, nine were constructed in Minnesota between 2016 and 2020, and three were constructed in Kansas between 2019 and 2021. The performance of the decks is compared with that of earlier IC-LC-HPC bridge decks and low-cracking high-performance concrete (LC-HPC) bridge decks without internal curing. The effects of construction practices on cracking are addressed. The results indicate that the use of overlays on bridge decks is not beneficial in mitigating cracking. The IC-LC-HPC decks constructed exhibited lower average crack densities than those without internal curing. Good construction practices are needed for low-cracking decks. If poor construction practices, which may include poor consolidation and disturbance of concrete after consolidation, over-finishing, delayed application of wet curing, are employed, even decks with low paste contents and internal curing can exhibit high cracking. Delayed curing and over-finishing can also result in scaling damage to bridge decks.

Download or read book Reducing Cracks in Concrete Bridge Decks Using Shrinkage Reducing Admixture written by Harikrishnan Nair and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Restrained shrinkage cracking of concrete bridge decks creates a significant durability problem. Major admixture suppliers in the United States have introduced a new category of chemical admixtures called shrinkage reducing admixtures (SRAs). SRAs work by reducing the surface tension of pore water and thereby decreasing the capillary stress and shrinkage induced by drying. Several studies have reported that using SRAs in concrete mixtures is one of the most effective ways of reducing shrinkage cracking. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of SRAs in reducing drying shrinkage in Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) concrete mixtures and thus reducing cracks in bridge decks. Nine bridges located in VDOT's Northern Virginia, Staunton, and Fredericksburg districts were selected for study. Three different SRA products were used. With the exception of one mixture, the maximum cementitious content was limited to 600 lb/yd3. Fresh and hardened concrete properties were determined for each mixture, and field placement details were documented. The results showed that low cementitious concrete with SRA was effective in minimizing bridge deck cracking. The study showed that bridges with fewer and narrower cracks or no cracks can be constructed and that proper construction practices are needed to reduce bridge deck cracking. The study recommends the use of SRA with a lower cementitious content in VDOT bridge deck concrete mixtures. A VDOT special provision was developed for the future use of SRA in concrete mixtures.

Download or read book Construction of Low cracking High performance Bridge Decks Incorporating New Technology written by James Lafikes and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 88 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Construction and early-age crack evaluations of four bridge decks in Minnesota placed from 2016 to 2018 that incorporate specifications for Internally-Cured Low-Cracking High-Performance Concrete (IC-LC-HPC) are documented in this study. Two additional decks followed specifications for high-performance concrete and served as controls paired with IC-LC-HPC decks. Pre-wetted fine lightweight aggregate (FLWA) was used to provide a targeted internal curing water content of 8% by total weight of binder. The IC-LC-HPC mixtures included 27 to 30% slag cement by total binder weight while the control mixtures included 25 or 35% Class F fly ash by total weight of binder. For one IC-LC-HPC deck, mixture proportions were modified based on a higher FLWA absorption than originally used to design the mixture. One IC-LC-HPC placement failed due to errors in FLWA moisture corrections and concrete batching that led to rejections of batches, leaving an inadequate supply of material to complete the deck. Crack surveys were completed for the IC-LC-HPC and control decks placed in 2016 and 2017. Crack densities at these ages were low compared to most Low-Cracking High-Performance Concrete decks in Kansas and Internally-Cured High-Performance Concrete decks in Indiana. The only exception was one IC-LC-HPC deck that exhibited extensive cracking within one year after placement, which had an overlay with a high cement paste content and no internal curing. This project serves as a foundation for implementing IC-LC-HPC in upcoming bridge decks in Kansas and Minnesota.

Download or read book Transverse Cracking in Newly Constructed Bridge Decks written by Paul D. Krauss and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Reducing Cracks in Concrete Bridge Decks Using Shrinkage Reducing written by Harikrishnan Nair and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 44 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Restrained shrinkage cracking of concrete bridge decks creates a significant durability problem. Major admixture suppliers in the United States have introduced a new category of chemical admixtures called shrinkage reducing admixtures (SRAs). SRAs work by reducing the surface tension of pore water and thereby decreasing the capillary stress and shrinkage induced by drying. Several studies have reported that using SRAs in concrete mixtures is one of the most effective ways of reducing shrinkage cracking. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of SRAs in reducing drying shrinkage in Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) concrete mixtures and thus reducing cracks in bridge decks. Nine bridges located in VDOT Northern Virginia, Staunton, and Fredericksburg districts were selected for study. Three different SRA products were used. With the exception of one mixture, the maximum cementitious content was limited to 600 lb/yd3. Fresh and hardened concrete properties were determined for each mixture, and field placement details were documented. The results showed that low cementitious concrete with SRA was effective in minimizing bridge deck cracking. The study showed that bridges with fewer and narrower cracks or no cracks can be constructed and that proper construction practices are needed to reduce bridge deck cracking. The study recommends the use of SRA with a lower cementitious content in VDOT bridge deck concrete mixtures. A VDOT special provision was developed for the future use of SRA in concrete mixtures.

Download or read book Evaluation of Internally Cured Bridge Deck Concrete with Standard and Optimized Aggregate Gradation written by Arman Abdigaliyev and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 117 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Due to the relatively high cement content and low water-to-cement ratio (w/c) used, bridge deck concrete is prone to premature cracking. Internal curing has been found to greatly reduce the chance of premature cracking as well as concrete deterioration. This research developed internally cured bridge deck concrete based on a local mix design in Nebraska. Four different lightweight fine aggregate (LWFA) as internal curing agents were evaluated and their effects on fresh, mechanical, durability, and shrinkage properties of concrete were studied. The study focused on resolving two issues associated with fine aggregate replacement based on Bentz equation. To identify the most effective LWFA dosage for shrinkage reduction, different replacement rates of fine aggregates (50%, 100%, 125%, 150% and 175%) were adopted to account for the moisture loss during construction and drying period. Aggregate blends of internally cured mixes were also optimized to account for the disturbed aggregate gradations due to the introduced LWFA. Overall performance of internally cured concrete mixes with both non-optimized and optimized gradations were evaluated. The research demonstrated that effective internal curing concrete can be achieved with the optimized aggregate gradation.