Abstract
Curing is a deliberate regulation of temperature and moisture exchange in concrete to promote the cement's hydration process, essential for achieving the desired properties of concrete. This research investigates the effect of various curing methods and duration on concrete compressive strength development. Two concrete mixes viz 1:2:4 and 1:3:6 were considered. Fresh concrete was cast into steel moulds of 150 mm x150 mm x150mm with a total of 96 cubes casted and were subjected to various curing conditions including Complete Immersion in Water, Gunny Bag, Sprinkling. Average compressive strength for 7, 14, 21 and 28 days at a referenced temperature of 28°C (77°F) were recorded. A mean slump of approximately 29 mm and 20 mm was recorded, for concrete with 0.5 water- cement ratio. The result shows that concrete cubes cured in water immersion exhibited the highest mean compressive strength preceded by polyethylene membrane, gunny bag yielded substantial early strength, it exhibited a slightly lower final strength than water immersion. Sprinkling method demonstrated the lowest compressive strength at each testing interval. Complete Immersion in water achieved optimal compressive strength but polyethylene membrane and gunny bag methods are recommended to be more effective, especially in arid regions where water is not readily available.

Key words: Compressive strength development, Cement hydration, Water–cement ratio, Concrete microstructure, Strength–age relationship