Awareness and Benefits of Self-Curing Concrete in Construction Projects: Builders and Civil Engineers Perceptions

Abstract

Self-cured concrete is a type of concrete with a special ability to reduce autogenous shrinkage responsible for early-stage cracking. It is useful generally for the construction of high rise buildings and bridges. The application and use of this technique of curing concrete, however, depends on the level of awareness among stakeholders regarding the application of the technique and its benefits among other factors. This study, therefore, sets out to investigate the level of awareness of selected construction professionals regarding the self-curing concrete technique in addition to the benefits. A cross-sectional survey design method was embraced by giving out 115 questionnaires to builders and engineers in Lagos who were purposely selected. The data was subjected to descriptive statistics. The results indicate that about 21% of selected builders and civil engineers practicing in Lagos are not aware and familiar with the concept of self-curing technology while about 43.1% of the professionals who have the knowledge of SCT have never used it in their professional practice. In addition, lower permeability, reduced coefficients of thermal expansion, and improved microstructures of cementitious paste were perceived as the dominant benefits of the self-curing concrete method. The implication of this study to construction professionals in Nigeria is in developing capacities on innovation practices in high-strength concrete technologies that will make them strike a balance with international counterparts.