Specifying Sustainable Concrete:

Using 56 day concrete strengths

Tony Jones, Principal Structural Engineer, The Concrete Centre

Specifying concrete strength at 56 days, rather than

the traditional 28 days, can reduce embodied carbon.
In appropriate situations specifying at 56 days should
have little or no effect on design.

Strength gain in concrete is dependent on the type of cement. EN1992-1-11

considers three different types of cement which it calls Class R, Class N, and
Class S. Concrete with cement Class R gains strength the quickest, Class S
the slowest. Typical cements falling into these classes are given in Table 1.

EN1992-1-1 Ccass Example cement type

R CEM I

N GGBS>35% or fly ash> 20%

S GGBS>65% or fly ash> 35%

Table 1: Cement class to cement type (from CIRIA C766)2.
Note: percentages relate to total cement content

Currently concrete strength is usually specified at 28 days. All concretes will

gain strength after 28 days but the amount they gain will be related to the
cement class with concretes with slower cements typically gaining more
strength than those with faster cements. However, if the strength at 28
days is used as the design strength, for all types of cement, the additional
strength gain from slower cements is not accounted for. This is shown in
Figure 1 where the strengths of concretes made from different classes of
cement are compared. It can be seen that by 300 days the concrete with
the Class S cement is 15% stronger than that with the R cement even
though the 28 day strength was the same.

Figure 1: Strength gain of concretes made from different Class cements normalised to 28 days to EN1992-1-1:2004.

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Specifying strength at later ages Strength gain and design

Figure 2 presents the strength gain for three concretes made with class S Structural design codes normally allow for some increase in strength
cements. The first reaches the required strength at 28 days, the second and beyond the 28 days at which samples are normally tested. This is partly
third concretes reach the same strength but at 56 and 90 days respectively. to offset the fact that concrete strength reduces under sustained loads.
The concrete made with a Class R cement reaching the required strength at The recommended values in EN1992-1-1 take a different approach to that
28 days has been included as a comparison. adopted in the UK as discussed below.

It can be seen that at 28 days the 56 day Class S concrete had a strength EN1992-1-1 recommended values
just under 90% of the strength of the 28 day Class S concrete. Similarly, the
90 day concrete had about 85% of the strength. By about 200 days the 56 EN1992-1-1 includes a factor on the concrete design strength of αcc which
day concrete made from the Class S cement was stronger than the 28 day is described as “the coefficient taking account of long-term effects and
concrete made with the class R cement. unfavourable effects resulting from the way the load is applied”. This
coefficient is 1.0 in the recommended values. However, if strength is specified
Whilst exact savings will depend on the concrete mix it is estimated that after 28 days there is a reduction factor kt of 0.85 on the design strength of
saving of between 15 and 20kg/m3 of cement could be made by specifying the concrete. Therefore, indirectly, EN1992-1-1 assumes that the strength
concrete with an S class cement tested at 56 days rather than 28 days. gain after 28 days is approximately 18%. It is of interest to note that PD66873
Whilst S Class cements tend to have relatively low embodied carbon includes a brief review of the background to the assumptions in EN1992-1-1
anyway this would still lead to a saving of 5 – 10 kg/m3 of embodied and concludes that the intended allowance was actually 13%.
carbon.
UK National Annex values

In the UK the National Annex gives the coefficient of αcc as 0.85, instead of
the recommended 1.0, for bending and axial load although it is permitted
to use 1.0 for shear. As the 0.85 is already included in the concrete design
strength the UK National Annex takes kt as 1.0. As the concrete design
strength is a function of the product of αcc and kt the design compressive
strength for concretes specified after 28 days is the same in the UK as
with the recommended values in EN1992-1-1. However, the reasoning is
somewhat different and PD6687 sets out the basis for the UK decision to
set αcc as 0.85. The discussion accepts further strength gain will occur, but
it is not precise about exactly how much is assumed. The implication of the
UK National Annex choices is that the design is significantly less dependent
on strength gain than the recommended values in EN1992-1-1. Indeed,
strict interpretation of the UK National Annex does not require a reduction
in the concrete design strength when concrete strength is specified after
28 days.

Figure 2: Strength gain of the same grade of concrete made from S and R Class cements, tested at different ages to EN1992-1-1:2004.

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 USING 56 DAY CONCRETE STRENGTHS

Research basis

Recent research has also suggested the need for a concrete strength to
increase beyond that at the time of testing to offset the effects of sustained
loads4. This work suggested that an increase in compressive strength of
18% was required to ensure the required level of safety, similar to the
recommended values in EN1992-1-1. However, it also noted that some
concretes did not achieve the strength increase within reasonable periods.
For example, Figure 1 shows that the concrete made with the R cement has
only increased its strength by 15% from the 28 day strength, after 1 year.
The deficit is small, and structures built with R cements, tested at 28 days
have performed adequately over many years, however basing design on
56 day strength tests for concretes with R cements would tend to reduce
factors of safety.

In summary there is an assumption in Eurocode 2 that the concrete will

gain strength of between 13 and 18% beyond the strength assessed at
28 days prior to being loaded with design level loads. In the UK National
Annex the amount of strength gain assumed is significantly lower and the
exact amount is less clear. Comparison with R cement concretes would
indicate that 15% strength increase beyond the assessed strength and Other considerations
within a year is acceptable current practice. Therefore, if a decision is made
to assess the concrete strength at a later point in time than 28 days, this The strength v time
would not require modification of the design rules if the strength gain
between assessment of strength and the time of application of full design Concretes based on 56 days gain early age strength slower and so will not
loads, assumed to be after one year, was 15%. be appropriate where early strength is required for the striking of formwork
or for the supporting of high construction loads. The impact of slower
strength gain on programme should therefore be considered.

How do we specify? Curing

There are three ways in which concrete could be specified to take account As the Class S cements take longer to gain strength, curing should be
of the long-term strength gain present in some concretes: considered. The relationships given in the Eurocode and used to produce
Figures 1 and 2 are based on concrete cured at 20 degrees at >95% humidity.
1) Specify a lower strength at 28 days to acknowledge the strength gain
with time. This approach carries the benefit of no change to the current Temperature will affect the rate of strength gain, but over longer periods
practice although it is less likely to indicate longer term strength gain in the UK environment the effects of variations from 20 degrees are
than 56 day conformity. The risks associated with longer term strength likely to be minor. However, if the concrete dries out this will stop further
gain sit completely with the designer who effectively designs for a hydration and therefore prevent further strength gain. Whilst curing
strength which is higher than the strength they specified. agents are typically applied to finished concrete surfaces it is not normal
to treat the struck surfaces and the effectiveness of the curing agent over
2) Specify the strength at 56 days – it is permissible under BS 85005 to the longer term is limited. Drying occurs through a diffusion process and
specify a concrete strength at 56 days and so this should not cause fortunately that occurs slowly in concrete and is associated with drying
specification problems. By specifying concrete at 56 days it is possible shrinkage. Nonetheless for a 300mm slab exposed top and bottom 60%
that the delay in identifying non-conforming concrete may result of the drying shrinkage occurs within the first year. In contrast for a 500
in greater amounts of rework. It may therefore be prudent to have deep raft only exposed on its top surface only about 20% of the shrinkage
earlier control specimen to confirm that the concrete is likely to reach will have occurred. Whilst there is no direct link between the percentage
its specified strength at 56 days. The supplier remains responsible for of shrinkage and continued strength gain, thin slabs could dry out before
supplying a concrete of the strength at which the designer assumed, sufficient strength gain has occurred.
albeit at 56 days rather than 28 days.
Specified curing times are important to the surface properties of the
3) Hybrids - there are various ways of combining these approaches concrete to avoid dusting, plastic shrinkage cracking and improve
for example option 1) could be adopted but with an additional durability. As the durability requirements are primarily defined by the
“confirmatory” set of samples tested at 56 days. These methods would concrete constituents and proportions, providing these conform to
tend to be less transparent about responsibilities and if adopted care BS 85005 there should be no need to enhance curing requirements due
should be taken to make sure all parties are clear on what their duties are. to changing the time when the strength is specified. However, as BS EN
136706 tends to specify curing times as a time to reach a proportion of
Option 2) would seem to be the most straightforward method to specify the 28 day strength it could be argued that an equivalent 28 day strength
the concrete. However, overall, the aim is to reduce the cement content should be specified. For the typical Curing Class 2, which requires curing
of the concretes. If the requirements on the supplier are overly onerous until 35% of the 28 day strength is reached, the rate of strength gain at
then they will not be incentivised to minimise the cement content. this point is so steep it is unlikely to make a meaningful difference to
Early discussions with suppliers, including previous experience of 56 day construction if this is specified as 35% of the 56 day strength.
conformity are recommended.

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Heat of hydration Summary

In deeper pours the heat of hydration causes a significant temperature rise
in the first few days after casting. The increase in temperature increases The use of a concrete made from a S class cement with the strength
the strength gain during this period. However, there is also evidence that specified at 56 days should give long term strengths similar to a concrete
it reduces the longer-term strengths. The issue is discussed further in CIRIA made from an R class cement with strength specified at 28 days. Specifying
C7662. The temperature rise for equivalent concretes made from S class the concrete at 56 days should reduce the cement content by
cements will be lower than that for other classes of cement. In addition, it 15-20kg/m3 leading reductions of 5 to 10 kg/m3 embodied carbon. There
has been found that at a given peak temperature the effect on long term should be no difficulties with specifying such a concrete under BS8500
strength is less for concretes with high replacement levels of fly ash or although discussion with the concrete supplier is recommended. These
GGBS than for CEM I cements. Therefore, whilst control of early thermal concretes will not be appropriate when early striking times are required
temperature rise is important for S class cements, the overall impact of early and should not be used in thin elements subject to rapid drying. Concretes
age rises in temperature on long term strengths is significantly less than for with S class cements are normally suited to use in foundations, retaining
R class cements. walls, larger columns, and transfer slabs and in these cases the specification
of strength at 56 days should be considered.

References
1) BS EN 1992-1-1:2004+A1 2014. Eurocode 2: Design of concrete structures – Part 1-1: General rules and rules for buildings. BSI, 2015.
2) CIRIA 766. Control of cracking caused by restrained deformation in concrete. CIRIA, 2018.
3) PD6687-1:2020. Background paper to the National Annexes to BS EN1992-1, BS EN1992-1 and BS EN 1992-4. BSI, 2020.
4) Tasevski et al, “Assessing the compressive strength of concrete under sustained actions: From refined models to simple design expressions”,
Structural Concrete, 2019.
5) BS 8500-1:2015+A2:2019. Concrete – Complementary British Standard to BS EN 206, Part 1: Method of specifying and guidance for the specifier. BSI, 2019.
6) BS EN13670:2009. Execution of concrete structures, BSI, 2015.

Further reading
Specifying Sustainable Con
This paper is a companion guide to Specifying Sustainable Concrete, a 24-page document which crete
looks at all of the constituents of concrete and the decisions/choices that can be made in their
specification to achieve the most sustainable solution.

Specifying Sustainable Concrete can be downloaded free from

www.concretecentre.com/publications

Understanding the role

of constituent materials

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