In the present work, the effect of curing medium on microstructure, physical, mechanical and thermal properties of ZrO2 nanoparticles blended concrete has been investigated. ZrO2 nanoparticles were partially used instead of cement by 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 weight percent. Curing of the specimens was carried out in water and saturated limewater for 7, 28 and 90 days. The results indicate that ZrO2 nanoparticles up to maximum of 2.0% produces cementitious composite with improved compressive strength by curing in saturated limewater. The optimum level of replacement for the specimens cured in water was 1.0 weight percent. ZrO2 nanoparticles can improve the filler effects and also the high activity of fine particles substantially increases the quantity of strengthening gel. Although the limewater reduces the strength of concrete without nanoparticles when compared with the specimens cured in water, curing the specimens in saturated limewater results in more strengthening gel formation around ZrO2 nanoparticles blended concrete causes high strength.

In this work, strength assessments and percentage of water absorption of high performance self compacting concrete containing different amounts of ground granulated blast furnace slag and CuO nanoparticles as binder have been investigated. Portland cement was replaced by different amounts of ground granulated blast furnace slag and the properties of concrete specimens were investigated. Although it negatively impacts the physical and mechanical properties of concrete at early age of curing, ground granulated blast furnace slag was found to improve the physical and mechanical properties of concrete up to 45 wt. (%) at later ages. CuO nanoparticles with the average particle size of 15 nm were partially added to concrete with the optimum content of ground granulated blast furnace slag and physical and mechanical properties of the specimens were measured. CuO nanoparticle as a partial replacement of cement up to 3.0 wt. (%) could accelerate C-S-H gel formation as a result of increased crystalline Ca(OH)2 amount at the early age of hydration and hence increase strength and improve the resistance to water permeability of concrete specimens. The increased the CuO nanoparticles' content more than 3.0 wt. (%), causes the reduced the split tensile strength because of the decreased crystalline Ca(OH)2 content required for C-S-H gel formation. Several empirical relationships have been presented to predict flexural and split tensile strength of the specimens by means of the corresponding compressive strength at a certain age of curing. More rapid appearance of the peaks related to hydrated products in X-ray diffraction results, all indicate that CuO nanoparticles could improve mechanical and physical properties of the concrete specimens.