Shrinkage & Creep

SHRINKAGE and CREEP

Three Main types of deformation:

Shrinkage Load independent deformation occurs with loss of
moisture

Deformation that occurs under high rates of loading Creep time-dependent deformation that occurs on the prolonged
application of stress

-4-

NICE (SCEE)

Shrinkage & Creep

Types of SHRINKAGE
Plastic Shrinkage reserved for fresh concrete and occurs if
evaporation is not prevented

Drying Shrinkage reserved for hardened concrete and defined as

strain caused by loss of water from hardened concrete

Autogenous Shrinkage special case of drying shrinkage which

occurs when a concrete can self-desiccate during hydration

Corbonation Shrinkage special case of drying shrinkage which

occurs when hydrated cement reacts with atmospheric carbon dioxide
-5NICE (SCEE)

Shrinkage & Creep

PLASTIC SHRINKAGE
Plastic Shrinkage - shrinkage that occurs in the surface of fresh concrete within the first few hours (generally 8~10 hrs) after it has been placed, that is, while the concrete is still plastic. - most common on horizontal surfaces of pavements and slabs - due to evaporation of water from the surface - influencing factors: air temperature, RH, wind velocity, radiation, concrete temperature - ACI 305: threshold evaporation rate 1.0 kg/m2/hr - Differential volume changes can cause cracking under induced tensile stresses.

-6-

NICE (SCEE)

Shrinkage & Creep

PLASTIC SHRINKAGE Cracks

An Example, when appropriate curing is not applied

PCA Photo

-7-

NICE (SCEE)

Shrinkage & Creep

DRYING SHRINKAGE
Drying Shrinkage - represents the strain caused by the loss of water from the hardened material

-8-

NICE (SCEE)

Shrinkage & Creep

DRYING SHRINKAGE
Drying Shrinkage - represents the strain caused by the loss of water from the hardened material Parameters Affecting Drying Shrinkage of Concrete

- Paste: porosity, age, curing temperature, cement composition, moisture content, admixtures - Concrete: aggregate stiffness, aggregate content, volume-surface ratio, thickness - Environment: relative humidity, rate of drying, time of drying
Typical Behavior of Concrete on Drying and Rewetting

Part of the total shrinkage that occurs on the first drying is irreversible. So the subsequent volume expansions and contractions are smaller.

-9-

NICE (SCEE)

Shrinkage & Creep

DRYING SHRINKAGE
Drying Shrinkage - represents the strain caused by the loss of water from the hardened material
Effect of relative humidity
Effect of thickness

h=40% h=70%

D=5

D=20 D=80 cm

h= 90%

Time(log t-t')
- 10 -

Time(log t-t')
NICE (SCEE)

Shrinkage & Creep

BEHAVIOR OF CEMENT PASTE

The Shrinkage-Moisture Loss Curves for Cement Paste

Domain 1
Loss of water from large capillary pores (macropores)

Irreversibility occurs only on first drying.

Domain 2
Loss of water from both mesopores (finer capillary pores) and micropores (intrinsic C-S-H porosity)

Domain 3 & 4
Water adsorbed on solid surfaces is removed. In domain 4, the interlayer water of C-S-H is also removed.

Domain 5
Above 105C, the additional shrinkage is developed due to the decomposition of C-S-H.
- 11 NICE (SCEE)

Shrinkage & Creep

FACTORS INFLUENCING SHRINKAGE

Effect of Aggregates - The drying shrinkage of concrete will be less than that of pure paste because of the restraining influence of aggregate. - increase the amount of aggregate lower drying shrinkage increase the stiffness of aggregate lower drying shrinkage increase the maximum size of the coarse aggregate increase the amount of drying shrinkage

- 12 -

NICE (SCEE)