ADVANCED CONCRETE

TECHNOLOGY-1
Syed Baqir ul Husnain (MSCE-01183003)
Muhammad Samiullah (MSCE-01191002)
 CONCRETE SETTING AND HARDENING

• What is the difference between setting and hardening?

Setting describes the stiffening of the fresh cement paste. Onset of
rigidity occurs. Then hardening begins, which indicates that a useful and
measurable strength is developing. Setting and hardening result from the
continuing reaction between the cementitious material with water.
References:
SP-1(02); ACI Physical Testing of Cement Training Video; The Contractor’s
Guide to Quality Concrete Construction; ASTM C403; ASTM C191
 CONCRETE SETTING AND HARDENING

Cement hardens when it comes into contact with water.

This hardening is a process of crystallization. Crystals form (after a
certain length of time which is known as initial setting time and
interlock with each other. Concrete is completely fluid before the
cement sets, then progressively hardens. The cement and water mixture
that has crystallized in this way encloses the aggregate particles and
produces a dense material. The concrete continues to harden over
several months.
 CONCRETE SETTING AND HARDENING

Hardening is not a drying process and can very well take place in water.
Heat speeds up the setting and hardening of cement, and cold slows it
down and can even completely stop the process.
In order to crystallize or hydrate, cement requires a quantity of water
equal to 25% of its weight. But in order for it to be laid and remain
sufficiently workable, twice this amount is usually required. However, too
much water can reduce the strength and durability of the concrete.
Different admixtures are used to increase the workability.
 CONCRETE SETTING AND HARDENING
Hardening does not start as soon as cement and water are mixed, but
after a certain length of time known as the initial setting time during
which the concrete can be mixed, transported, laid and vibrated.
 CONCRETE SETTING AND HARDENING

The rate at which concrete sets is independent of the rate at

which it hardens.
 STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT IN CONCRETE

Measurement of concrete strength:

Traditionally it is done by preparing concrete cubes or prisms, then
curing them for specified times. Common curing times are 2, 7, 28 and
90 days. The curing temperature is typically 20 degree Centigrade. After
reaching the required age of testing, the cubes/prisms are crushed in a
large press. The SI units are MPa
 STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT IN CONCRETE

• Factors affecting concrete strength:

1. Concrete Porosity: Voids in concrete can be filled with air or with water. Air voids
are an obvious and easily-visible examples of pores in concrete. Broadly speaking, the
more porous the concrete, the porous the concrete, the weaker it will be. Probably the
most important source of porosity in concrete is the ratio of water to cement in the mix,
known as the ‘water to cement’ ratio.
 STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT IN CONCRETE

2. Water/Cement Ratio: This is defined as the mass of water divided by the mass of
cement in a mix.
The water/cement ratio may be abbreviated to w/c ratio. In mixes where w/c is greater
than approximately 0.4, all the cement can , in theory, react with water to form cement
hydration products. At higher w/c ratios it follows that the space occupied by the
additional water above w/c = 0.4 will remain as pore space filled with water or with air
if the concrete dries out.
Consequently, as the w/c ratio increases, the porosity of the cement paste in the
concrete also increases and the compressive strength of the cement will decrease.
 STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT IN CONCRETE

3. Soundness of Aggregate: It will be obvious that if the aggregate in

concrete is weak, the concrete will also be weak, the concrete will also
be weak. Inherently weak rocks, such as chalk, are clearly unsuitable for
use as aggregate.
4. Aggregate Paste Bond: The integrity of the bond between the paste
and the aggregate is critical. If there is no bond, the aggregate
effectively represents a void; as discussed above. Voids are a source of
weakness in concrete.
 STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT IN CONCRETE

5. Cement Related Parameters: Many parameters relating to the composition of the

individual cement minerals and their proportions in the cement can affect the rate of
strength and growth and the final strength achieved. These include:
i) Alite content: Since alite is the most reactive cement mineral that contributes
significantly to concrete strength, more alite should give better early strengths,
(early means up to 7 days).
ii) Alite and Belite reactivity: Belite is an industrial mineral important in Portland
cement manufacture. Its main constituent is dicalcium silicate, Ca2SiO4 or
sometimes formulated as 2Cao.SiO2
iii) Cement Sulfate Content
 STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT IN CONCRETE

In addition to the compositional parameters considered above, physical

parameters are also important, particularly cement surface area and
particle size distribution.
The fineness to which the cement is ground will evidently affect the rate
at which the cement hydrates; a grinding the cement more finely will
result in a faster reaction. Fineness is often expressed in terms of total
particle surface area, for example 400 square metres per kilogram.
However, of as much, if not more, importance is the particle size
distribution of cement; relying simply on surface area measurements can
be misleading.
 MATURITY TOWARDS STRIKING

Maturity:
Concrete maturity indicates how far curing has progressed. Maturity is
the relationship between concrete temperature, time and strength gain. It
is represented by an index value that can be measured in real time in the
field.
MATURITY TOWARDS STRIKING
 MATURITY TOWARDS STRIKING

What is Striking Formwork?

The process of removal of formwork or shuttering in the process of
casting concrete is known as striking. Once the concrete has achieved
the initial recommended strength, to support the self-weight and any
imposed loads, the shuttering is removed for further curing. Soffit forms
are usually left in place for longer periods compared to side forms and
removed last in case of slabs and beams.
 MATURITY TOWARDS STRIKING

Factors Affecting Period of Striking of Formwork:

Period elapsed before the removal of formwork depends on various factors and will be
different job to job. Some of the important controlling factors that determine the time
required before removal of shuttering are as follows:
Type of Concrete Used:
Concrete containing blast furnace slag (GGBS) or pulverized-fuel ash (PFA) require
longer striking period compared to normal Portland cement concrete. These concretes
will take longer time to gain strength compared to OPC. In case of rapid hardening
cements, this is reduced significantly as the concrete attains in strength much faster
pace
 MATURITY TOWARDS STRIKING

Weather of Casting Concrete:

During cold weathers, the rate of setting and attaining stiffness is retarded thus
increasing the striking time. For example, Ground Slabs take more time compared to
usual weather concreting, delaying trowelling operations. Often higher strength
concrete is used to reduce the period of striking in these conditions.
Exposure Conditions of the site:
As the mean temperature increases, the time required for removal of form reduces as
the concrete attains strength at an increased rate, provided cracking is controlled.
 MATURITY TOWARDS STRIKING

Method of Curing of Concrete:

Efficiency of curing can reduce the striking time. Curing of concrete should start as
soon as the formwork has been removed. The concrete should be secured with
insulations as a protection against temperature falls.
Type and Dimensions of Structure:
Structural members like beams require more time before striking due to relatively
bigger cross sections and being more critical element. Side forms are removed much
sooner for curing, as in walls and column sides.
 MATURITY TOWARDS STRIKING

Admixtures or Treatment to Concrete:

The Striking time can be brought down to the required value by adding admixtures to
the concrete. Common example for these admixtures are accelerators which reduces
the setting time of concrete.
 MATURITY TOWARDS STRIKING

General Considerations While Removing Formwork:

1. In case of slabs and beams, soffit formwork may be removed when the in-situ
strength of concrete is 10 N/mm2 or two times the stress to which it will be
subjected, whichever is the greater.
2. As a best practice shuttering must not be detached until concrete is strong enough,
to be self-supporting & capable to carry imposed loads.
3. In order to access the in-situ strength of concrete, pull-out tests is performed or
cubes are tested, which are cured under the same conditions as the in-situ
concrete, achieved by temperature-matched curing by which cube samples are
immersed in water whose temperature is matched to the structure.
 MATURITY TOWARDS STRIKING

4. Proprietary quick-strip systems can be used to permit the removal of soffit

shuttering without disturbing the propping.
5. Especially in cold weather concreting the formwork to beam sides, walls and
columns if struck at early ages the concrete will still be ‘green concrete’ and
can be easily damaged.
6. Striking must be carried out with care, to avoid damage to arise and
projections, and it may be necessary to protect some of the work from damage
immediately after removing the forms.
 MATURITY TOWARDS STRIKING

7. The formwork must be removed slowly as the sudden removal of supports is

equivalent to a shock load on the partly hardened concrete. Careful removal is
also less likely to damage the formwork itself.
8. Timber formwork is a good insulator in its own right, so in winter it is
particularly important to avoid thermal shock to the warm concrete when
timber or insulated steel forms are removed and the concrete is exposed to the
cold air.
9. If the formwork is not required elsewhere, it may be convenient to leave it in
place until the concrete has cooled from its high early temperature.
 MATURITY TOWARDS STRIKING

Minimum time Striking Formwork:

Depending on Strength development of Concrete a general guide for the removal of
formwork is given below for a Mean Air Temperature of 10 deg. C. Respective codes
should be referred for recommended values.
MATURITY TOWARDS STRIKING

Structural Component Time in day(s)

Columns 1
Sides to Beams and Walls 1.5
Soffit forms of Slabs 5
Props to Slabs 8
Props to Beams 12
Soffit from Beams 8
MATURITY TOWARDS STRIKING

Removal of Tunnel Form Work

MATURITY TOWARDS STRIKING

Striking Formwork – UNO Monolithic Formwork

 MATURITY TOWARDS STRIKING

Key maturity benefits:

1. Concrete strength can be evaluated in real-time.
2. Less time is spent waiting for test specimens to catch up the concrete strength.
3. The number of test specimens required to QC and potentially QA will decrease.
4. Tendons may be stressed, forms and shores may be stripped and removed and
loads may be applied sooner than otherwise anticipated.
5. Expedited schedules may result in bonuses.
 HOT AND COLD WEATHER CONCRETING

ASTM 306R-16

Cold Weather Concrete:

Why should we consider cold weather?
Successful cold weather concreting requies an understanding of the various factors that
affect concrete properties.
In its plastic state, concrete will freeze if its temperature falls below about -4 degree
Celcius. If plastic concrete freezes, its potential strength can be reduced by more than
50% and its durability will be adversely affected. Concrete should be protected from
freezing until it attains minimum of 3.5 MPa strength which is about two days after
placement for most concrete maintained at 10 degree celcius.
 HOT AND COLD WEATHER CONCRETE

Low concrete temperature has a major effect on the rate of cement

hydration, which results in slower setting and rate of strength gain. A
good rule of thumb is that a drop in concrete temperature by 10 degree
celcius will approximately double the setting time and this thing can
adversely affect our construction schedule.
Concrete in contact with water and exposed to cycles of freezing and
thawing, even if only during construction, should be air-entertained.
Newly placed concrete is saturated with water and should be protected
from cycles of freezing and thawing until it has attained a compressive
strength of at least 24 MPa.
 HOT AND COLD WEATHER CONCRETE

Cement hydration is a chemical reaction that generates heat. Newly

placed concrete should be adequately insulated to retain this heat and
thereby maintain favorable curing temperatures. Large temperature
differences between the surface and the interior of the concrete mass
should be prevented as cracking may result when this difference
exceeds about 20 degree Celcius. Insulation of protective measures
should be gradually removed to avoid thermal shock.
 HOT AND COLD WEATHER CONCRETE

How to Place Concrete In Cold Weather?

Recommended concrete temperatures at the time of placement are shown below. The
ready mixed concrete producer can control concrete temperature by heating and
mixing the water and/or the aggregates and furnish concrete in accordance with the
guidelines in ASTM C 94.

Section Size, Minimum Concrete Temperature As Placed

Dimension (mm)
Less than 300 13 Celcius
300 - 900 10 Celcius
900 - 1800 7 Celcius
 HOT AND COLD WEATHER CONCRETE

As lower temperature will increase the setting time. To reduce the setting time we can
add different admixtures to accelerate the setting time. ASTM C 494 – Types C
(accelerating) and E (water-reducing and accelerating), are commonly used in the
winter time. Calcium chloride is a common and effective accelerating admixture, but
should not exceed a maximum dosage of 2% by weight of cement. Non-chloride, non-
corrosive accelerators should be used for prestressed concrete or when corrosion of
steel reinforcement or metal in contact with concrete is a concern. Accelerating
admixtures do not prevent concrete from freezing and their use does not preclude the
requirements for concrete temperature and appropriate curing and protection from
freezing.
 HOT AND COLD WEATHER CONCRETE

We can also accelerate the setting time by increasing the Portland cement amount or
different pozzolonic materials or by adding high strength cement (Usually Type III).
Adequate preparations should be made prior to concrete placement:
Snow, ice and frost should be removed and the temperature of surfaces and metallic
embedments in contact with concrete should be above freezing. This might require
insulating or heating subgrades and contact surfaces prior to placement.
Materials and equipment should be in place to protect concte, both during and after
placement, from early age freezing and to retain the heat generated by cement
hydration.
 HOT AND COLD WEATHER CONCRETE

Insulated blankets and tarps, as well as straw covered with plastic sheets, are
commonly used measures. Enclosures and insulated forms may be needed for
additional protection depending on ambient condition. Corners and edges are most
susceptible to heat loss and need particular attention.
Fossil fuel heaters in enclosed spaces should be vented for safety reasons and to
prevent carbonation of newly placed concrete surfaces, which causes dusting.
The concrete surface should not be allowed to dry out while it is plastic as this causes
plastic shrinkage cracks. Subsequently, concrete should be adequately cured.
 HOT AND COLD WEATHER CONCRETE

Water curing is not recommended when freezing temperatures are imminent. Use
membrane forming curing compounds or impervious paper and plastic sheets for
concrete slabs.
Forming materials, except for metals, serve to maintain and evenly distribute heat,
thereby providing adequate protection in moderately cold weather. With extremely
cold temperatures, insulating blankets or insulated forms should be used, especially
for thin sections. Forms should not be stripped for 1 to 7 days depending on the setting
characteristics, ambient conditions and anticipated loading on the structure. Field-
cured cylinders or non destructive methods should be used to estimate in place
concrete strength prior to stripping forms or applying loads. Field cured cylinders
should not be used for quality assurance.
 HOT AND COLD WEATHER CONCRETE

Special care should be taken with concrete test specimens used for
acceptance of concrete. Cylinders should be stored in insulated boxes,
which may need temperature controls, to insure that they are cured at 16
degree to 27 degree celcius for the first 24 to 48 hours. A
minimum/maximum thermometer should be placed in the curing box to
maintain a temperature record.
 HOT AND COLD WEATHER CONCRETE

Cold Weather Concreting Guidelines:

1. Use air-entertained concrete when exposure to moisture and freezing and thawing
conditions are expected.
2. Keep surfaces in contact with concrete free of ice and snow and at a temperature
above freezing prior to placement.
3. Place and maintain concrete at the recommended temperature.
4. Place concrete at the lowest practical slump.
5. Protect Plastic concrete from freezing or drying.
 HOT AND COLD WEATHER CONCRETE

6. Protect concrete from early-age freezing and thawing cycles until it has attained
adequate strength.
7. Limit rapid temperature changes when protective measures are removed.
 HOT AND COLD WEATHER CONCRETE

References:
1. Cold Weather Concreting, ACI 306R, ACI, Farmington Hills, MI.
2. Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Portland Cement Association, Skokie, IL.
3. ASTM C94 Standard Specification for Ready Mixed Concrete, ASTM, West
Conshohocken, PA.
4. Cold Weather Ready Mixed Concrete, NRMCA Pub 130, NRCA, Silver Spring, MD.
5. Cold Weather Finishing, Concrete Construction, November 1993
6. ASTM C 31 Making and Curing Concrete Test Specimens in the Field, ASTM, West
Conshohocken, PA.
 FAILURE OF CONCRETE UNDER SHORT
TERM CYCLES AND SUSTAINED LOADING
• Types of time-dependent strains under sustained loading:
This section presents a brief summary of the state of knowledge on the uniaxial
concrete behavior under constant sustained loads. To that aim, creep strains will be
considered as the strains developed in time in excess of those associated to shrinkage
(Rush 1960)
At sustained stress levels lower than approximately 0.4fc’, there is almost linear
correlation between the delayed creep strains and the short term strains (Fig. 1a). The
behavior under strained stress consists in this case of primary creep, where the creep
rate is high ate he beginning and progressively decreases with time (Fig. 2b). At stress
levels higher than approximately 0.4fc’ the damage process in the material starts. A
part of the damage process occur during the application of the load (microcrack
 FAILURE OF CONCRETE UNDER SHORT
TERM CYCLES AND SUSTAINED LOADING
Propagation). The linear correlation between the delayed creep strain and the elastic
strain is lost and additional nonlinear creep strains develop.
The second threshold (Fig. 1a, shaded area) describes the stress level above which
delayed failures are possible. At stress levels higher than ~0.75fc’, microcrack
coalescence may develop giving rise to the onset of the tertiary creep phase. This
phase is characterized by increasing rate of delayed deformation, with a final
uncontrolled process of progressive crack coalescence leading to failure (Stage III in
Fig. 1b). It is worth noting that the value of the second threshold may vary between 0.75
to 0.80 for normal strength concrete and 0.80 – 0.85 for high strength concrete.
 FAILURE OF CONCRETE UNDER SHORT
TERM CYCLES AND SUSTAINED LOADING
 FAILURE OF CONCRETE UNDER SHORT
TERM CYCLES AND SUSTAINED LOADING
• Failure under sustained load – inelastic strain capacity:
As already well established for rocks (Goodman 1989), failure as a result of creep in
compression can be predicted based on the stress-strain curve. According to Goodman
(Goodman 1089), for high levels of sustained stress, the creep process leads to failure if
the accumulated inelastic strain developed within the creep process intersects the
descending branch of the stress-strain curve. With respect to concrete, many authors
(see for instance (Karsan and Jirsa 1969, Zhou 1992)) have also used the monotonic
stress-strain curve of concrete as a failure criterion in the case of cyclic loading.
Consistently with these observations, and following the approach of (Fernandez ruiz et
al. 2007), it can be assumed that the inelastic strain capacity for a given stress level is
equal to the difference between the instantaneous post- and pre-peak strains
 FAILURE OF CONCRETE UNDER SHORT
TERM CYCLES AND SUSTAINED LOADING
for that level of stress, see Fig. 2a. This value can thus be directly calculated by using
the monotonic stress-strain curve of concrete in compression, refer to Fig. 2a ad 2b
where a reference strain rate 𝜀 = 0.02%. 𝑠 −1 is usually considered to characterize the
monotonic response (approximately 100 seconds to reach the maximum strength). This
approach has shown to yield consistent results (Fernandez Ruiz et al 2007).
The inelastic strain developed within a process of sustained loading can on the other
hand be calculated by removing the pre-peak instantaneous strain, the shrinkage
strains and the linear creep strains from the total measured strain. If the stress level in a
𝜎𝑐
sustained load test is high enough ( ≥ 0.75), the inelastic strains developed in the
𝑓𝑐
concrete may reach the strain capacity and failure occurs, refer to Fig. 2c.
 FAILURE OF CONCRETE UNDER SHORT
TERM CYCLES AND SUSTAINED LOADING
Otherwise, for moderate or low levels of stress, the inelastic strain capacity is not
attained (creep limit, Fig. 2c). In such case the load in the specimen can still be
increased until failure (Fernandez Ruiz et al. 2007).
 FAILURE OF CONCRETE UNDER SHORT
TERM CYCLES AND SUSTAINED LOADING
 FAILURE OF CONCRETE UNDER SHORT
TERM CYCLES AND SUSTAINED LOADING
• Reference:
www.researchgate.net/publication/327318561_compressive_Strength_and_Def
ormation_Capaicty_of_concrete_under_Sustained_Loading_and_Low_Stress_Rates
Journal of Advanced Concrete Technology Vol. 16, 396-415, August 2018 / Copyright
2018 japan Concrete Institute
Compressive Strength and Deformation Capacity of Concrete Under Sustained Loading
and Low Stress Rates (Darko Tasevski, Miguel Fernandez Ruiz and Aurelio Muttoni)
 ELASTICITY

What is Modulus of Elasticty?

Modulus of elasticity (also known as elastic modulus, the coefficient of elasticity) of a
material is a number which is defined by the ratio of the applied stress to the
corresponding strains within the elastic limit. Physically it indicates a material’s
resistance to being deformed when a stress is applied to it. Modulus of elasticity also
indicates the stiffness of a material. Value of elastic modulus in higher for the stiffer
materials.
Modulus of Elasticity, E = f/s
f = applied stress on the body
s = strain to correspond the applied stress
 ELASTICITY

Units of Elastic Modulus:

• In SI unit MPa or N/mm^2
• In FPS unit psi or kis or psf or ksf
Modulus of Elasticity of Concrete:
Modulus of Elasticity of concrete can be defined as the slope of the line drawn from
stress of zero to a compressive stress of 0.45fc’. As concrete is a heterogeneous
material. The strength of concrete is depended on the relative proportion and modulus
of elasticity of aggregate.
 ELASTICITY

To know the accurate value of elastic modulus of a concrete batch, laboratory test can
be done. Also, there are some empirical formulae provided by difference code to
obtain the elastic modulus of concrete. These formulae are based on the relationship
between modulus of elasticity and concrete compressive strength. One can easily
obtain an approximate value of modulus of elasticity of concrete using 28 days concrete
strength (fc’) with these formulae.
Elastic Modulus of Concrete from ACI code:
Different codes have prescribed some empirical relations to determine modulus of
elasticity of concrete. Few of them are given below:
 ELASTICITY

According to ACI 318-08 section 8.5,

Modulus of elasticity for concrete,
𝐸𝑐 = 𝑤𝑐1.50 × 0.043 𝑓𝑐′

This formula is valid for values of wc between 1440 and 2560 kg/m^3
For normal weight concrete,

𝐸𝑐 = 4700 𝑓𝑐′ Mpa

(in FPS unit 𝐸𝑐 = 57000 𝑓𝑐′ psi)

 SHRINKAGE

Introduction:
Drying shrinkage is defined as the contracting of a hardened concrete mixture due to
the loss of capillary water. This shrinkage causes an increase in tensile stress, which
may lead to cracking, internal warping, and external deflection, before the concrete is
subjected to any kind of loading. All Portland cement concrete undergoes drying
shrinkage or hydral volume change as the concrete ages. The hydral volume change in
concrete is very important to the engineer in the design of a structure. Drying
shrinkage can occur in slabs, beams, columns, bearing walls, prestressed members,
tanks and foundations.
 SHRINKAGE

Drying shrinkage is dependent upon several factors. These factors include the properties of
the components, proportions of the components, mixing manner, amount of moisture while
curing, dry environment, and member size. Concrete cured under normal conditions will
undergo some volumetric change. Drying shrinkage happens mostly because of the
reduction of capillary water by evaporation and the water in the cement paste. The higher
amount of water in the fresh concrete, the greater the drying shrinkage affects. The
shrinkage potential of a particular concrete is influenced by the amount of mixing, the
elapsed time after the addition of water, temperature fluctuation, slumping, placement,
and curing. The makeup of concrete is also very important. Each aggregate and cement
type has distinctive characteristics, each contributing to concrete shrinkage. The amounts of
water and admixtures used during mixing also have direct and indirect effects on drying
shrinkage of concrete. Concrete shrinkage occurs mostly due to the evaporation of the
mixing capillary water. The severity of this shrinkage depends on the physical properties of
the concrete including size of the structure, location of the structure, and the surrounding
temperature.
 SHRINKAGE

Properties and Proportions of Components:

The compositional makeup of concrete contributes directly to the drying shrinkage of
concrete. Loss of moisture in the hydrated cement paste results in shrinkage. Different
compositions and fineness of cements have variable effects on the shrinkage of cement
paste. Difference in shrinkage is reduced significantly due to the adjustment of the
amount of gypsum added to the different cement compositions. The size of aggregate is
not as important, but has an indirect influence on the water content of concrete.
Shrinkage decreases with the volumetric increase of aggregate concentration causing
a linear relationship between free shrinkage and crack width. High density aggregates
and high modulus of elasticity of aggregates will decrease the compressibility and
increase the shrinkage of concrete. The use of admixtures may alter the hydration
reaction, which results directly in a high increase of drying shrinkage.
 SHRINKAGE

Moisture:
The concrete properties influence on drying shrinkage depends on the ratio ofwater to
cementitious materials content, aggregate content, and total water content. The total
water content is the most important of these. The relationship between the amount of
water content of fresh concrete and the drying shrinkage is linear. Increase of the water
content by one percent will approximately increase the drying shrinkage by three
percent. Constant water to cementitous materials ratio coincides with changes in the
amount of aggregate used.
 SHRINKAGE

Dry Environment:
The amount of drying shrinkage depends on the environmental conditions; relative
humidity, temperature, and air circulation. Concrete subjected to a dry atmosphere will,
in most cases, have a greater drying shrinkage than if subjected to an alternative
wetting and drying. Lower temperatures generally produce a decrease in drying
shrinkage because of higher humidity and slower evaporation.
 SHRINKAGE

References:
• The California Producers Committee an Volume Change and Affiliated Technical Organizations,
Drying Shrinkage of Concrete, California Producers Committee, Oakland California, March 1966.
• Neville, Adam M., Properties of Concrete, 3rd edition,
Pitman Publishing Inc., Massachusetts, 1981.
• Gilbert, R. I., Time Effects in Concrete Structures, Elsevier Science Publishing
Company Inc., New York, 1988.
• Ropke, John C., Concrete Problems: Causes and Cures, McGraw-Hill Inc.,
New York, 1982
• American Concrete Institute Publication SP-30, Cracking, Deflection, and
Ultimate Load of Concrete Slab System, American Concrete Institute,
Michigan, 1971
• American Concrete Institute Publication SP-20, Causes, Mechanism, and Control
Cracking in Concrete, ACI Michigan 1971
 CREEP

Creep Definition:
Concrete creep is defined as: deformation of structure under sustained load. Basically,
long term pressure or stress on concrete can make it change shape. This deformation
usually occurs in the direction the force is being applied. Like a concrete column
getting more compressed, or a beam bending. Creep does not necessarily cause
concrete to fail or break apart. When a load is applied to concrete, it experiences an
instantaneous elastic strain which develops into creep strain if the load is sustained.
Creep is factored in when concrete structures are designed.
 CREEP

Factors Affecting Creep:

• Aggregate
• Mix Proportions
• Age of concrete
The magnitude of creep strain is one to three times the value of the instantaneous elastic
strain, it is proportional to cement-paste content and, thus, inversely proportional to
aggregate volumetric content. The magnitude of creep is dependent upon the magnitude of
the applied stress, the age and strength of the concrete, properties of aggregates and
cementitious materials, amount of cement paste, size and shape of concrete specimen,
volume to surface ratio, amount of steel reinforcement, curing conditions, and environmental
conditions.
 CREEP

1. Influence of Aggregate:
Aggregate undergoes very little creep. It is really the paste which is responsible for the
creep. However, the aggregate influences the creep of concrete through a restraining
effect on the magnitude of creep. The paste which is creeping under load is restrained
by aggregate which do not creep. The stronger the aggregate the more is the
restraining effect and hence the less is the magnitude of creep. An increase from 65 to
75 % of volumetric content of the aggregate will decrease the creep by 10 %.
The modulus of elasticity of aggregate is one of the important factors influencing creep.
It can be easily imagined that the higher the modulus of elasticity the less is the creep.
Light weight aggregate shows substantially higher creep than normal weight
aggregate.
 CREEP

2. Influence of Mix Proportions:

The amount of paste content and its quality is one of the most important factors
influencing creep. A poorer paste structure undergoes higher creep. Therefore, it can
be said that creep increases with increase in water/cement ratio. In other words, it can
also be said that creep is inversely proportional to the strength of concrete. Broadly
speaking, all other factors which are affecting the water/cement ratio are also affecting
the creep.
 CREEP

3. Influence of Age:
Age at which a concrete member is loaded will have a predominant effect on the
magnitude of creep. This can be easily understood from the fact that the quality of gel
improves with time. Such gel creeps less, whereas a young gel under load being not so
stronger creeps more. What is said above is not a very accurate statement because of
the fact that the moisture content of the concrete being different at different age also
influences the magnitude of creep.
 CREEP

Effects of Creep on PCC and RCC:

• In reinforced concrete beams, creep increases the deflection with time and may be a
critical consideration in design.
• In eccentrically loaded columns, creep increases the deflection and can load to
buckling.
• In case of statically indeterminate structures and column and beam junctions creep
may relieve the stress concentration induced by shrinkage, temperatures changes or
movement of support. Creep property of concrete will be useful in all concrete
structures to reduce the internal stresses due to non-uniform load or restrained
shrinkage.
 CREEP

• In mass concrete structures such as dams, on account of differential temperature

conditions at the interior and surface, creep is harmful and by itself may be a cause of
cracking in the interior of dams. Therefore, all precautions and steps must be taken to
see that increase in temperature does not take place in the interior of mass concrete
structure.
• Loss of pre-stress due to creep of concrete in pre-stressed concrete structure.
• Because of rapid construction techniques, concrete members will experience loads
that can be as large as the design loads at very early age; these can cause deflections
due to cracking and early age low elastic modulus. So, creep has a significant effect
on both the structural integrity and the economic impact that it will produce if
predicted wrong.
 THERMAL MOVEMENTS

Materials expand or contract when subjected to changes in temperature. Most

materials expand when they are heated, and contract when they are cooled. When free
to deform, concrete will expand or contract due to fluctuations in temperature. The size
of the concrete structure whether it is a bridge, a highway, or a building does not make
it immune to the effects of temperature. The expansion and contraction with changes in
temperature occur regardless of the structure’s cross-sectional area.
 THERMAL MOVEMENTS

Concrete expands slightly as temperature rises and contracts as temperature falls.

Temperature changes may be caused by environmental conditions or by cement
hydration (the exothermic chemical process in which the cement reacts with the water
in a mixture of concrete to create the calcium silicate hydrate binder and other
compounds). An average value for the coefficient of thermal expansion of concrete is
about 10 millionths per degree Celsius (10x10-6/C), although values ranging from 7 to
12 millionths per degree Celsius have been observed. This amounts to a length change
of 1.7 centimeters for every 30.5 meters of concrete subjected to a rise or fall of 38
degrees Celsius.
 THERMAL MOVEMENTS

Thermal expansion and contraction of concrete varies primarily with aggregate type
(shale, limestone, siliceous gravel, granite), cementitious material content, water
cement ratio, temperature range, concrete age, and ambient relative humidity. Of these
factors, aggregate type has the greatest influence on the expansion and contraction of
concrete.
 THERMAL MOVEMENTS

Severe problems develop in massive structures where heat cannot be dissipated.

Thermal contraction on the concrete’s surface without a corresponding change in its
interior temperature will cause a thermal differential and potentially lead to cracking.
Temperature changes that result in shortening will crack concrete members that are
held in place or restrained by another part of the structure, internal reinforcement or
by the ground. For example, a long restrained concrete section is allowed to drop in
temperature. As the temperature drops, the concrete tends to shorten, but cannot as it is
restrained along its base length. This causes the concrete to be stressed, and eventually
crack.
 THERMAL MOVEMENTS

Joints are the most effective way to control cracking. If a sizable section of concrete is
not provided with properly spaced joints to accommodate temperature movement, the
concrete will crack in a regular pattern related to the temperature and restraint
directory. Control joints are grooved, formed, or sawed into sidewalks, driveways,
pavements, floors, and walls so that cracking will occur in these joints rather than in a
random manner. Contraction joints provide for movement in the plane of a slab or wall,
and induce cracking caused by thermal shrinkage at preselected locations. One of the
most economical methods for making a contraction joint is by simply sawing a
continuous cut in the top of the slab with a masonry saw.
Thanks!