Early-Age Cracking Tendency and Ultimate Degree of Hydration of Internally Cured Concrete
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 24, Issue 8
Abstract
Early-age cracking in bridge decks is a severe problem that may reduce functional life of the structure. The effect of lightweight fine aggregate on the cracking tendency of bridge deck concrete was evaluated using cracking-frame testing techniques. Water for internal curing is provided by incorporating prewetted absorptive lightweight aggregate (LWA) into the mixture during batching. The absorbed water within the LWA is desorbed at early ages as hydration progresses. The release of the internal curing water increases cementing material hydration and reduces capillary stress caused by self-desiccation. Cracking frames measure the development of stresses due to thermal and autogenous shrinkage effects from setting until the onset of cracking. Restrained concrete specimens were tested under temperature conditions that match those of an in-place bridge deck and under isothermal curing conditions to determine the stress development due to autogenous shrinkage. Internal curing from LWA increased the time to initial cracking, reduced autogenous shrinkage stress development, and increased the degree of hydration in bridge deck concretes.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
Funding for this study was provided by the Expanded Shale, Clay and Slate Institute (ESCSI). The funding, cooperation, and assistance of ESCSI are gratefully acknowledged, particularly that provided by John Ries of ESCSI Reid Castrodale, Jody Wall of the Carolina Stalite Company, George Grygar, and Don Reeves of TXI Inc., and Andrew Mackie of Buildex Inc.
References
AASHTO. (2007). LRFD bridge design specifications, 4th Ed., Washington, DC.
American Concrete Institute (ACI). (2010). “Report on early-age cracking: Causes, measurement, and mitigation.” ACI 231R-10, Farmington Hills, MI.
ASTM. (2002). “Standard test method for static modulus of elasticity and Poisson ratio of concrete in compression.” C469-02, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2003). “Standard specification for concrete aggregates.” C33, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2004). “Standard test method for splitting tensile strength of cylindrical concrete specimens.” C496-04, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2005a). “Standard test method for compressive strength of cylindrical concrete specimens.” C39-05, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2005b). “Standard test method for determining density of structural lightweight concrete.” C567-05, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2006a). “Standard practice for mechanical mixing of hydraulic cement pastes and mortars of plastic consistency.” C305-06, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2006b). “Standard test method for sieve analysis of fine and coarse aggregates.” C136-06, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2007a). “Standard practice for making and curing concrete test specimens in the laboratory.” C192-07, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2007b). “Standard test method for density, relative density (specific gravity), and absorption of coarse aggregate.” C127-07, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2007c). “Standard test method for density, relative density (specific gravity), and absorption of fine aggregate.” C128-07a, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2009). “Standard test method for autogenous strain of cement paste and mortar.” C1698-09, West Conshohocken, PA.
Bentz, D. P., Lura, P., and Roberts, J. W. (2005). “Mixture proportioning for internal curing.” Concr. Int.CNCIEH, 27(2), 35–40.
Bentz, D. P., and Weiss, J. W. (2011). Internal curing: A 2010 state-of-the-art review, NIST, Gaithersburg, MD.
Breitenbücher, R., and Mangold, M. (1994). “Minimization of thermal cracking in concrete at early ages.” RILEM Proc. 25: Thermal Cracking in Concrete at Early Ages, Springenschmid, R., ed., E & FN Spon, London, 205–212.
Byard, B. E., and Schindler, A. K. (2010a). Cracking tendency of lightweight concrete, Highway Research Center, Auburn, AL.
Byard, B. E., Schindler, A. K., Barnes, R. W., and Rao, A. (2010b). “Cracking tendency of bridge deck concrete.” Transportation Research Record 2164, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 122–131.
Castro, J. (2011). “ Moisture transport in cement based materials: Application to transport tests and internal curing.” Ph.D. thesis, Purdue Univ. West Lafayette, IN.
Committee 318. (2008). Building code requirements for structural concrete (ACI 318-08) and commentary, American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, MI.
Darwin, D., and Browning, J. (2008). “Construction of low cracking high performance concrete (LC-HPC) bridge decks: Field experience.” Proc., Concrete Bridge Conf., National Concrete Bridge Council, Skokie, IL.
Emborg, M. (1989). “Thermal stresses in concrete structures at early ages.” Ph.D. thesis, Luleå Univ., Luleå, Sweden.
Expanded Shale, Clay and Slate Institute (ESCSI). (2007). Reference manual for the properties and applications of expanded shale, clay and slate lightweight aggregate, Salt Lake City, UT.
Golias, M. E. (2010). “The use of soy methyl ester-polystyrene sealants and internal curing to enhance concrete durability.” M.S. thesis, Purdue Univ., Purdue, IN.
Hansen, T. C. (1986). “Physical structure of hardened cement paste: A classical approach.” Mater. Struct.MASTED, 19(6), 423–436.
Henkensiefken, R. (2008). “Internal curing in cementitious systems made using saturated lightweight aggregate.” M.S. thesis, Purdue Univ., Purdue, IN.
Holt, E. (2001). “Early age autogenous shrinkage of concrete.” Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA.
Jensen, O. M., and Hansen, P. F. (2001). “Water-entrained cement-based materials—I. Principles and theoretical background.” Cem. Concr. Res.CCNRAI, 31(4), 647–654.
Krauss, P. D., and Rogalla, E. A. (1996). “Transverse cracking in newly constructed bridge decks.” NCHRP Rep. 380, National Research Council, Washington, DC.
Lura, P. (2003). “Autogenous deformation and internal curing of concrete.” Ph.D. thesis, Technical Univ. of Delft, Delft, Netherlands.
Mehta, P. K., and Monteiro, J. M. (2006). Concrete: Microstructure, properties and materials, 3rd Ed., McGraw-Hill, New York.
Mills, R. H. (1966). “Factors influencing cessation of hydration in water-cured cement paste.” Proc., Symp. on Structure of Portland Cement Paste and Concrete, Highway Research Board, Washington, DC, 406–424.
Mindess, S., Young, J. F., and Darwin, D. (2002). Concrete, 2nd Ed., Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Poole, J. K., Riding, K. A., Browne, R. A., and Schindler, A. K. (2006). “Temperature management of mass concrete structures.” 〈http://www.concreteconstruction.net/concrete-construction/temperature-management-of-mass-concrete-structures.aspx〉 (June 2008).
RILEM 42 CEA. (1981). “Properties of set concrete at early ages: State of the art report.” Mater. Struct.MASTED, 14(84), 399–450.
RILEM TC 119-TCE. (1998). “Testing of the cracking tendency of concrete at early ages in the cracking frame test.” RILEM Rep. 15, Prevention of thermal cracking in concrete at early ages, Springenschmid, R., ed., E & FN Spon, London, 315–339.
RILEM TC 196. (2007). “Internal curing of concrete.” RILEM Rep. 41, RILEM Publications S. A. R. L., Bagneux, France.
Schindler, A. K., and Folliard, K. J. (2005). “Heat of hydration models for cementitious materials.” Mater. J.AMAJEF, 102(1), 24–33.
Schindler, A. K., and McCullough, B. F. (2002). “The importance of concrete temperature control during concrete pavement construction in hot weather conditions.” Transportation Research Record 1813, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 3–10.
Springenschmid, R., and Breitenbücher, R. (1998). “Influence of constituents, mix proportions and temperature on cracking sensitivity of concrete.” RILEM Rep. 15, Prevention of thermal cracking in concrete at early ages, Springenschmid, R., ed., E & FN Spon, London, 41–50.
Van Breugel, K. (1997). “Simulation of hydration and formation of structure in hardening cement based material.” Ph.D. thesis, Delft Univ., Delft, Netherlands.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 24 • Issue 8 • August 2012
Pages: 1025 - 1033
Copyright
© 2012. American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 31, 2011
Accepted: Dec 28, 2011
Published online: Dec 29, 2011
Published in print: Aug 1, 2012
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.