Control of Expansive Concretes During Construction

Persons who design and construct structures using expansive concretes necessarily make many decisions affecting the behavior of these concretes. Some of the factors affecting expansion over which the designer and constructor have some control are the cement storage, mix constituents, mixing procedure, delivery time, curing, and restraint. The choices made concerning these factors have a markedly greater affect on expansion than on shrinkage. Poor control or lack of attention to these factors may result in greatly reduced expansion and unnecessary cracking. Generally speaking, however, good concrete practices will result in good expansive concrete behavior.