Effects of microstructure on restrained autogenous shrinkage behavior in high strength concretes at early ages

At the beginning of this year prof. Z. P. Bažant and his team published a new numerical model for predicting creep and shrinkage in concrete structures. Model, named B4, is conceptually based on the previous version B3. While early prediction models were based mostly on classical concrete composition, the new model allows for observation the variability of modern concrete compositions, i.e. the effects of admixtures, various aggregate types and increasing concrete strength. The model also captures the effects of environment temperature, multi-decade prediction and autogenous shrinkage. This is important for concretes that are produced in Czech Republic and have higher, but not high strength (about 50 MPa). The model also allows to determine internal parameters according to experimental measurements on laboratory specimens or structural members. Therefore it is possible to refine the prediction of the behavior of structures made of this concrete in the long time periods. However, the increased number of input parameters leads to a higher complexity and it is necessary to have computational tools for practical model application. To provide the model to wider engineering community open structure computational program (in MATLAB environment) was created. Software is freely available for download on the internet. Description of the innovations of the model B4 and demonstration of its relatively simple applications using newly developed software products is a subject of this paper.

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Autogenous Shrinkage, Strength, and Hydration Heat of Ultra-High-Strength Paste Incorporating Nano-Zirconium Dioxide

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12229372 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (22) ◽

pp. 9372

Author(s):

Guang-Zhu Zhang ◽

Han-Seung Lee ◽

Xiao-Yong Wang

Keyword(s):

Relative Humidity ◽

Room Temperature ◽

Autogenous Shrinkage ◽

High Strength ◽

Hydration Heat ◽

Experimental Device ◽

Hydration Reaction ◽

Hydration Products ◽

Internal Relative Humidity ◽

Two Stages

Ultra-high-strength paste (UHSP) combined with nanomaterials has been extensively studied. However, the research on nano-ZrO2 is limited. In this study, UHSP with various nano-ZrO2 contents is analyzed. The motivation of this study is to clarify the effects of nano-ZrO2 on the hydration products, strength, autogenous shrinkage, and hydration heat of UHSPs. The water-to-binder ratio (w/b) of the specimens is 0.2. The nano-ZrO2 content is 0, 1.5, and 3 wt.%. The strength is measured at the age of 3, 7, and 28 days. The hydration heat is measured from the mixing stage to 3 days. The hydration products are analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). The autogenous shrinkage is measured from the mixing stage for 7 days using a new experimental device. The new experimental device can measure autogenous shrinkage, internal relative humidity, and internal temperature simultaneously. The following conclusions can be drawn based on the experimental studies: (1) Two stages were noticed in the autogenous shrinkage of UHSPs: a variable-temperature stage and a room-temperature stage. The cut-off point of these two stages occurred in roughly 1.5 days. Furthermore, in the room-temperature stage, there was a straight-line relationship between the autogenous shrinkage and internal relative humidity. (2) With the increase of the nano-ZrO2 amount, the compressive strength at 3 days, 7 days, and 4 weeks increased. (3) With the nano-ZrO2 increasing, the flow decreased. (4) With the nano-ZrO2 increasing, the hydration heat increased due to the physical nucleation effect of the nano-ZrO2. Furthermore, the nano-ZrO2 used in this study was chemically inert and did not take part in the cement hydration reaction based on the XRD, differential thermal, and TG data. This paper is of great significance for the development of high-strength cementitious materials doped with nano-ZrO2.

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Properties of Autogenous Shrinkage in High-Strength Mass Concrete According to Hydration Heat Velocity

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.311-313.1993 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 311-313 ◽

pp. 1993-1999

Author(s):

Kyung Mo Koo ◽

Gyu Yong Kim ◽

Hiroyuki Miyauchi ◽

Yeon Woo Kang

Keyword(s):

Autogenous Shrinkage ◽

High Strength ◽

Hydration Heat ◽

Early Age ◽

Mass Concrete ◽

Close Relationship

The early-age properties and relationships between hydration heat and autogenous shrinkage in high-strength mass concrete are investigated through analysis of the history curves of hydration heat and autogenous shrinkage. To reduce the hydration heat velocity, micro encapsulated retarder (MR) that could retard cement reaction was applied. In the result of research, the hydration temperature and hydration heat velocity of high-strength mass concrete can be decreased with the reduction of size specimen and use of the retarder. A close relationship could be found between the hydration temperature and autogenous shrinkage; the higher the hydration heat velocity, the higher the autogenous shrinkage velocity and the greater the ultimate autogenous shrinkage.

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