REACT: Reducing Early-Age Cracking Today

Published

June 1, 2008

Author(s)

Dale P. Bentz, W Weiss

Abstract

Concrete is generally viewed as a durable and long-lasting construction material.  However, the long-term performance of a concrete structure can be greatly compromised by  early-age cracking.  One recent informal estimate from the industry places this as a $500 M problem in the U.S. alone, with some ready-mix companies experiencing early-age issues on as many as 70 % of their jobs.  As is often the case, as a problem intensifies, mitigation strategies are developed and promoted from the research laboratory to the field.  This paper will briefly review the most common non-structural causes of early-age cracking and present an introduction to various mitigation strategies.  These strategies are being further investigated as part of a newly formed university/industry/government collaboration under the acronym of REACT: Reducing Early-Age Cracking Today.

Citation

Concrete Plant International

Issue

3

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

Local Download

Keywords

Autogenous deformation, building technology, early-age cracking, internal curing, plastic shrinkage, semi-adiabatic.

Citation

Bentz, D. and Weiss, W. (2008), REACT: Reducing Early-Age Cracking Today, Concrete Plant International, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=861523 (Accessed October 8, 2025)