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Volume Change and Cracking in Internally Cured Mixtures Made with Saturated Lightweight Aggregate under Sealed and Drying Conditions

Published

Author(s)

Ryan Henkensiefken, Dale P. Bentz, Tommy Nantung, Jason Weiss

Abstract

Increased occurrences of early-age shrinkage cracking in low water to cement ratio (w/c) concrete have spawned innovative developments in mixture design that reduce the risk of cracking. One such development is internal curing, which utilizes the inclusion of saturated lightweight aggregate (SLWA). The SLWA supplies additional moisture to cement paste as it hydrates thereby counteracting the effects of self-desiccation. This paper presents results from a study that examined systems with different volumes of SLWA under sealed and unsealed conditions. Specifically, the results indicate the influence of SLWA volume and type on the internal humidity, autogenous shrinkage, and restrained shrinkage cracking behavior. The performance of each system is related to the fundamental driving mechanism, the SLWA spacing, and the pore structure of the paste.
Citation
Cement and Concrete Composites
Volume
31
Issue
7

Keywords

Internal curing, autogenous shrinkage, lightweight aggregates, shrinkage cracking.

Citation

Henkensiefken, R. , Bentz, D. , Nantung, T. and Weiss, J. (2009), Volume Change and Cracking in Internally Cured Mixtures Made with Saturated Lightweight Aggregate under Sealed and Drying Conditions, Cement and Concrete Composites, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=861644 (Accessed March 29, 2024)
Created August 2, 2009, Updated October 12, 2021