Prediction of concrete properties by thermal stress device for hydration heat analysis of mass concrete structures

Abstract

Cracking in concrete structures is one of the most difficult problems to solve, because concrete is a composite material whose constituents have different properties. In particular, thermal cracking in mass concrete structures due to hydration heat is more difficult to predict and control due to a lot of uncertainties such as thermal and mechanical properties of concrete. Numerous analytical and experimental methods have thus far been proposed to predict thermal cracking in mass concrete structures. However, the accuracy of these methods is considered insufficient because the concrete properties change with time and are affected by the environment. In this dissertation, a method to predict concrete properties is proposed to improve the accuracy of analysis. In this method, concrete properties are predicted by comparing the stress results between the experiment and analysis. Since the accuracy of the prediction depends on the accuracy of the experimental and analytical results, the experimental device, which can measure the thermal stress in concrete, is modified from previous device suggested by Amin. Analysis program is also developed focusing on the characteristics of mass concrete structures. In addition, the proposed method and developed program was verified by the experimental results of mass concrete structures and various experiments for specimens of compressive strength, elastic modulus, autogenous shrinkage and non-stress strain.