Abstract
The durability and functionality of concrete overlay repairs are highly dependent on the extent of cracking and crack widths, which are difficult to predict. This article presents an experimental and analytical investigation on restrained shrinkage of overlays made with rapid hardening mortar mixes reinforced with recycled fibres. The investigated parameters include cement type (calcium sulfoaluminate cement-CSA and calcium aluminate cement-RSC), overlay depth, bond condition and fibre dosage. Sixteen composite prisms were tested to determine shrinkage strains and cracking development over time. Both plain (RSC) and fibre reinforced (FRSC) overlaid prisms made of calcium aluminate cement developed multiple cracks in less than 16 h due to their high shrinkage values, but 60% lower crack widths developed in FRSC. An effective analytical model is derived to estimate the crack spacing of concrete overlays. As concrete crack width predictive models are shown to be deficient in predicting the crack width of materials with flexural hardening properties, a semi-empirical approach is adopted to quantify the effect of fibres in such matrices. The predicted crack widths are in a good agreement with the experimentally measured values. The suggested model is expected to make a contribution towards safer and more sustainable solutions for concrete repairs.
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