Effects of Material and Structural System on Drying Shrinkage Behavior

Abstract

This article aims to investigate the effects of material and structural system, specifically concrete strength and restrained level on drying shrinkage via the time dependent model. This model consists of Rigid-Body-Spring Network (RBSN) and modified solidification concept. In the analysis, the series of each effect were analyzed and investigated by varying concrete strengths and restrained levels represented for material and structural system, respectively. As the results, the time that the first crack occurs is not in direct proportion to the increase in concrete strength and restrained level but they have the same tendency. Therefore, the proper value of concrete strength and moisture humidity should be examined before designing the structure. Furthermore, it is not suitable to apply comparative results between tensile stress and tensile stress when basing a prediction on the cracking times, since tensile stress in the specimens is lower than the tensile strength at the cracking period. Also, stress histories and accumulated permanent damages in early concrete were founded to be the major effect of concrete cracking.