Investigation the effect of different climate conditions on the temporal characteristic of plastic shrinkage cracking in concrete pavements

Abstract

plastic shrinkage cracking in concrete pavement occurs in the early hours after construction due to the rapid drying of the pavement surface. These cracks in concrete pavements affect the beauty of the structure, reduces the durability of the pavement in the long term, and decrease pavement serviceability. Due to the different climate conditions at the pavement site, plastic shrinkage cracking are subject to change. This study examined the temporal characteristics of plastic shrinkage cracking in concrete, including the balance time of bleeding and evaporation and the time of cracking onset, by utilizing the ASTM C 1579 standard method, in 27 different climate conditions with the use of continuous video recording system. Results showed that changing climate conditions have a more significant impact on balance time than the time of the start of cracking. Also, the relative humidity of the air has the most pronounced effect on the temporal characteristics of cracking, and the impact of ambient temperature and wind speed are close to each other. The results also showed that time of balance of beeling and evaporation could be a good criterion for predicting the risk of plastic shrinkage cracking in concrete pavements in different climate conditions. It is necessary to use appropriate curing methods to prevent the excessive reduction of balance time and increase the rate of plastic shrinkage cracking in concrete pavements.