Determination of the Thermal Expansion Coefficient of Concrete at Early Ages by Using Temperature-stress Testing Machine

By using the uptodate temperatuer-stress testing machine, the thermal expansion coefficient of concrete at early ages was studied and indicative conclusions were achieved ： temperature rising due to hydration heat is not directly correlated with cracking, but the temperature and stress evolation process should be taken into consideration in the same time. Proper chemical admixtures and mineral cornpasitions can improve the mechanical properties of concrete such as thermal expansion coefficient, which is very indicative in practice.

Influence of superplasticizers on the early-age crack resistance of concrete

In order to improve the early-age cracking resistance of concrete, different types of superplasticizers are used. Two types of polycarboxlic salt/acid superplasticizers and one retarding naphthalene superplasticizer are selected to investigate the influence of superplasticizers on the early-age cracking resistance of the concrete by using the slab test and the temperature-stress test. The results show that the polycarboxlic salt/acid superplasticizer cannot always improve the cracking resistance capacity of the concrete compared with the naphthalene superplasticizer, which is related to the chemical structure of the polycarboxlic salt/acid superplasticizer. High plastic tensile strength and dynamic elastic modulus at the early stage are beneficial to avoid cracking, and low hydration heat is also helpful. The evolutions of the drying shrilakage stress and the hydration heat temperature stress varying with time can be comprehensively evaluated by means of the slab test and the temperature stress test.

Experimental Study on Thermal Stress of Concrete with Different Expansive Minerals Using a Temperature Stress Testing Machine

In order to compare the compensation effect of expansive materials with different mineral sources on the temperature stress of concrete,we investigated the temperature stress of concrete when adding calcium sulfoaluminate type expansive materials(CSA)or CaO and calcium sulfoaluminate mixed type expansive materials(HCSA)at different temperatures by temperature-stress testing machine(TSTM)considering the influence of temperature history on the expansion.The experimental results show that the expansion characteristics of the two kinds of expansive materials with different mineral sources significantly vary.When adding expansive materials,the growth rate of compressive stress during the heating stage increases obviously,the maximum compressive stress is higher,while the decline rate of tensile stress in the late cooling stage becomes slow,and finally cracking temperature decreases.It is proved that concrete with HCSA has lower cracking temperatures and better temperature shrinkage compensation effect.Therefore,it is rational to choose HCSA when preparing concrete with high expansion energy to reduce thermal cracking.