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Abstract
Early-age cracking on concrete bridge decks is a major concern because it leads to premature deterioration of bridges. This study experimentally investigates the effects of restrained drying shrinkage on bridge decks using three 2 × 3 m experimental concrete slabs designed to simulate a portion of a bridge deck. The large-scale experimental bridge slabs used in this study were designed to closely replicate the restraint found in the field. Three different concrete mixtures are evaluated including (1) a mixture containing 100% portland cement, (2) a mixture incorporating Type-K cement, and (3) a mixture containing partially saturated lightweight fine aggregate to promote internal curing. As expected, the deck-containing Type-K cement had the highest initial expansion, but the internally cured concrete deck exhibited less shrinkage compared to both the control and the Type-K mixtures and adequately reduced the onset of cracking owing to restrained drying shrinkage.
Acknowledgments
This publication is based on the results of ICT-R27-88 and ICT-R27-139, Bridge Decks: Mitigation of Cracking and Increased Durability. This research was conducted in cooperation with the Illinois Center for Transportation; the Illinois Department of Transportation, Office of Program Development; and the US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. This support is gratefully acknowledged. Acknowledgements are also in order for Saint Louis University (SLU) for internal financial support. The opinions and findings of this article are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the sponsors.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).