Proceedings pro052 : International RILEM Conference on Volume Changes of Hardening Concrete: Testing and Mitigation

The RILEM conference "Volume Changes of Hardening Concrete: Testing and Mitigation", 20-23 August 2006, Lyngby, Denmark, is hosted by the Department of Civil Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark (BYG-DTU). The event is scientifically sponsored by RILEM - International Union of Testing and Research Laboratories for Materials and Structures, through the technical committees: TC 196-ICC Internal curing of concrete and TC 195-DTD Recommendation for test methods for autogenous deformation and thermal dilation of early age concrete, and financially sponsored by the Knud Højgaard Foundation.

The conference broadly concerns all aspects of volume changes of hardening concrete. In particular, it concerns themes with relation to the aforementioned RILEM technical committees, including autogenous shrinkage, which is a phenomenon ingrained in high-strength/high-performance concrete (HSC/HPC) of low water/binder ratio matrix. Autogenous shrinkage may be mitigated through water curing. However, conventional curing procedures of ponding in water are not sufficiently effective, because the penetration of water from the externally ponded surface is limited. In view of these limitations, different strategies have been developed in recent years, based on the use of internal reservoirs of water - so-called internal water curing.

At early ages another important volume change mechanism is thermal dilation. This is an additional driving force of cracking in hardening concrete structures. Thermal dilation is higher in HSC/HPC, because the hydration-generated temperature rise becomes higher due to a higher binder content. Reliable test methods are needed in order to develop useful material models and to establish a better fundamental understanding of the two main volume change mechanisms. This is the basis for further development of durable HSC/HPC

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