Internal curing to reduce cracking potential of Ultra High Performance Concrete by means of Super Absorbent Polymers

Authors: V. Mechtcherine, L. Dudziak, S. Hempel
Paper category: conference
Book title: Concrete Durability and Service Life Planning – ConcreteLife’09
Editor(s): K. Kovler
Print ISBN: 978-2-35158-074-5
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-085-1
Publisher: RILEM Publications SARL
Publication year: 2009
Pages: 31 – 38
Total Pages: 8
Language: English

Abstract: Internal curing by means of Super Absorbent Polymers (SAP) has been used in mitigating autogenous shrinkage and consequently in reducing the cracking potential of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete. The addition of SAP had no negative effect on the workability of UHPC if a sufficient amount of extra water was used. Internal curing using SAP and an extra amount of water reduced the autogenous shrinkage of UHPC dramatically. Due to the restraint of autogenous deformation, stresses were found to be considerably lower than the case when no internal curing was used. The increase in drying shrinkage of UHPC containing SAP increased with the amount of water added for the purpose of internal curing. There was only a slight decrease in the compressive strength of UHPC on using SAP when an appropriate amount of extra water was used.

Online publication: 2012-05-16
Publication Type: full_text
Public price (Euros): 0.00