Abstract
This study aims to improve serviceability of concrete by inducing chemical prestress with the application of expansive additives for concrete. For this purpose, material tests and 4 point-bending tests of RC slabs were performed to verify the effect of expansive additives on the concrete. and the critical aspects of the structural behavior were investigated. The results of the material tests show that the optimal proportion of expansive additives is 13% of total cement weigth and the properties of expansive concrete in that proportion are the same as those of plain concrete. Both the experimental cracking load and service load of the expansive concrete slabs are increased in comparison with those of the plain concrete. In addition to the above results, the deflection of expansive concrete is smaller than that of plain concrete, and permanent strains resulting from cyclic load are decreased. It can be concluded that the use of expansive additives to induce chemical prestress in RC slabs greatly improves the serviceability.