• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.458-461
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• 2006

Early age cracking of concrete is a widespread and complicated problem, and diverse applications in practical engineering have focused on this issue. Since massive concrete base slab composes the infrastructure of other concrete structures such as pier, concrete dam, and high rise buildings, early age cracking of that is considered as a crucial problem. In this study, finite element analysis (FEA) implemented with the age-dependent microplane model was performed. For a massive concrete base slab, cracking initiation and propagation, and deformation variation were investigated with concrete age. In massive concrete slab, autogenous shrinkage increases the risk of early age cracking and it reduces reinforcement effect on control of early age cracking. Gradual crack occurrence is experienced from exterior surface towards interior of the slab in case of combined hydration heat and autogenous shrinkage. FEA implemented with enhanced microplane model successfully simulates the typical cracking patterns due to edge restraint in concrete base slab.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2008

The cracking problem in concrete is widespread and complex. This paper reviews the problem and focuses on those parts of the problem that are more readily solved. Polymer fibers are shown to have promise in several important areas of the cracking problem. To investigate one of these areas of the cracking problem more completely, an experimental research program focusing on the early-age properties of fibers was carried out. This study researched the properties of four polymer fibers; two of the fibers were macrofibers, and two were microfibers. Each fiber was tested at several dosage rates to identify optimum dosage levels. Early-age shrinkage, long-term shrinkage, compressive strength, and tensile strength were investigated. Long-term shrinkage and strength impacts from the polymer fibers were minimal; however, the polymer fibers were shown to have a great impact on early-age shrinkage and a moderate impact on early-age strength.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2006.04a
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• pp.898-905
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• 2006

In the present paper, for a quantitative assessment of early-age cracking in an RC wall, an improved analytical model is proposed. First of all, a three-dimensional finite element model for the analysis of stresses due to hydration heat and differential drying shrinkage is introduced. A discrete steel element derived using the equivalent nodal force concept is used to simulate reinforcing steels, embedded in a concrete matrix. In advance, to quantitatively calculate the cracking potential, an analytical model that can estimate the post-cracking behavior in an RC tension member is proposed Subsequent comparisons. of analytical results with test results verify that the combined use of both the finite element model for the stress analysis as well as the analytical model for the estimation of the post-cracking behavior in an RC tension member make it possible to accurately predict the cracking ,behavior of RC walls.

• Journal of Industrial Technology
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• v.25 no.B
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• pp.73-80
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• 2005

Durability of concrete structures is seriously compromised by cracking at early-age concretes, particularly in high-strength or high-performance concrete structures. Since early-age cracking is influenced by various factors that affect the hydration process, early-age shrinkage and stress/strain development, the behavior at early-age is highly complex and no rational methodologies for its control have yet been established. Concrete structures often present volumetrical changes particularly due to thermal and moisture related shrinkages. Volumetric instability is detrimental to the performance and durability of concrete structures because structural elements are usually restrained. These restrained shrinkages develope tensile stresses which often results in cracking in combination with the low fracture resistance of concrete. Early-age defects in high-performance concrete due to thermal and autogenous deformation shorten the life cycle of concrete structures. Thus, it is necessary to examine the behavior of early-age concrete at the stages of design and construction. The purpose of this study was to propose a shrinkage models of VES-LMC (very-early strength latex-modified concrete) at early-age considering thermal deformation and autogenous shrinkage.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.459-473
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• 2011

The study of the early age concrete properties is becoming more important, as the thermal effects and the shrinkage, even in the first hours, could generate cracks, increasing the permeability of the structure and being able to induce problems of durability and functionality in the same ones. The detailed study of the stresses development during the construction process can be decisive to keep low the cracking levels. In this work a computational model, based on the finite element method, was implemented to simulate the early age concrete behavior and, specially, the evaluation of the cracking risk. The finite element analysis encloses the computational modeling of the following phenomena: chemical, thermal, moisture diffusion and mechanical which occur at the first days after the concrete cast. The developed software results were compared with experimental values found in the literature, demonstrating an excellent approach for all the implemented analysis.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.591-594
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• 2005

Concrete structure that has been constructed in real field is on multi-axial stress state condition. After placing of concrete, hydration heat and shrinkage of concrete can cause various stress conditions with respect to the restraint level and condition. So, to predict the early age behavior of concrete structure, multi-axial material model is required and microplane model is acceptable. Recently, many studies have been performed on the microplane model, but the model developed up to now has been related to hardened concrete that material property is constant with concrete age. So, it is inappropriate to apply this model immediately to analyze the early age behavior of concrete. In this study, microplane model that can predict early age behavior of concrete was developed and cracking analysis using that was performed to describe cracking behavior for massive concrete sturucture.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.189-194
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• 2002

Many researches in the past have shown that a majority initial cracking in concrete are caused during early age period. Therefore, the close examination of early age concrete behavior under various stress conditions is necessary to fully understand the cracking mechanism of concrete. In this study early age cement paste specimen is axially strained up to 20% of its original length by laterally reinforcing it. This type of test is called "Tube Squash Test" and has been previously used to apply up to 50% axial strain on concrete. Microscopic analyses (XRD, FESEM, EDS and DSE/TG) are performed on 20% axially strained early age cement paste specimen. The analysis results show that the microscopic structures and material characteristics of 20% axially strained cement paste remained same as the unstrained cement paste.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2008.11b
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• pp.1065-1068
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• 2008

Concrete is still one most common construction materials even in railway structures. As structures become massive and mega-sized, the importance of early age concrete quality control becomes more significant. Among various factors, relative humidity and temperature are the primary factors governing the early age quality. Temperature raise due to cement hydration causes stress, which can develop to cracking with internal and/or external restraints. Exposure conditions including ambient temperature, humidity and wind also significantly affect the cracking behavior of early age concrete. Among many of studies on the early age concrete behavior, investigation on the variation of temperature and relative humidity internal of concrete is not common. That is in part because the difficulties in measuring the relative humidity and temperature inside the concrete. This study used a digital sensor with an appropriate logger to measure internal temperature and relative humidity. This direct measuring method is expected to provide more reliable and comprehensive data acquisition on the early age behavior of concrete.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.251-258
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• 2003

The early -age behavior of base restrained reinforced concrete (RC) walls is analyzed using a three-dimensional finite element method in this study. After calculating the temperature and internal relative humidity variations of an RC wall, determination of stresses due to thermal gradients, differential drying shrinkage, and average drying shrinkage is followed, and the relative contribution of these three stress components to the total stress is compared. The mechanical properties of early-age concrete, determined from many experimental studies, are taken into consideration, and a discrete reinforcing steel derived using the equivalent nodal force concept is also used to simulate the cracking behavior of RC walls. In advance, to Predict the crack spacing and maximum crack width in a base restrained RC wall, an analytical model which can simulate the post-cracking behavior of an RC tension member is introduced on the basis of the energy equilibrium before and after cracking of concrete.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.269-272
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• 2004

After concrete casts, temperature decent and shrinkage bring volume changes of concrete pavement. Microcracking and cracking in concrete pavement are caused by these volume changes. As a result, durability of concrete pavement is deteriorated. Recently, Very-Early Strength Latex Modified concrete(below:VESLMC) from the beginning of High-Way is used as urgent repair material for bridge deck. The advantage of VESLMC is that compressive and flexural strength at 3 hours age are 4.5MPa and 21MPa respectively. It allows the traffic to open in 3 hours. But, this material has the problem which is early-age shrinkage cracking caused by water self-dissipation with rapid hydration reaction and water evaporation with body dry. Unfortunately, until now, the research about early-age shrinkage of VESLMC leaves something to be desired. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to present the early-age shrinkage of VESLMC respect to latex contents and shrinkage ratio to maximum length change that can help field engineers' skill. Latex contents of 0, 5, 10, 15, $20\%$ in standard of same workability in VESLMC are selected by experimental variables. After initial set, shrinkage value was measured with 10mm LVDT for 3 days. The results of maximum shrinkage ratio were 0.019, 0.017, 0.023, $0.027\%$ respectively.