• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2016

In this study, high performance concrete beams and prisms with high content of PFA were heated to various temperatures up to $450^{\circ}C$ at heating rates of $1^{\circ}C/min$, $3^{\circ}C/min$ and $10^{\circ}C/min$. The thermal gradient was found to increase first with the heating time until a peak value was reached and then decrease until the thermal equilibrium was reached, measured as $115^{\circ}C$, $240^{\circ}C$ and $268^{\circ}C$ for the three heating rates. Spalling occurred on some specimens when the heating temperature was over $400^{\circ}C$ for heating rates of $3^{\circ}C/min$ and $10^{\circ}C/min$. The hygric gradient was found to reach its maximum when the thermal gradient reached its peak. This study indicates that spalling of HPC could happen when the heating temperature was high enough, and both thermal and hygric gradients reached their maxima.