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Early-age autogenous cracking of cementitious matrices: physico-chemical analysis and micro/macro investigations

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Abstract

High-performance cement-based materials, characterized by low water-to-cement (W/C) ratio and high cement content, are sensitive to early-age cracking because their autogenous shrinkage rate and magnitude are particularly high during this period. This article firstly presents experimental tools especially designed for the measurement of free and restrained autogenous shrinkage at early-age. Then, the results of a multi-parameter experimental study conducted on three different types of binder are analyzed. The physico-chemical deformations of cement pastes and mortars were measured from the very early-age up to several days in saturated and autogenous conditions to investigate the effects of binder, water-to-binder ratio, presence of aggregates and temperature on the driving-mechanisms leading to early-age autogenous cracking. Complementary tests such as hydration rate measurement and microscopic observations were also performed. Among the three binders used, the blast furnace slag cement shows higher chemical strain, for a given quantity of chemically-bound water, and higher early-age autogenous shrinkage. The presence of aggregates generates a local restraining effect of cement paste deformations, leading to the formation of microcracks in the surrounding cement paste. Ring test results reveal that the first through crack of cement pastes systematically appears for maximal internal stress values lower than the material tensile strength, estimated with three-point flexural tests. This phenomenon may be due to diffuse damage of the cementitious matrix, whose deformations are partially restrained.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. GeM, UMR CNRS 6183—Research Institute on Civil Engineering and Mechanics, University of Nantes—IUT Saint-Nazaire, 58 Rue Michel Ange, BP 420, 44606, Saint-Nazaire Cedex, France

    Pierre Mounanga, Arnaud Pertue, Annick Perronnet & Abdelhafid Khelidj

  2. CRMD, UMR CNRS 6619—Centre de Recherche sur la Matière Divisée, Ecole Polytechnique d’Orléans, 8 Rue Léonard de Vinci, 45072, Orléans Cedex 2, France

    Marwen Bouasker

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  1. Pierre Mounanga
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Correspondence to Pierre Mounanga.

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Mounanga, P., Bouasker, M., Pertue, A. et al. Early-age autogenous cracking of cementitious matrices: physico-chemical analysis and micro/macro investigations. Mater Struct 44, 749–772 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-010-9663-z

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