Determination of Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) of 20MPa Mass Concrete Using Granite Aggregate

Experimental test was carried out to determine the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) value of 20MPa mass concrete using granite aggregate. The CTE value was established using procedure proposed by Kada et al. 2002 in determining the magnitude of early-ages CTE through laboratory test which is a rather accurate way by eliminating any possible superimposed effect of others early-age thermal deformation shrinkages such as autogenous, carbonation, plastic and drying shrinkage. This was done by submitting granite concrete block samples instrumented with ST4 vibrating wire extensometers to thermal shocks. The response of the concrete samples to this shock results in a nearly instantaneous deformation, which are measured by the sensor. These deformations, as well as the temperature signal, are used to calculate the CTE. By repeating heat cycles, the variation in the early-ages of concrete CTE over time was monitored and assessed for a period of upto 7 days.

The developed CTE value facilitating the verification and validation of actual maximum permissible critical temperature differential limit (rather than arbitrarily follow published value) of cracking potential. For thick sections, internal restraint is dominant and this is governed by differentials mainly. Of the required physical properties for thermal modelling, CTE is of paramount importance that with given appropriate internal restraint factor the condition of cracking due to internal restraint is governs by equation, ΔT_max= 3.663ɛ_ctu / α_c. Thus, it can be appreciated that an increase in CTE will lower the maximum allowable differential for cracking avoidance in mass concrete while an increase of tensile strain capacity will increase the maximum allowable temperature differential.