Shrinkage Of Concrete

Prepared by:
Bahman Omer Taha
Msc in Structural Enginerring
Survey Department
 Shrinkage

-Shrinkage is the decrease of concrete volume after hardening with

time.

-One of the major

problems with concrete
construction the fact that
concrete may shrink and
expand after placing
according to conditions,
when exposed to
seasonal changes in
temperature climate
 Shrinkage

- The decrease is due to CHANGES IN THE MOISTURE

CONTENT of the concrete and PHYSIC-CHEMICAL changes,
which occur without stress attributable to actions external to the
concrete.
- The converse of shrinkage is swellage which denotes
volumetric increase due to moisture gain in the hardened
concrete
 Types of Shrinkage

Plastic shrinkage: Due to the loss of water in the plastic state

due to evaporation.

Drying Shrinkage: Due to the loss of water to the environment

in the hardened state. (600*10-6 mm/mm)

Autogenous shrinkage: Chemical

shrinkage (lower volume of
hydrates than cement and water).
(100*10-6 mm/mm)

Carbonation shrinkage: Volume

reduction due to the reaction
of hydrated cement paste with CO2
in the presence of moisture. (50*10-6
mm/mm)
Structure of hardened cement paste
Mechanism of shrinkage

_In a drying environment where a

relative humidity gradient exists
between the concrete and
surrounding air, moisture (free

_water) is initially lost from the larger capillaries and little or no change in
volume or shrinkage occurs. However, this creates an internal humidity
gradient so that to maintain hygral equilibrium adsorbed water is transferred
from the gel pores and, in turn, interlayer's water, may be transferred to the
larger capillaries. The process results in a reduction in volume of the CSH
Factors affecting shrinkage

Shrinkage of concrete is affected by several factors

1-aggregate
.
Factors affecting shrinkage
2- The relative humidity

3- The time of drying

Factors affecting shrinkage

4- Size of the member

Prediction of shrinkage