Drying Shrinkage Strain Measurement and Field Test of Medium-flow Concrete Combined with Crack-reducing Materials

Abstract

Cracks are the major deterioration of concrete structures of agricultural irrigation facilities. Admixtures to suppress concrete cracks are expansive additives and shrinkage-reducing admixtures, and the crack-suppressing effects of each admixture have been clarified. However, the number of researches that clarified the effect of concrete crack suppression when several admixtures were combined has not been argued enough. In this study, the effect of suppressing cracking of the concrete mixed with the polypropylene short fibers, expansive additives, and shrinkage-reducing admixtures was evaluated quantitatively. Furthermore, the laboratory and the field tests verified the applicability to medium-flow concrete because there is concern that the addition of the polypropylene short fibers may reduce the workability of concrete. As a result, it was concluded that the medium-fluidity concrete mixed with the several admixtures proposed in this study has a high crack suppression and could be applied to agricultural irrigation facilities.