Autogenous shrinkage of alkali-activated slag: A critical review

This paper provides a critical review on autogenous shrinkage of alkali-activated slag (AAS). It is reported that AAS paste, mortar, and concrete generally show larger autogenous shrinkage than Portland cement (PC) counterparts. Self-desiccation is the main driving force of the autogenous shrinkage of hardened AAS, but other mechanisms also...

Incorporating elastic and creep deformations in modelling the three-dimensional autogenous shrinkage of cement paste

A structure-based modelling framework was established to simulate the three-dimensional autogenous shrinkage of cement paste. A cement hydration model, HYMOSTRUC3D-E, was used to obtain the microstructures and ionic concentrations of the cement paste. A lattice fracture model based on the effective stress and effective modulus was used to...

Prediction of the autogenous shrinkage and microcracking of alkali-activated slag and fly ash concrete

This study aims to predict the autogenous shrinkage of alkali-activated concrete (AAC) based on slag and fly ash. A variety of analytical and numerical models are available for the prediction of autogenous shrinkage of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete, but these models are found to show dramatic discrepancies when applied for AAC due...

A comparative study on the mechanical properties, autogenous shrinkage and cracking proneness of alkali-activated concrete and ordinary Portland cement concrete

This study aims to compare the developments of mechanical properties and autogenous shrinkage related properties of alkali-activated materials-based concrete (AC) and ordinary Portland cement-based concrete (OC) against curing age and degree of reaction. Temperature Stress Testing Machines are utilized to monitor the evolution of the internal...

Internal curing of alkali-activated slag-fly ash paste with superabsorbent polymers

This study investigates the influences of internal curing on reducing the autogenous shrinkage of alkali-activated slag/fly ash (AASF) paste. The influences of internal curing with superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) on the reactions and microstructure of AASF paste are investigated. It is found that the SAPs absorb liquid mainly before the...

Examining the “time-zero” of autogenous shrinkage in high/ultra-high performance cement pastes

The term “Time-zero”, i.e., the time for the start of autogenous shrinkage measurement, is usually used for estimating the cracking potential of structural components. Accurate determination of the “time-zero” is therefore critical for autogenous shrinkage measurement, which is the main objective of this study. There is a general agreement...