Shrinkage in Concrete

Plastic shrinkage occurs when concrete loses water through evaporation from its surface or absorption by dry underlying layers during its plastic state. This water loss causes volume contraction, reducing concrete volume by approximately 1% of its absolute volume. The evaporation rate depends on concrete temperature, air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed.

Concrete mixes with higher cement content exhibit greater plastic shrinkage than those with lower cement content. Conversely, concrete with greater aggregate content experiences less plastic shrinkage. The American Concrete Institute recommends avoiding evaporation rates exceeding 0.25 kg/h/m² to prevent plastic cracking.

Autogenous shrinkage develops internally as cement hydrates and pores within the cement paste dry out, creating capillary tension and compressive forces on hydration products. This occurs without external moisture transfer. High-performance concrete exhibits greater autogenous shrinkage than normal concrete due to its low water-to-cement ratio.

Although shrinkage contributes to volumetric strain, it is measured as linear strain in practice, which equals one-third of the volumetric strain. This measurement approach simplifies field assessment and design calculations for concrete structures experiencing volume reduction from water loss or chemical reactions.

Plastic shrinkage rate is influenced by concrete temperature, surrounding air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed. Higher evaporation rates accelerate plastic shrinkage. These environmental conditions directly affect how quickly water evaporates from the concrete surface during the plastic state, impacting overall volume loss.

Yes, excessive plastic shrinkage can cause plastic cracking in concrete. The American Concrete Institute specifies that evaporation rates exceeding 0.25 kg/h/m² should be avoided to prevent plastic cracking. Understanding types of non structural cracks in concrete helps engineers identify and mitigate shrinkage-related damage.

High-performance concrete has a low water-to-cement ratio, which causes greater internal water loss during cement hydration. This internal drying creates stronger capillary tension and compressive stresses on hydration products, resulting in more autogenous shrinkage compared to normal concrete with higher water content.