Plastic Shrinkage Cracking Prediction in Cement-Based Materials Using Factorial Design

Shrinkage cracking is a major issue that affects the durability of concrete structures. Plastic shrinkage of cementitious materials can lead to cracking within 24 h of casting and sets the stage for premature deterioration. Although test techniques exist that can be used to evaluate the plastic shrinkage cracking potential of cement-based materials, mathematical models that predict the influence of various parameters such as water-cement ratio (w/c), aggregate to cement ratio, and the effect of fibers on cracking are not available. This paper presents a model that can be used to predict plastic shrinkage cracking in cement-based materials. The model is developed by using factorial design and utilizes representative data generated with a technique developed by the authors. The effectiveness and limitations of the model in predicting crack areas and width are discussed. The effect of variables such as w/c, sand/cement ratio, fiber dosage, and the interaction between these variables is also presented in this paper. (C) 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.