Correlating laboratory and field tests of creep in high-performance concrete

This article outlines experimental laboratory and field studies on creep of young or mature high-performance concrete (HPC) carried out between 1991 a nd 1999. For this purpose, about 400 cylinders made out of eight mix compos itions of HPC were studied in the laboratory. Half the number of HPC was se aled; half of the studies were carried out on air-cured KPC. Parallel tests on strength, internal relative humidity, RH and hydration were carried out on about 900 cubes that were made of HPC from the same batch as the cylind ers were. Fragments from the strength tests were used to observe RH. Shrink age was studied parallel to creep. The results and analyses of the laborato ry studies show large influence of the maturity and of the mix composition of the HPC on the measured creep. The creep coefficient of HPC is smaller t han in normal concrete. In contrast, shrinkage of HPC is somewhat larger th an in normal concrete. The results obtained in the laboratory were correlat ed to field tests on 27 beams. The results in the field coincided well with the results in the laboratory studies. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.