Autogenous and Non-autogenous Shrinkage of Cement

Paste, its Course, Impact on the Crack Occurrence and

Possibilities of Influence
P. Tma
tuma@klok.cvut.cz
CTU, Klokner Institute
olnova 7, 166 08 Praha 6
The setting and hardening of concrete is accompanied by undesirable changes in volume
(shrinkage). The changes in volume of cement mortars and concrete occur right after mixing
of the components. Chemical and autogenous shrinkage prevails in the early stages of setting
and hardening, while shrinkage due to drying gains in significance later.
Chemical shrinkage is caused directly by the reactions of cement, namely those of its
clinker minerals with water, where the volume of the hydration products produced is smaller
than the volume of substances entering the hydration process. A part of chemical shrinkage
manifests itself as a macroscopic change in the dimensions of the element made of cement
mortar or concrete (autogenous shrinkage) and the rest results in the formation or possibly
expansion of pores in the cement matrix. In contrast to this, the contraction due to drying
depends above all on the environment to which the mortar or concrete mix is exposed. The
relative humidity of the environment is the decisive factor of the phenomenon.
One of the methods of reducing or eliminating the shrinkage is the use of special
additives allowing no-shrink or expanding concrete to be manufactured The additives are
essentially based on the idea that a controlled expansion of certain structural phases of cement
will compensate for the contraction. The contraction is thus not eliminated in the true sense of
the word, as the elimination concerns just the change in length caused by the contraction. The
first studies dealing with the problem appeared in the twenties of the last century. Thanks to
increasing interest in these kinds of materials, three basic types of expansion additives or
expansion cements have been developed during the last two decades. The first one, designated
S, is based on cement clinker with an elevated content of aluminium oxide and a higher
addition of gypsum. The second type, K, is based on a combination of the effects of calcium
sulphoaluminates and those of free calcium oxide. The third type, M, is a mixture of Portland
cement, alumina cement and gypsum. Ettringit is the prevailing component ensuring the
expansion of all three types of cement.
The aim of the project was to describe the shrinkage of cement mortar right from the
initial stage of setting and to establish the possibility of controlling the expansion process by
using various amounts of alumina cement and gypsum on the basis of the findings, while at
the same time determining the effects of the additives and their amounts on the performance
properties of the cement, above all its compressive strength and the setting time. Materials
assessed as possible substitutes for these additives were also examined.
In the experimental programme, use was made of several test methods. At first a wide set
of samples was tested using the Le Chatelier sleeve method, in which a sample of the mix is
placed in an open cylindrical sleeve 3cm in diameter, provided with needles. When the
volume increases, the sleeve expands and the needles move apart. Their mutual distance is
used as the test parameter. The method has the advantage of being simple and using a small
test sample amount, and the disadvantage of lower accuracy and difficult interpretation of the
results. For these reasons the method was employed as first orientation and for the selection of
mixes for more detailed study.
Two methods were used for determining the changes in volume on selected mixes, the
method of weighing under water and the dilatometric method. The former method is based on
Archimedes principle of bodies immersed in a fluid. The contraction or expansion is
determined by calculation from the change in upthrust, which is established by weighing the
body immersed under the surface of a fluid. The method allows the change in volume with
respect to the zero value to be established directly after preparing the mix. The measurements
were performed in two modifications, one with the free access of water to the mix and the
other with a prevented exchange of moisture with the ambient environment. In the case of
dilatometric measurement, the sample is placed in a special stand and the change in its length
is measured directly with a precision dial gauge. The measurements were again carried out in
two modifications, in water and in an air environment. The measurements of early and final
set by means of the Vicat instrument were performed on all mixes, and the compressive
strength was tested after 1, 3 and 7 days on selected mixes only.
The tests showed that alumina cement or gypsum alone, when added to Portland cement,
have virtually no effect on its changes in volume, but accelerate the setting of the mix
considerably. The time of early and final set may be as short as a few minutes when large
amounts of the additives are used. Only combinations of the two components have an effect
on the changes in volume. A significant suppression of shrinkage and even expansion was
achieved by certain combinations of the two additives. The efficiency of the additives was
found to depend on the humidity of the environment, while curing in water resulted in
expansion in all the instances, but curing in dry air resulted in expansion only with large
amounts of the additives.
However, the setting of the expansion has its limits, because other performance properties
of hardened cement paste were negatively affected by increasing the amounts of the additives.
There was in particular a significant shortening of the time of set, in direct proportion to the
amount of the combined additive. The same applies to the compressive strength. However, in
this case the relationship was not linear, as with small amounts of the additive the strength
increased, but decreased with larger amounts. The expansion may even lead to disintegration
of the sample with large amounts of the additive and when curing the mix in water.
Pure aluminium oxide and a ground mineral containing aluminium oxide were examined
as possible substitutes for alumina cement. However, these additives did not exhibit effects
comparable to those of alumina cement.
The results achieved have contributed to the understating of the process of changes in
volume of setting and hardening cement pastes. When the humidity of the curing environment
is known, the extent of the changes in volume can be controlled on the basis of utilising the
results obtained.
References:
[1] TMA, P.: Vliv expanznch psad na smrovn cementovho kamene s ohledem na
vlhkost prosted Symposium SANACE betonovch konstrukc 2001, 2001, pp. 333338.
vsledky budou vyuity zejmna v disertan prci autora a budou publikovny v roce
2002
This research has been supported by CTU grant No. 300113317.