Roads and Bridges - Drogi i Mosty
19, 4, 2020, 297-313

Thermal shock as a cause of cracking of concrete in massive bridge support elements - a case study

Piotr Woyciechowski Mail
Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Department of Building Materials Engineering, 16 Armii Ludowej Av., 00-637 Warsaw, Poland
Paweł Łukowski Mail
Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Department of Building Materials Engineering, 16 Armii Ludowej Av., 00-637 Warsaw, Poland
Grzegorz Adamczewski Mail
Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Department of Building Materials Engineering, 16 Armii Ludowej Av., 00-637 Warsaw, Poland
Published: 2020-12-30

Abstract

The paper presents an example of analysis of concrete cracking during construction of a massive bridge element, together with a demonstration of the expert diagnostic work aimed at a comprehensive assessment of the causes of crack development. The finite elements method analysis software FE-tool ConTeSt Pro was used. In the presented case there were typical doubts as to the reason of concrete cracking, and the performed analysis enabled identification of thermal shock as the primary cause of the observed distress. Finite element numerical simulations were adopted in order to analyze the temperature impact on crack development in the bridge elements. The complex case study analysis presented in the article may be treated as guidance on the use of scientific analysis methods in practical reinforced concrete cracking diagnostics. As a result of the work, thermal shock was identified to be the main reason for the damage of the massive bridge elements.

Keywords


concrete bridge, cracking, mass concrete curing, thermal shock.

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Thermal shock as a cause of cracking of concrete in massive bridge support elements - a case study

  
Woyciechowski, Piotr; Łukowski, Paweł; Adamczewski, Grzegorz. Thermal shock as a cause of cracking of concrete in massive bridge support elements - a case study. Roads and Bridges - Drogi i Mosty, [S.l.], v. 19, n. 4, p. 297-313, dec. 2020. ISSN 2449-769X. Available at: <>. Date accessed: 19 Mar. 2024. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.7409/rabdim.020.019.