Predicting and testing the tensile relaxation of concrete

dc.contributor.advisorBeushausen, Hans-Dieteren_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorMoyo, Pilateen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorKizito, Nicholas Mageraen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-07-31T10:28:20Z
dc.date.available2014-07-31T10:28:20Z
dc.date.issued2013en_ZA
dc.descriptionIncludes abstract.
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references.
dc.description.abstractTensile relaxation is an important property in structural concrete members such as concrete overlays and patch repairs under sustained imposed restraint. Tensile relaxation helps in reducing tensile stresses in concrete which leads to mitigation of cracking in restrained concrete members. Normally, it is assumed that tensile relaxation is influenced in a similar way by the same parameters that influence creep despite potential differences between the two. Moreover, relaxation is predicted from functions that link it to creep. Whereas it is easy to find published literature on creep of concrete, little can be found on the relaxation behaviour of concrete. More research is therefore needed to understand the factors that influence relaxation and its prediction. This study aimed at comparing the influence of selected factors on creep and relaxation to establish a correlation if any between the two. The parameters investigated include: w/c ratio, age of loading, initial stress-strength ratio and aggregate content. Tensile relaxation tests are difficult to perform and hence prediction models are often relied upon to predict relaxation. Two simplified approximate methods are suggested in the fib Model Code to obtain the relaxation function from the creep function. The Age Adjusted Effective Modulus method (AAEM) given in the MC2010 and the Approximate Relaxation Function (ARF) in MC90-93 are mentioned. Values from the two were compared with experimental relaxation results to verify their accuracy in predicting the relaxation potential of selected concretes. Results show that tensile relaxation of concrete, similar to creep is affected by parameters such as w/c ratio, age of loading and aggregate content. It is observed that the magnitude of tensile relaxation, with other factors held constant, was found to reduce with a reduction in w/c ratio, increase in age and increase in aggregate content. The initial stress-strength ratio does not seem to have a significant influence on relaxation. However, an increase in the initial stress leads to a small and un- proportional increase in relaxation. The use of models linking the creep function and relaxation function to predict low-age relaxation is probably valid. Although both the AAEM and ARF methods yield fairly good predictions of relaxation, the simplicity of the AAEM makes it a better option.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationKizito, N. M. (2013). <i>Predicting and testing the tensile relaxation of concrete</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Civil Engineering. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5036en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationKizito, Nicholas Magera. <i>"Predicting and testing the tensile relaxation of concrete."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Civil Engineering, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5036en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationKizito, N. 2013. Predicting and testing the tensile relaxation of concrete. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Kizito, Nicholas Magera AB - Tensile relaxation is an important property in structural concrete members such as concrete overlays and patch repairs under sustained imposed restraint. Tensile relaxation helps in reducing tensile stresses in concrete which leads to mitigation of cracking in restrained concrete members. Normally, it is assumed that tensile relaxation is influenced in a similar way by the same parameters that influence creep despite potential differences between the two. Moreover, relaxation is predicted from functions that link it to creep. Whereas it is easy to find published literature on creep of concrete, little can be found on the relaxation behaviour of concrete. More research is therefore needed to understand the factors that influence relaxation and its prediction. This study aimed at comparing the influence of selected factors on creep and relaxation to establish a correlation if any between the two. The parameters investigated include: w/c ratio, age of loading, initial stress-strength ratio and aggregate content. Tensile relaxation tests are difficult to perform and hence prediction models are often relied upon to predict relaxation. Two simplified approximate methods are suggested in the fib Model Code to obtain the relaxation function from the creep function. The Age Adjusted Effective Modulus method (AAEM) given in the MC2010 and the Approximate Relaxation Function (ARF) in MC90-93 are mentioned. Values from the two were compared with experimental relaxation results to verify their accuracy in predicting the relaxation potential of selected concretes. Results show that tensile relaxation of concrete, similar to creep is affected by parameters such as w/c ratio, age of loading and aggregate content. It is observed that the magnitude of tensile relaxation, with other factors held constant, was found to reduce with a reduction in w/c ratio, increase in age and increase in aggregate content. The initial stress-strength ratio does not seem to have a significant influence on relaxation. However, an increase in the initial stress leads to a small and un- proportional increase in relaxation. The use of models linking the creep function and relaxation function to predict low-age relaxation is probably valid. Although both the AAEM and ARF methods yield fairly good predictions of relaxation, the simplicity of the AAEM makes it a better option. DA - 2013 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2013 T1 - Predicting and testing the tensile relaxation of concrete TI - Predicting and testing the tensile relaxation of concrete UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5036 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/5036
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationKizito NM. Predicting and testing the tensile relaxation of concrete. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Civil Engineering, 2013 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5036en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Civil Engineeringen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherCivil Engineeringen_ZA
dc.titlePredicting and testing the tensile relaxation of concreteen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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