Alternative methods to prevent thermal cracking in concrete

Sammanfattning: In the construction industry, concrete is the most common material, because of its good properties such as compressive strength and endurance. Concrete is a composition of several different materials where one of the main components is cement. When the hydration process starts, large amount of heat is generated. This leads to temperature rise within the structure. The heat development that takes place can become critical for massive structures such as dams and power plants, where natural cooling is not sufficient. This in combination with internal and external restraint resulting in tensions causing cracks in the structure. By controlling the temperature development, one can reduce the risk of cracking in massive structures. The controlling is divided into pre-cooling and post-cooling. Reduction of the risk for thermal cracking can be done in different ways. Parts of the cement in the concrete can be replaced by a pozzolan material such as silica fume, blast furnace slag or fly ash. Another method is to increase the size of the aggregates which makes it possible to reduce the cement content with remained strength. Cooling the aggregates or use of ice can also be used as a pre-cooling methods. The most common post-cooling method is the installation of cooling pipes. Pipes are installed between the reinforcement bars, in which one then pump through with cold water. This thesis aims at practicing the methods examined by Lagundžija & Thiam (2017). Focusing on those results that proved to be most effective, i.e. the combination of fly ash, ice and large aggregates. The results retrieved during the tests shows a significant increase in the compressive strength when using a combination of fly ash, ice and large aggregates. This gives us the opportunity to reduce the initial cement content. Reducing the cement content is the most effective factor regarding the heat development. When replacing amounts of the water with ice, it can be seen that the initial casting temperature was reduced. Further studies can be done to find the right amount of reduction of the cement that can be done while maintaining the required compressive strength.