Experimental observations of early-age drying of Portland cement paste under low-pressure conditions

Plastic shrinkage cracking of concrete surfaces directly affects the long-term durability of structures. It can be attributed to the rapid rate of surface moisture evaporation while the microstructure is undergoing the early phases of hydration. A test method for characterizing evaporation parameters and simulating the sequential formation of shrinkage cracks in two-dimensional cement paste samples under low-pressure condition was developed....