Determination of Concrete Shrinkage Initiation in Internally Cured and Conventional Concrete Decks

The extended performance of the concrete bridge deck depends on the concrete’s ability to resist early-age cracks, which are primarily induced by self-desiccation shrinkage. Several studies have been conducted to study the effect of shrinkage on the development of early-age cracks. When concrete shrinkage occurs, its magnitude may account for tensile stresses developing in the concrete deck over time. Therefore, determining when shrinkage stress...