Experimental Study on the Shrinkage of Concrete

The long-term behavior of concrete structures is affected significantly by the shrinkage phenomenon. To study the effect of autogenous and drying shrinkage independently, specimens with and without drying need to be investigated. The most commonly used sealant for prevention of drying is aluminum foil. This study investigates alternative options like paraffin for sealing, which is more durable and reliable. The surface strains in two plain concrete prisms, one sealed with aluminum foil and the other with paraffin wax, were monitored and compared to the control specimen without any sealant, for a duration of 5 days. It was observed that paraffin wax yielded similar results to that of aluminum foil. The long-term shrinkage strains in two standard cylinders with and without wax seal were monitored for 365 days and the results were compared with standard prediction models. The B3 model is able to accurately predict the total shrinkage strains in the cylinder.