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Comparison of thermal cracking potential evaluation criteria for mass concrete structures

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Abstract

This paper systematically investigated experimental thermal cracking potential evaluation results of mass concrete structures undergoing external restraint using different criteria (i.e., second-zero-stress temperature, cracking temperature, ratio of tensile stress to tensile strength). Results showed that the second-zero-stress temperature is not accurate for the thermal cracking potential evaluation. A modified criterion using the ratio of tensile stress to tensile strength combining the facture energy (i.e., the final value of ratio of tensile stress to tensile strength) is more intuitive on the thermal cracking potential evaluation. The criterion using the cracking temperature is appropriate for the thermal cracking potential evaluation on material level. A proposed criterion combining the cracking temperature and the cracking age obtained from a temperature stress testing machine is more effective for the thermal cracking potential evaluation on material and member level.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2018YFC0406703), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51779277). This research was also sponsored by the Special Science Fund of IWHR (Grant Nos. SS0145B612017, SS0145B712017, SS0145B392016), and the Fund of State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin of IWHR (Grant Nos. SKL2020ZY10, SS0112B102016). Support provided by China Three Gorges Corporation research project (Grant No. WDD/0428) is also gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 100038, People’s Republic of China

    Jianda Xin, Yi Liu & Zhenhong Wang

  2. Key Laboratory of Construction and Safety of Hydraulic Engineering of Ministry of Water Resources, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 100038, People’s Republic of China

    Jianda Xin, Yi Liu & Zhenhong Wang

  3. Department of Structure and Materials, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 100038, People’s Republic of China

    Jianda Xin, Yi Liu, Guoxin Zhang, Zhenhong Wang & Juan Wang

  4. China Three Gorges Projects Development Co., Ltd., Chengdu, 610017, People’s Republic of China

    Ning Yang & Yu Qiao

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  1. Jianda Xin
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  2. Yi Liu
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  3. Guoxin Zhang
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  4. Zhenhong Wang
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  6. Yu Qiao
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  7. Juan Wang
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Correspondence to Yi Liu.

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Xin, J., Liu, Y., Zhang, G. et al. Comparison of thermal cracking potential evaluation criteria for mass concrete structures. Mater Struct 54, 243 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-021-01840-5

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