Shear rheo-viscoelasticity approach to the plastic cracking of early-age concrete

The self-settlement phase of plastic cracking is majorly shear dominated and can be characterised by shear rheometry. This phase is susceptible to microstructural damage/cracking that can be rapidly propagated by the later occurring plastic shrinkage. This study experimentally determined the material properties and behaviour of rheologically modified concrete mixes using shear rheometry and measured their plastic cracking. Von-Mises and Hencky, and Bresler-Pister theories were then used as failure criteria with hypothetically fully restrained plastic strain/stress analyses to model the occurrence of plastic cracking. The incorporated rheology modifiers influenced the shear properties, viscoelastic abilities and plastic cracking of the concrete. The predictions of the model revealed that the plastic settlement is indeed mainly shear-related, the viscoelastic behaviour influences plastic cracking, and microcracking can occur before the initial setting time. It was also concluded that plastic concrete damage tends to be strain-oriented with pressure-insensitive form of ductile failure.