SR175 Creep and shrinkage of inorganic polymer concrete (2007)

The creep and free shrinkage of a series of fly-ash derived inorganic polymer concretes (IPCs) were measured in an attempt to explain observed in situ cracking behaviour by stress relaxation.

Unexpected drying cracking within the test specimens, attributed to less than optimal mix design, complicated creep measurements but the data suggests specific creep rates are lower for IPCs than conventional concrete, thus negating the hypothesis.

Testing of early age cracking susceptibility under restraint similarly did not show strong evidence for improved cracking resistance.

Measurements of shrinkage from the freshly mixed plastic state for a single IPC formulation using image analysis techniques suggest that autogenous volume change on hardening is of significantly greater magnitude than later drying shrinkage. The dependence of the phenomenon on mix formulation and any consequential detriment caused to subsequent serviceability needs to be verified.