ABSTRACT
Extensive research work has made it possible to optimize a concrete in a way that its cracking tendency is low and that the other required properties, such as early age strength and watertightness, are obtained as well. The effect of technological measures on the cracking tendency of concrete can be quantified by measurements of the restraint stresses in cracking frame tests, see Springenschmid and Nischer (1973), Springenschmid and Breitenbucher (1990), Breitenbucher (1989), Breitenbucher and Mangold (1994). The so-called cracking temperature T^^ is used as a standard of comparison for the cracking tendency. T^ is the temperature at which a concrete beam, with the high degree of restraint given by the cracking frame, breaks. The lower the cracking temperature is, the lower is the cracking tendency of the concrete.
