ABSTRACT
The cement hydration process is an exothermic chemical reaction, leading to temperature rise in the concrete (Kosmatka and Farny, 1997). Because of the relatively low thermal conductivity of concrete, the heat generated due to hydration of cement may lead to considerable temperature differences between the hotter interior and cooler exterior of the concrete elements. This gradient heating may in turn result in considerable tensile stresses in the concrete elements that consequently lead to initiation of early age thermal cracks when exceeding the concrete’s tensile strength. Early age thermal cracking is undesirable from aesthetics, durability and structural performance points of view (Kosmatka and Farny, 1997). In particular, early age cracking may increase the permeability and diffusivity of concrete and thus the kinetics of concrete deterioration due to steel corrosion, chloride ions penetra-
and the estimates of maturity development rate and thus development rate of mechanical properties of concrete, which are themselves functions of temperature and thus, the heat generated (Najafi and Ahangari, 2013).
