Distribution of shrinkage strain and induced cracks of a round restrained concrete plate at early age

An experimental method for modified concrete plate specimen was developed to determine the shrinkage cracking of concrete under restrained conditions. This method can be expediently used to measure the early age cracking potential of concrete at laboratory or in-situ. The results show that most of cracks distribute in the nearby region of four rim angles and a cross-cross region through connecting the midpoint of each border. The shrinkage strain distribution in the inner of a plate specimen under a windy accelerated drying condition was determined by embedded optical fiber sensors. It is indicated that the shrinkage strain of concrete is approximately an exponential function of the distance from the drying surface of the concrete specimen. In addition, when the distance from the frame edge is shorter, the measured shrinkage strain will become less.