ISSN: 1546-962X
Page Count: 15

Quantifying the Influence of Specimen Geometry on the Results of the Restrained Ring Test
Moon, J-H
Ph.D. student, School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, IN

Rajabipour, F
Ph.D. student, School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, IN

Pease, B
M.S.C.E. student, School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, IN

Weiss, J
Corresponding Author, Associate Professor, School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, IN

(Received 8 June 2005; accepted 11 July 2006)

Abstract

Over the last decade, the restrained ring test has trequently been used to assess the cracking susceptibility of a concrete mixture when it is restrained from shrinking treely. Despite the trequent use of the ring test, limited analysis has been performed to understand how the specimen geometry influences the results of the test. This paper discusses the influence of specimen geometry on the results of the ring test considering three conditions: (1) uniform shrinkage of the concrete ring, (2) shrinkage caused by drying from the top and bottom surfaces of the concrete ring, and (3) shrinkage caused by drying from the outer circumference of the concrete ring. The role of moisture gradients, thickness of the concrete and the restraining (i.e., steel) rings, and the stiffness of concrete are considered in a series of numerical simulations. Results from these simulations can enable better selection of test specimen geometries and interpretation of the results from the ring test. Analytical expressions are provided to use for determining the geometry of the ring specimen that better simulates specific field conditions while providing the most useful information from the test.

Keywords:
autogenous shrinkage, concrete, cracking, degree of restraint, drying shrinkage, moisture gradient, shrinkage cracking, restrained ring test

Paper ID: JAI100436
DOI: 10.1520/JAI100436
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