Chapter 7: Effects of concrete creep and shrinkage

During the construction of modern prestressed concrete bridges there are a number of different static systems in play: boundary conditions change, new structural members are added or cast, post-tensioning is applied, and temporary support elements are erected and subsequently removed. Structural elements of various ages are combined, and the concrete is gradually loaded. Therefore, when designing a concrete structure, account must be taken of the creep and shrinkage of the concrete, both during construction and throughout the service life of the structure.

The deformation of concrete due to shrinkage and creep may vary considerably with the type of cement and aggregate, the climate (temperature and humidity), the member size and the time of loading.