FE analysis of shrinkage and thermal cracking in concrete walls

Shrinkage and thermal gradients often concur in early-age concrete cracking. It is nowadays recognized that a proper design of durable constructions should account for the effect of hygro-thermal strains. Massive constructions such as concrete walls can be significantly affected by shrinkage and thermal cracking because of their large size and particular geometry. A numerical study on shrinkage and thermal cracking in concrete walls is presented in this paper. Both the risk of early-age thermal cracking and the development of long-term crack patterns are discussed with regard to a specific case study. Aim of the paper is to provide some useful suggestions for structural design and build-up procedures, as well as some indications on the procedures to be adopted in the analysis.