Time dependent deformations in concrete, both creep and shrinkage, play a critical role in prestressed concrete structures, such as bridge girders, nuclear containment vessels, etc. These strains result in lossess, through release of prestress, and thereby influence the safety of these structures. The present study comprises of an experimental and analytical program to assess the levels of creep and shrinkage in normal and heavy density concrete. The experimental program includes tests on creep using standard cylinder specimen, while shrinkage studies have been conducted using prism specimen, both under controlled environmental conditions. The experimental results suggest that creep and shrinkage strains are higher in heavy density concrete than in normal concrete. This may be attributed to the relatively smaller pore structure of heavy density concrete, that results in larger availability of free water and a relatively slower hydration process in comparison to normal concrete. While there is some scatter in the results, creep strains decrease with age of loading and both creep and shrinkage strains are smaller when the relative humidity is higher. Statistical model reported in the literature for normal concrete is able to predict the test results for both normal and heavy density concrete quite well. Long term predictions of creep and shrinkage using this model, accounting for uncertainties, is also projected and shown to predict some long term measured results not used in the model calibration. The long term predictions are sensitive to the initial data used in model calibration.

Estimating the delayed strains in concrete, namely creep and shrinkage is very important to asses the condition of the structure. Time dependent deformations in concrete, both creep and shrinkage, play a critical role in prestressed concrete structures, such as bridge girders, nuclear containment vessels, etc. These strains result in lossess, through release of prestress, and thereby influence the safety of these structures. Recognizing the role of free and bound moisture movement is the primary ingredient responsible for the development of both creep and shrinkage stains as well as the degradation of concrete under high temperature, the present study has also examined the effects of high temperature on concrete degradation, experimentally and also analytically in the same modelling framework. Fire in concretes deteriorates mechanical properties of the material and lead to col-lapse under loads. Two types of spalling occur in concrete when exposed to high temperature, namely explosive and thermal spalling. Explosive spalling occurs once the hydrostatic stress (developed due to pore pressure) exceeds the tensile strength of the concrete. Where as thermal spalling of concrete happens due to degradation of material properties (elastic modulus, compressive and tensile strength) when exposed to high temperature due to decomposition of chemical bonds that release the bound water. The present study comprises of an experimental and analytical program to assess the levels of creep and shrinkage in different concrete under various loads and environmental conditions. Deformations due to high temperature in di erent concretes forms another component of the present study. Total six concrete mixes has been studied to investigate and asses the extent of creep and shrinkage taking place in the concretes under different environmental conditions, load level and age at loading. In total six mixes, three that are self compacted concrete mixes (35MPa, 55MPa and SCC70MPa), a high volume y ash concrete mix ( 45 MPa) and two normal concrete mixes (35 MPa and 45 MPa) have been considered in this study. To study the high temperature effects, the same mixes considered in the creep and shrinkage study and in addition a heavy density concrete mix (25 MPa) is used. A normal concrete having a 28 day uniaxial compressive strength of 45 MPa after proper curing, referred to as M45 concrete, was one of the six mixes. Likewise a heavy density concrete designated as H25, corresponding to a 28 day uniaxial compressive strength of 25 MPa was another mix that was studied and was made using iron ore aggregate and iron ore sand. A concrete having high volume y ash replacing cement designated as F45 offered a 28 day strength of 45MPa. Three self-compacting concretes with uniaxial compressive strengths of 35, 55 and 70 MPa were designated as SCC35 SCC55 and SCC70, respectively is studied for creep, shrinkage and high temperature effects. F45 concrete shows lower creep strain when compared to normal M45 concrete, under similar casting, curing and testing condtions. This is due to increase in stiffness of y ash based concretes with time. Where as in shrinkage it is observed that a little higher strain takes place in F45 at initial ages than in M45 concrete mix for the same conditions. But in the later age, F45 concrete shows a decreasing rate of shrinkage strain. This is because, water to cement ratio of y ash concrete is higher than the M45 concrete. The SCC35 concrete shows higher creep and shrinkage than M35 concrete even though both the concretes have the same water cement ratio. This difference comes from the aggregate cement ratio (a/c). The lower the aggregate cement ratio, the higher the creep and shrinkage. M35 concrete has a higher aggregate cement ratio than the SCC35. Concretes exposed to higher temperature and lower humidity shows higher creep and shrinkage due to its higher rate of drying. An analytical model has been developed to simulate the drying phenomena in concrete based on poromechanics. The hydration effects of blended cements is considered while developing the model. This models prediction of degree of hydration, temperature and relative humidity is used to model creep and shrinkage in concrete. To model creep and shrinkage, micro prestress solidi cation theory is implemented and validated with the present experimental results. The model is able to predict the drying phenomena of concrete realistically. Further, a benchmark problem reported in the literature is solved through this model and validated through a comparison with the experimental results (beam detection due to creep and shrinkage). Under high temperature tests, H25 concrete shows better resistance for all the ranges of temperatures. This may be because of the hematite aggregate having a high melting point and strong interfacial transition zone (ITZ) properties between aggregate and cement mortar. The SCC70 shows poor performance against explosive spalling at both the ages (28 and 365 days) due to its lower permeability when exposed to high temperature. The intensity of explosive spalling is higher in SCC70 concrete tested at 28 days than at 365 days of age. This is because of variation in moisture content. SCC70 concrete failed due to explosive spalling at temperature of 398oC when tested at 28 days and failed at 575oC when tested at 365 days. This indicates the amount of moisture content in the concrete plays an important role while causing explosive spalling. F45 concrete shows a poor resistance against temperature beyond 500oC in its residual properties. SCC55 contains cement and y ash and shows higher residual properties when compared to normal vibrated M45 mix under similar high temperature conditions. Two geopolymers pastes prepared with y ash and metakaolin as a complete cement replacement were studied for passive re protection capability. The study shows MF70 mix (containing 70% y ash and 30% metakaolin) gives better resistance against heating than MF50 mix (50% each of metakaolin and y ash). Hence y ash geopolmer is a choice of material for passive re protection. An analytical model has been developed based on poromechanics to simulate high temperature e ects in concrete. Two type of spalling is considered while modelling the high temperature e ects of concrete, namely explosive and thermal spalling. Explosive spalling is estimated based on the hydro static stress (Biotech efficient times the pore pressure). If the hydrostatic stress increases beyond the tensile strength of concrete then explosive spalling occurs. Where as the thermal spalling is estimated based on the stresses developed due to applied mechanical and thermal loading. To validate this model, two benchmark problems from the literature have been solved and validated with the reported results. This model is able to predict pore pressure and temperatures gradients accurately, and this in turn helps to predict explosive and thermal spalling realistically in concrete under elevated temperature conditions.