The effects of restraint on ASR expansion of reinforced concrete

Abstract

This paper presents the results of tests relating the expansion of concrete specimens with alkali-silica reaction (ASR) to applied constant stresses, both tensile and compressive, and reinforcement ratio. The results were compared with those found by other researchers and to two proposed mathematical models. Additionally, the effects of rate of expansion, specimen size and shape, and orientation of restraint were investigated. It was concluded that size of specimen and orientation of restraint were important factors, and that the relationship between restraint and expansion could be modelled mathematically but the amount of data required restricted the model's practical use.