Correlation between laboratory expansion and field expansion of concrete: Prediction based on modified concrete expansion test

This paper presents a correlation between laboratory expansion tests and field expansion of concrete and a prediction model of ASR expansion at ambient environments. Modified concrete expansion tests and numerical simulation using some predictive models were integrated. In the concrete prism test, the method consisting in wrapping concrete specimens with clothes containing alkali solution was applied in order to avoid alkali leaching and drying (AW-CPT). The parameters in the models for expansion and temperature dependency were calibrated with AW-CPT and implemented in the predictive calculation. The environmental actions such as temperature and precipitation were modelled on the basis of meteorological information of exposure sites. The results with some simplified assumptions showed that the calculated expansion using AWCPT exhibited satisfactory agreement with measured expansion of field-exposed concrete. It is also clear that the results of field exposure tests are strongly influenced by meteorological conditions. From these results, the methodology of the prediction and correlation between laboratory tests and field performance of concrete are discussed.