Influence of concrete strength class on the long-term static and dynamic elastic moduli of concrete

Abstract

Construction materials, among which concrete is by far the most used, have followed a trend of continuously increasing demand in real estate. A relatively small number of research works have been published on the long-term material properties of concrete in comparison to studies reporting their findings at standard curing ages of 28 days. This is due, in part, to the length of time one must wait until the intended age of concrete is reached. The present paper contributes to filling this gap of information in terms of the strength and dynamic elastic properties of concrete. The dynamic modulus of elasticity may be used to assess the static modulus of elasticity (Young’s modulus), a key property used during the design stage of a structure, in a non-destructive manner. This paper presents the results obtained from laboratory tests on the long-term (6 years) characterization of concrete from the point of view of dynamic shear and longitudinal moduli of elasticity, dynamic Poisson’s ratio, static modulus of elasticity, compressive and tensile splitting strengths, and their change depending on the concrete strength class.