Seeing a shrink? The right type of concrete can stop early cracking

Premature cracking and corrosion of reinforcing steel are problems that concrete bridge decks may experience when a restrained mass of concrete changes volume, including drying shrinkage due to water loss. The use of shrinkage-compensating concrete (SC concrete) can counteract these types of shrinkage cracks. SC concrete is expansive cement concrete that develops compressive stresses when properly restrained from expansion. Type K and Type G are two different SC concretes which are commercially available, and the use of Type K is illustrated in this article through a case study of a bridge deck construction project over the Shenandoah River in Warren County, Virginia.