Effects of Parameters of Cement Matrix on the Plastic Shrinkage Cracking

In this paper, the effects of some basic parameters of cement matrix, such as kinds of cement, strength grade of cement, water cement ratio, cement sand ratio, fineness modulus of sand, coarse aggregate, admixture and additive, on the plastic shrinkage cracking of the cement mortar or concrete slabs were investigated. The test results indicate that different kinds of cement show different effects on the plastic shrinkage cracking; the total weighted cracking value increases with increasing strength grade of cement; the relation between water cement ratio and plastic shrinkage cracking does not show the linearity; with more sand in the mixture, the ability to resist the plastic shrinkage cracking is stronger, the class of fly ash, the amount of fly ash and silica fume added, the kinds of additives could also impose different influences on the ability to resist the plastic shrinkage cracking.