Volume change behavior of cement-based repair materials labelled as shrinkage-compensating, shrinkage-compensated or nonshrink

Abstract

The labels shrinkage-compensating, shrinkage-compensated and nonshrink found in the technical documentation of many proprietary repair materials are all intended in principle to describe systems that exhibit no or little net contraction as a result of shrinkage. In practice, however, these terms are of limited significance in the selection of repair materials without appropriate test data on time-dependent volume changes. This paper provides clarifications on the dimensional behavior of shrinkage-compensating materials and uses experimental findings to emphasize the shortcomings in the information provided in the data sheets of many repair materials labelled as such. In view of a more effective and reliable use of cementitious shrinkage-compensating repair materials, recommendations are made to improve and uniformize the content of the technical data sheets.