Measurement and analysis of thermal stresses in massive concrete block foundation

This paper discusses measurements and analyses of thermal stresses in a massive concrete block foundation. The experimental results show that with stressmeters firmly bonded to the specimen and careful procedure, thermal stress can be directly measured in early-age concrete with adequate accuracy. In addition, this paper proposes an effective analysis method to accurately determine thermal stresses, when reliable data concerning the mechanical properties of the concrete are available. The analyses were carried out according to the algorithm presented in this paper, which uses three-dimensional finite element coupled with accurate experimental data. The results obtained from the analyses show good agreement with the measurements of thermal stresses in an actual massive concrete foundation.