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The Structural Engineer, Volume 65, Issue 16, 1987
Current practice assumes that restrained shrinkage causes tension in concrete, even when the concrete is cracked. This paradox leads to irrationality in the design of non-compact continuous composite beams. The results are given of long-term studies of the interactive effects of shrinkage, creep, and external loading, on the cracking and elastic stiffness of hogging moment regions of two 12m composite beams. A matching conceptual model is found, for use in design calculations. Primary shrinkage curvature is halved by cracking of the concrete. Allowance for this would lead to some economy in composite members with long regions in hogging bending and to more accurate predictions of deformations. Professor R.P. Johnson