A NEW CONCRETE CREEP MODEL WITH MINIMUM EMPIRICAL COEFFICIENTS

Creep is a well-known property of concrete elements, which cannot be avoided. It is defined as an increase in deformations over time due to constant stresses at uniaxial compression. In general, linear and non-linear creep of concrete elements are considered. However, there are no strong dependences that govern these two types of creep. It is still not clear when linear creep becomes non-linear, how creep changes the concrete modulus of elasticity, which energy is dissipated by the concrete section at linear and non-linear creep, etc. Predicted creep values are important for accurate design of concrete elements at service and ultimate limit states. The present study analyzes linear and non-linear creep and proposes a creep effect algorithm. The methodology is based on Structural Phenomenon and new theoretical concepts, using just one empirical coefficient related to non-linear creep. It can be used by engineers in order to perform more accurate and rather simple design of concrete elements considering creep.