10.2 shrinkage types

Shrinkage refers to a number of physical effects which result in a volume change within the concrete. These include:

(a) Plastic Shrinkage - due to volume change in fresh concrete of which primary causes include evaporation of bleed water and settling of concrete around reinforcement.

(b) Temperature Effects - during initial hardening and hydration of concrete.

(c) Drying Shrinkage - which occurs when the moisture content of the hardened concrete
decreases over time.

Aspects of design covered in this manual refer to drying shrinkage only. The effects of plastic and temperature shrinkage lie outside the scope of this document and should be referred to a design professional. It should be noted  that  unless the effects of plastic shrinkage and temperature are minimized, then the total shrinkage effects manifested within a project will be greater than allowed for in the manual.