SIMULATION OF LOAD EFFECT DUE TO CREEP AND SHRINKAGE

Mathematical models for creep and shrinkage of concrete are used in the paper to present a whole-process analysis of creep and shrinkage effects in reinforced concrete structures, allowing in particular for various uncertainties. A simulation method is proposed to predict the time- dependent load effect due to creep and shrinkage under stochastic loads. It is shown through the formulation and by example that the method has the advantage that all the random variability can be included in the load effect at any point in time. Because of the uncertainties of concrete material properties and the applied loads, all parameters that describe the properties of the structures and the nature of load at any point in time are treated as random variables.