Autogenous shrinkage of high performance concrete: A review

•The autogenous shrinkage can be well modelled by capillary tension theory.•Internal humidity and pore structure are major influential factors in autogenous shrinkage of HPC.•Low water-to-binder ratio increases the autogenous shrinkage in HPC.•Highly reactive supplementary cementitious materials increase the autogenous shrinkage.•Internal curing is an effective means to reduce the autogenous shrinkage of high performance concrete.

Autogenous shrinkage is a major concern in early age cracking of high performance concrete (HPC). Low water-to-binder ratio and incorporation of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) can remarkably affect the pore structure, relative humidity, self-stress, degree of hydration, and interface structure; hence, increase the shrinkage in the matrix. In this paper, the mechanism of autogenous shrinkage of HPC and influential factors in its development are discussed. In general, autogenous shrinkage is more pronounced in HPC, albeit, using low heat cement, fly ash, shrinkage reducing agents, lightweight aggregates, and fibers can effectively reduce it. The effects of SCMs on autogenous shrinkage, relationship between different types of shrinkage and autogenous shrinkage as well as the effect of internal curing on autogenous shrinkage need to be further studied.