Cracks in base-restrained plain and reinforced concrete walls

This study deals with the problem of shrinkage cracks in reinforced concrete walls restrained at the base. A finite element model to study cracking of the wall was proposed. Nonlinear behavior of concrete was considered by means of a smeared crack approach. The equations proposed by ACI Committee 209 were used to model the mechanical properties of concrete, as well as the average concrete shrinkage within the thickness of the wall. It was found that the suggested model closely predicts the true behavior of cracking in base-restrained concrete walls, including the crack pattern and crack propagation