In the modern construction era, the use of mass concrete elements has been essential when building large structures such as heavy civil, dams, large bridges, piers, and transfer beams, just to name a few. Mass concrete is typically defined as any volume of concrete with dimensions large enough to require that measures need to be taken to cope with generation of heat from the hydration of the cement and attendant volume change to minimize cracking. Likewise, smaller structures may also be categorized as mass concrete depending on several factors, such as type and quantity of cement, volume-to-surface ratio of the concrete, weather conditions, concrete placing temperatures, degree of restraints to volume changes, and the effect of thermal cracking on function, durability, and appearance.
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