Panels have recently emerged as a more reliable and economical alternative to beams for Quality Assurance testing of Fibre Reinforced Shotcrete (FRS). The large size of panels relative to beams results in a more representative assessment of post-crack performance, but the size of the specimens also presents a challenge to contractors and testing agencies in developing adequate handling procedures. At present, flexural beams are generally continuously moist cured, but this is seldom the case for panel specimens. Instead, panel specimens are cured under wet hessian or sprinklers during the early stages of hydration, but are then transported to the laboratory in a dry state. This investigation will examine the affect of this on first-crack and post-crack performance.
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