Cost-effective thermal control planning for mass concrete construction using nomograms

Since hydration heat generated during construction has been the cause of cracking and deformations in mass concrete structures, selecting appropriate thermal control plans is crucial in mass concrete construction. However, developing numerical models to predict the heat of hydration in mass concrete involves complex processes that demand extensive knowledge in thermodynamics and related fields, which can result in increased costs and extended timelines for construction methods and material selection. To address this problem, this research aims to develop a simple decision-making framework to select a cost-effective thermal control method using nomograms for materials and construction engineers. Several nomograms, including temperature and cost nomograms, were used to provide the most cost-effective thermal control plans while satisfying the maximum temperature limits of mass concrete. A case study of an actual construction project was used to validate and demonstrate the proposed framework. The effectiveness of this framework was demonstrated through a case study on a real construction project, which validated the approach and confirmed its potential to reduce the time required for developing thermal control plans in mass concrete construction projects. The findings from this study highlight the proposed framework's capability to streamline the thermal control method selection process, thereby facilitating a more intuitive understanding of thermal control options and markedly reducing both costs and time in mass concrete construction projects.