The problem of thermal and shrinkage cracking in concrete has been long recognised by researchers and engineers as it can jeopardise the intended serviceability of a concrete structure. This has led researchers to develop testing devices which aim to simulate the behaviour of concrete under restrained deformations. Such devices are discerned in passive and active, depending on how concrete's movement is restrained, whilst a new type of devices has been developed to account for the combined effects of intrinsic restrained deformations and externally imposed actions. This paper presents a detailed and critical literature review on the developed restraining devices and an analysis of the capabilities, complexities and peculiarities associated with their use. Further to this, the challenges the developers of testing devices are faced with, the gaps and uncertainties with the methods found in the literature and recommendations for potential improvements in the field are discussed.

中文翻译：

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纵向约束装置，用于评估水泥基材料的结构行为：过去，现在和未来的趋势

研究人员和工程师早已认识到混凝土的热收缩收缩问题，因为它可能危害混凝土结构的预期使用寿命。这促使研究人员开发了测试设备，旨在模拟约束变形下混凝土的行为。根据如何限制混凝土的运动，可以区分这种设备是被动的还是主动的，同时已经开发出一种新型的设备来解决固有约束变形和外部作用的综合作用。本文对已开发的约束装置进行了详尽而批判的文献综述，并对其使用相关的功能，复杂性和特殊性进行了分析。除此之外，测试设备开发人员面临的挑战是