Synopsis Long-term static load tests were carried out on simply supported and continuous reinforced concrete beams at the N.S.W. Institute of Technology, Sydney, Australia. The instantaneous and time-dependent beam deflections were recorded, together with the time-varying strain distributions at selected cross-sections and the redistribution of bending moments due to creep and shrinkage. In this paper, the measured beam deflections are compared with values predicted by British and American design code methods and by finite element methods. The creep and shrinkage properties used in the predictions were obtained from test specimens and were also calculated in accordance with CP 110:1972, AS 1481–1978, ACI 209:1971 and the CEB–FIP 1978 Model Code. For the samples of concretes examined, the applicability of these predictive methods is discussed.