Effect of cracking on air-permeability and watr absorption of strain hardening cement-based composites

Author(s): V. Mechtcherine, M. Lieboldt
Paper category: Workshop
Book title: Fifth International RILEM Workshop on High Performance Fiber Reinforced Cement Composites (HPFRCC5)
Editor(s): H.W. Reinhardt, A.E. Naaman
ISBN: 978-2-35158-046-2
Pages: 305 - 312
Total Pages: 8
Language: English

Abstract: 
Strain-Hardening Cement-based Composites (SHCC) display a high strain capacity due to the gradual formation of a large number of fine, well distributed cracks. The width of these cracks at strain levels, at least up to 1 %, is typically less than 0.1 mm. The influence of such cracking on transport properties of this new material, and subsequently on its durability, is still to be studied. The effect of cracking on air-permeability and water absorption of SHCC was investigated in the test series presented. Since testing of the material’s transport properties was performed on unloaded specimens, special procedures were developed and applied in order to obtain characteristic crack widths that corresponded to the crack widths under loads at chosen strain levels. Both the air-permeability and water absorption clearly increased with increasing strain levels and related crack development. A strong correlation was found between the cumulative crack length at the specimen’s surfaces and the transport properties under investigation. This paper includes a discussion on the testing procedures utilised and the results obtained, as well as considerations concerning further research in this area.

Online publication: 2014
Publication Type: full_text
Public price (Euros): 0.00