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Stability analysis of moisture influential depth in concrete under drying-wetting cycles



Title: Stability analysis of moisture influential depth in concrete under drying-wetting cycles
Author(s): C. Li, K. Li, Z. Chen
Paper category : conference
Book title: International RILEM Symposium on Concrete Modelling - ConMod '08
Editor(s): E. Schlangen and G. De Schutter
Print-ISBN: 978-2-35158-060-8
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-076-9
Publisher: RILEM Publications SARL
Publication year: 2008
Pages: 429 - 437
Total Pages: 9
Nb references: 19
Language: English


Abstract: This paper gives a numerical analysis on the moisture influential depth in concrete subject to drying-wetting cycles. The moisture transport processes during drying and wetting are modelled respectively by diffusion and absorption. A predictor-corrector implicit scheme of finite difference method is used to solve the partial differential equations. The stability of moisture influential depth is then analyzed with the available numerical tool for both initially saturate and unsaturated concretes. To help the analysis, the concept of equilibrium time ratio is introduced to characterize the drying-wetting cycles by the water loss and intake balance.
Measured by this time ratio, drying-wetting cycles can be classified into drying-dominated, wetting-dominated as well as equilibrium ones. For drying-dominated cycles, the drying front will penetrate gradually into material while the surface convection zone is determined by wetting; for wetting-dominated cycles, the wetting front will progress into material while the influential depth is determined by drying. The numerical results can greatly help the durability design of structural concrete subject to natural drying-wetting actions. As an example, its application in chloride ingress calculation is presented.


Online publication: 2009-06-15
Publication type : full_text
Public price (Euros): 0.00


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