Modelling of elastic properties of a hydrating cement paste

Title: Modelling of elastic properties of a hydrating cement paste
Author(s): R. Chamrova, A. Guidoum, K. Scrivener
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: 775 - 782
Total Pages: 8
Nb references: 14
Language: English

Abstract: Concrete is undoubtly the most used building material, but due to its multiscale complexity, prediction of its fundamental mechanical properties can be difficult. A whole range of factors is involved in the microstructural input and prediction method. This study is an attempt to reveal the influence of percolation, mesh type and boundary conditions for the microstructure generated by a vector microstructural model µic. A solid mechanics approach of numerical homogenization is employed for the prediction of effective elastic properties.
Regular hexahedral and tetrahedral meshes are generated in order to see the influence of the mesh and element type. The computation is performed with several types of boundary conditions in order to check whether the size of representative volume was correctly chosen.
The results show that the most influential factor in the prediction is the presence of isolated clusters in the microstructure. Due to the presence of water they are able to transmit load and therefore make the microstructure act stiffer.

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