An analytical framework for estimating drying shrinkage strain of OPC based hardened cement paste. (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Babaei, Saeid; Seetharam, Suresh C.; Dizier, Arnaud; Steenackers, Gunther; Craeye, Bart
• Is Part Of: Cement & concrete composites. Volume 115(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: Hardened cement paste -- Drying shrinkage -- Poroelasticity -- Disjoining pressure -- Surface free energy -- Multi-mechanism shrinkage -- Homogenization -- Multiscale; Composite-reinforced concrete -- Periodicals; Concrete -- Periodicals; Composite materials -- Periodicals; Composites de ciment -- Périodiques; Béton -- Périodiques; Composites -- Périodiques; Béton léger -- Périodiques; Cement composites; Composite materials; Composite-reinforced concrete; Concrete; Lightweight concrete; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 620.135
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2020.103833
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0958-9465

Abstract

Abstract: A new analytical framework that relies on minimal inputs and combines a number of existing techniques to estimate reversible drying shrinkage strain of OPC-based materials is presented. This includes a multiscale framework for estimating water (de)sorption isotherm (WSI), an analytical homogenization technique to estimate bulk modulus, and a multi-mechanism based drying shrinkage formulation. The minimal inputs needed are the cement composition, microstructural information and mechanical properties of hydrated phases of hardened cement paste. A pore network model that forms the core module of the multiscale WSI provides a quantitative basis for the drying shrinkage formulation. The unique feature of the framework is that only two calibration parameters are involved: (i) a geometric parameter used in the pore network model, and (ii) a constant in the disjoining pressure relationship, which is set to unity mainly due to a lack of knowledge. Importantly, there is no need to calibrate these parameters for every experiment. Results from the framework are compared against shrinkage data from literature that encompass both virgin materials (samples that have never been dried prior to the test) and non-virgin materials. A reasonably good correspondence has been achieved with respect to the non-virgin materials, whereas, the results for the virgin materials are examined mainly to gain qualitative understanding of the role of the microstructure on irreversible deformation and thus to propose a phenomenological model.