Two scale models for fracture behaviours of cementitious materials subjected to static and cyclic loadings

This study employs a lattice fracture model to simulate static and fatigue fracture behaviour of Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ) at microscale and mortar at mesoscale. The heterogeneous microstructure of ITZ and mesostructure of mortar are explicitly considered in the models. The initial step involves calibrating and validating the...

A numerical study of fatigue of hardened cement paste at the microscale

In this study, a numerical model using a 2D lattice network is developed to investigate the fatigue behaviour of cement paste at the microscale. Images of 2D microstructures of cement pastes obtained from XCT tests are used as inputs and mapped to the lattice model. Different local mechanical and fatigue properties are assigned to different...

Strain-Hardening Cementitious Composite (SHCC) For Durable Concrete Repair

Infrastructure is ageing and we are facing a serious challenge on how to deal with it. One possible solution is to repair it, but the life of current concrete repairs, including all types of repairs and application of different materials, is not satisfactory and there is an urgent need for improvement. Understanding the damage development in a...

Modeling framework for fracture in multiscale cement-based material structures

Multiscale modeling for cement-based materials, such as concrete, is a relatively young subject, but there are already a number of different approaches to study different aspects of these classical materials. In this paper, the parameter-passing multiscale modeling scheme is established and applied to address the multiscale modeling problem...

A 3D Lattice Modelling Study of Drying Shrinkage Damage in Concrete Repair Systems

Differential shrinkage between repair material and concrete substrate is considered to be the main cause of premature failure of repair systems. The magnitude of induced stresses depends on many factors, for example the degree of restraint, moisture gradients caused by curing and drying conditions, type of repair material, etc. Numerical...

A modelling study of drying shrinkage damage in concrete repair systems

Differential shrinkage between repair material and concrete substrate is considered to be the main cause of premature failure of repair systems (Martinola, Sadouki et al. 2001, Beushausen and Alexander 2007). Magnitude of induced stresses depends on many factors, for example the amount of restraint, moisture gradients caused by different curing...