Print Email Facebook Twitter Numerical Modelling of the Effect of Filler/Matrix Interfacial Strength on the Fracture of Cementitious Composites Title Numerical Modelling of the Effect of Filler/Matrix Interfacial Strength on the Fracture of Cementitious Composites Author Ouyang, X. (TU Delft Materials and Environment; Guangzhou University) Pan, Z. (Tongji University) Qian, Zhiwei (TU Delft Railway Engineering) Ma, Yuwei (Guangzhou University) Ye, G. (TU Delft Materials and Environment) Date 2018 Abstract The interface between filler and hydration products can have a significant effect on the mechanical properties of the cement paste system. With different adhesion properties between filler and hydration products, the effect of microstructural features (size, shape, surface roughness), particle distribution and area fraction of filler on the fracture behavior of a blended cement paste system is supposed to be different, as well. In order to understand the effect of the microstructural features, particle distribution and area fraction of filler on the fracture behavior of a blended cement paste system with either strong or weak filler-matrix interface, microscale simulations with a lattice model are carried out. The results show that the strength of the filler-matrix interface plays a more important role than the microstructural features, particle distribution and area fraction of filler in the crack propagation and the strength of blended cement paste. The knowledge acquired here provides a clue, or direction, for improving the performance of existing fillers. To improve the performance of fillers in cement paste in terms of strength, priority should be given to improving the bond strength between filler particles and matrix, not to modifying the microstructural features (i.e., shape and surface roughness) of the filler. Subject fillerinterfacemechanical propertiesblended cement pastelattice fracture modelOA-Fund TU Delft To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:f7572be7-2e5e-4a00-b583-2eed812f515c DOI https://doi.org/10.3390/ma11081362 ISSN 1996-1944 Source Materials, 11 (8), 1-21 Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2018 X. Ouyang, Z. Pan, Zhiwei Qian, Yuwei Ma, G. Ye Files PDF materials_11_01362.pdf 4.55 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:f7572be7-2e5e-4a00-b583-2eed812f515c/datastream/OBJ/view