Predicting the Yield Stress of Geomaterials from Their Microstructure

The seminal work of Gurson (J Eng Mater Technol 99:2–5, 1977) on a simplified pore structure, a single spherical pore, first provided a theoretical relationship between the yield stress and the porosity. This contribution extends the approach to determine the macroscopic yield of a porous material by taking explicitly into account its...

Identifying microstructural features in unidirectional composite tapes

Carbon fibre-reinforced polymer composites (CFRPs) outperform most structural engineering materials in specific stiffness and/or specific strength, especially in their unidirectional configuration. Unidirectional composites can be found as individual structural elements in cables or pin-loaded straps; they are however most commonly found in the...

The role of matrix boundary in the microstructure of unidirectional composites

Finding new ways to evaluate the variability of microstructures, and its effect on macroscopic properties such as permeability and mechanical performance [1,2] is of increasing interest in the composite field. The variability of microstructural features at a three-dimensional level is not fully understood and its effect on macroscale properties...

The influence of hydration on the microstructure development of cement paste with bleeding: An NMR study

Bleeding can be described as water coming out from fresh cement paste, which not only affects the homogeneity at fresh stage but also decides the hardened state structure. Previous studies have focused on the determination or simulation of the bleeding extent of fresh cement paste and give objective conclusions. However, there are rare...

The effect of SAP and SCM on microstructure development in early age fibre reinforced mortars

The use of Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs) in concrete manufacture has significantly increased in the last decades mainly due to their sustainability benefits. Polymeric Fibres (PF) are commonly used in concrete in order to enhance adhesive and frictional bond with a cementitious matrix and improve mechanical properties. Despite...

Exploring the potential of nano-SiO2 to prevent early-age frost damage in Portland cement paste

The purpose of this study is to explore the potential of nano-SiO2 (NS) to prevent early frost damage, and the effect of nano-SiO2 (NS) on cement pastes subjected to early-age freezing was investigated regarding the macro properties (strength and durability) and micro properties (hydration and microstructure). The specimens were prepared with NS...

Using recycle concrete aggregate coating agent for improving concrete microstructure and hardened characteristics

Recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) have been widely used as concrete aggregates in construction. This is due to economic and environmental benefits of using RCA in concrete. Unlike natural aggregate (NA), the use of RCA in concrete seems not promising to the users implementing it, especially in structural purposes. The RCA concrete is reported...

Experimental study on pore connectivity and its influence on chloride transport in saturated cementitious system

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the pore connectivity and its influence on chloride transport property in cementitious materials under saturated condition. Mercury intrusion porosimetry experiment was carried out on a variety of hydrated cement pastes curing up to one year. By repeating pressurization-depressurization cycles, pore...