Brazil Nut Effect and CONCRETE: Entering Terra Incognita

This paper presents some evidence of the impact of the Brazil nut effect (BNE) on concrete’s particulate structure on meso-level (aggregate) as well as on micro-level (cement paste). BNE is associated with long-range size segregation in particle mixtures due to vibration in slurry state of concrete, both near boundaries and in bulk. Presented...

Particulate structure and microstructure evolution of concrete investigated by DEM: Part 1: Aggregate and binder packing

Experimental approaches in concrete technology are time-consuming, laborious and thus expensive. Developments in computer facilities render possible nowadays realistically simulating the particulate structure and microstructure of cementitious materials. For that purpose, discrete element methods (DEM) are required because of more correctly...

Using particle packing technology for sustainable concrete mixture design

The annual production of Portland cement, estimated at 3.4 billion tons in 2011, is responsible for about 7% of the total worldwide CO2-emission. To reduce this environmental impact it is important to use innovative technologies for the design of concrete structures and mixtures. In this paper, it is shown how particle packing technology can be...