A Lattice Boltzmann single component model for simulation of the autogenous self-healing caused by further hydration in cementitious material at mesoscale

Abstract

Cracking is inevitable during the service period of concrete structures. They are preferential ingression channels for aggressive ions. It is difficult or even impossible to repair all the cracks due to the limitation of practical conditions. However, cracks have potentials to self-heal due to further hydration and carbonization. The effect of autogenous self-healing on the properties of cementitious materials has been studied experimentally by many researchers. However, researches on modelling of the autogenous self-healing processes are still limited. In this paper, a Lattice Boltzmann single component model is proposed to simulate the self-healing caused by further hydration in cement paste matrix at mesoscale. The model simulates not only the healing efficiency but also the geometry change. The simulation result shows that even when the filling efficiency is low, some locations in the crack could be completely blocked. This may lead to lower effective diffusion coefficient of ions via the cracked sample.