Multi-Scale Picture of Concrete and Its Transport Properties: Introduction for Non-Cement Researchers.
Multi-Scale Picture of Concrete and Its Transport
Properties: Introduction for Non-Cement Researchers.
(17989 K)
Garboczi, E. J.; Bentz, D. P.
NISTIR 5900; 52 p. October 1996.
Available from:
National Technical Information Service
Order number: PB97-115802
Keywords:
building technology; cement paste; computer modeling;
concretes; microstructure; mortar; percolation;
transport properties
Abstract:
Concrete is a multi-length scale composite material.
From the nanometer to the millimeter scale, it is a
random composite, and a different random composite at
each length scale. Percolation processes play a key
role in the microstructure of concrete and help to
describe the overall dependence of transport properties
like ionic diffusivity on the microstructure. Computer
models have been developed to describe the
microstructure and transport properties, as the
randomness of the material precludes most (but not all)
analytical formulations. The overall description of
concrete, over six orders of magnitude of length scales,
in terms of computer models, percolation theory, and
composite ideas is of interest to those studying other
random materials as well, like ceramics and rocks. This
report is written to present the ideas for concrete in
such a way so as to be accessible to the non-cement
researcher. It is hoped that these ideas will prove to
be useful in other materials.
