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Time-Dependent Evolution of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Mortar

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Abstract

This study investigates the evolution of the microstructure and mechanical properties of mortar. Mortar samples consisting of Portland cement CEM I42.5 R (~ 60 vol% of quartz sand 0/2 mm, w/c-ratio of 0.5) were prepared and stored according to EN 1015. After 1, 2, 7, 14 and 28 days, the samples were oven-dried until constant weight as well as vacuum-dried. The microstructure of the mortar samples was investigated using scanning electron microscopy. Phase analysis was performed using X-ray diffraction, allowing the description of the crystalline phase evolution during hardening. Mechanical properties were evaluated using nanoindentation. Based on the nanoindentation results, the effective Young’s modulus was calculated using the model by Hashin and Shtrikman. The moduli calculated based on the values of the nanoindentation experiments were compared to the Young’s modulus determined in compression experiments. The results show that the Young’s modulus determined by the nanoindentation and compression test describes a degressive curve progression. The studies show a correlation between the results from nanoindentation tests and the mechanical properties obtained from the compression tests. Therefore, the microstructural evolution of mortar, including the influence of pores on Young’s modulus, must be taken into account to estimate the macroproperties from the nanoindentation tests.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support was provided by the German Science Foundation (DFG) in the framework of the Collaborative Research Center SFB 837 “Interaction modeling in Mechanized Tunneling”. This support is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Technology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, Building ICFO 03-307, 44801, Bochum, Germany

    Arne Röttger

  2. Institute for Building Materials, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, Building IC 6-113, 44801, Bochum, Germany

    Bou-Young Youn-Čale

  3. Department of Materials Technology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, Building ICFO03-341, 44801, Bochum, Germany

    Jakob Küpferle

  4. Department of Materials Technology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, Building ICFO05-329, 44801, Bochum, Germany

    Jonathan Lentz

  5. Department of Materials Technology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, Building ICFO03-311, 44801, Bochum, Germany

    Werner Theisen

  6. Institute of Building Materials, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, Building IC 6-117, 44801, Bochum, Germany

    Rolf Breitenbücher

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  1. Arne Röttger
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  2. Bou-Young Youn-Čale
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  3. Jakob Küpferle
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  4. Jonathan Lentz
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  6. Werner Theisen
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Correspondence to Arne Röttger.

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Röttger, A., Youn-Čale, BY., Küpferle, J. et al. Time-Dependent Evolution of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Mortar. Int J Civ Eng 17, 61–74 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40999-018-0305-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40999-018-0305-0

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