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Thermo-hygro-mechanical degradation of concrete: From coupled 3D material modelling to durability-oriented multifield structural analyses

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Abstract

In addition to loading-induced damage, drying processes and temperature gradients may contribute considerably to the long term degradation of structures made of cementitious materials. In the paper, a 3D coupled thermo-hygro-mechanical model for concrete accounting for moisture- and heat transport, cracking and irreversible deformations and the various interactions between these processes is developed. The model is formulated on the basis of thermomechanics of partially saturated porous media in the sense of the Biot-Coussy theory. According to the coupled state equations arising from this theory, moisture and heat transport and the constitutive pre- and postcracking properties are coupled by means of macroscopic coefficients. They are determined by relating microscopic and macroscopic quantities and by exploiting symmetry relations associated with the existence of a macroscopic potential. The resulting model is based on a minimum of material parameters. As a representative example, a numerical simulation of the long-term degradation of an inner tunnel lining is described in the paper.

Résumé

En plus des dommages induits par les charges externes, les processus de séchage ainsi que les gradients de température peuvent considérablement contribuer à la dégradation à long terme des structures en matériaux à base de ciment. Cet article développe un modèle tridimensionnel thermo-hygro-mécanique pour le béton rendant compte du transport de chaleur et d'humidité, de la fissuration, des déformations irréversibles et des interactions diverses existant entre ces différents processus. Le modèle est élaboré à partir de la thermomécanique des milieux poreux partiellement saturés au sens de la théorie de Biot-Coussy. Selon les équations d'état couplées provenant de cette théorie, le transport de chaleur et d'humidité, les propriétés du comportement avant et après fissuration sont couplées par l'intermédiaire de coefficients macroscopiques. Elles sont déterminées en reliant les quantités microscopiques et macroscopiques et en exploitant les relations de symétrie associées à l'existence d'un potentiel macroscopique. Le modèle résultant est fondé sur un minimum de paramètres matériels. En guise d'exemple représentatif une simulation numérique de la dégradation à long terme du revêtement intérieur d'un tunnel est décrite dans l'article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. HILTI Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH, Kaufering, Germany

    S. Grasberger

  2. Institute for Structural Mechanics, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany

    G. Meschke

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  1. S. Grasberger
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  2. G. Meschke
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Grasberger, S., Meschke, G. Thermo-hygro-mechanical degradation of concrete: From coupled 3D material modelling to durability-oriented multifield structural analyses. Mat. Struct. 37, 244–256 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02480633

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