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Mechanical evolution of concrete during setting

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Abstract

This paper deals with the rheological behaviour of fresh concrete during setting. An experimental non-destructive device based on the propagation of acoustic waves (compression and shear waves) at low frequency (20Hz–800Hz) is used to continuously characterise the setting and hardening of hydraulic concrete. The results are presented for various concrete formulations involving various initial temperatures and water/cement ratios. The characteristics of wave propagation (velocities, damping coefficients,...) enable to monitor material setting and hardening phases. By means of an inverse analysis, the evolution of rheological parameters is presented from the fluid to the solid state. It is shown that the mechanical evolution of fresh concrete exhibits a characteristic time (τ). The wave velocity presented as a function of normalized time (t/τ) follows a master curve which depends only slightly on the formulations tested.

Résumé

Cet article traite des propriétés rhéologiques du béton hydraulique en cours de prise. Un dispositif expérimental permet de mener des essais non-destructifs qui reposent sur la propagation d'ondes de compression ou de cisaillement à basse fréquence (20 Hz–800 Hz). Les mesures de la célérité, de l'amortissement des ondes,... permettent la caractérisation mécanique de la prise et du durcissement du béton. Des essais conduits pour des gâchés différentes (températures initiales et rapports eau/ciment différents) sont présentés. Une analyse inverse permet de déterminer l'évolution de paramètres rhéologiques relatifs au matériau qui évolue d'un état fluide à un état solide. Il est montré que l'évolution mécanique du matériau présente un temps caractéristique (τ). Les courbes de vitesse exprimées en fonction du temps normalisé (t/τ) suivent une courbe maîtresse qui dépend faiblement de la formulation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. DGCB-LGM, Ecole Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'Etat, France

    L. Arnaud & S. Thinet

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  1. L. Arnaud
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  2. S. Thinet
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Arnaud, L., Thinet, S. Mechanical evolution of concrete during setting. Mat. Struct. 36, 355–364 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02481060

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02481060

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