Towards more sustainable construction–application of superabsorbent polymers in cementitious matrices with reduced carbon footprint

Construction industry is constantly searching for sustainable innovations to mitigate negative environmental impacts. Ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) is a well-known supplementary cementitious material which contributes to reduction of energy and CO2 emissions from cement industry. However, its use in cementitious systems leads to materials with high cracking susceptibility due to their greater autogenous shrinkage triggered by self-desiccation processes. This problem is even more pronounced when concrete is exposed to severe dry-hot weather conditions, such as in North Africa. In order to mitigate this negative effect of cracking, internal curing agents in the form of Superabsorbent polymers (SAP) can be successfully used. This approach leads to more durable cement based materials and in turn more sustainable constructions

On the shear behavior of mineral-bonded composites under impact loading

A mechanical testing device was developed for testing the behavior of mineral-bonded composites under impact shear loading. The device is based on the well-known double shear specimen configuration and was designed to be used in a gravity split-Hopkinson tension bar (SHTB), enabling shear testing at high loading rates. In this work, results from impact shear testing performed on a normal cementitious matrix (NSM) and strain-hardening cement-based composites (SHCC) tested by means of the new device are presented and discussed. Failure behavior and fracture modes are analyzed using optical measurements and digital image correlation (DIC)

Mineral-bonded composites for enhanced structural impact safety: The vision of the DFG GRK 2250

Existing reinforced concrete structures feature, as a rule, a relatively low resistance to various sorts of impact loading, such as shock, collision, or explosion. To this aim, the primary goal of the Research Training Group (in German: Graduiertenkolleg, GRK) 2250, funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), is to bring substantial improvements in the impact resistance of existing buildings by applying thin layers of strengthening material. By using innovative mineralbonded composites, public safety and reliability of vitally important existing structures and infrastructure should be significantly enhanced. The scientific basis to be developed will additionally enable to build new, impact-resistant structures economically and ecologically. The framework of the GRK 2250 as well as some achievements are herein briefly presented

Mineral-bonded composites for enhanced structural impact safety: The vision of the DFG GRK 2250

Existing reinforced concrete structures feature, as a rule, a relatively low resistance to various sorts of impact loading, such as shock, collision, or explosion. To this aim, the primary goal of the Research Training Group (in German: Graduiertenkolleg, GRK) 2250, funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), is to bring substantial improvements in the impact resistance of existing buildings by applying thin layers of strengthening material. By using innovative mineralbonded composites, public safety and reliability of vitally important existing structures and infrastructure should be significantly enhanced. The scientific basis to be developed will additionally enable to build new, impact-resistant structures economically and ecologically. The framework of the GRK 2250 as well as some achievements are herein briefly presented

Recommendations of RILEM TC 260-RSC for using superabsorbent polymers (SAP) for improving freeze–thaw resistance of cement-based materials

This recommendation is focused on application of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) for the improvement of the resistance of cement-based materials to freeze—thaw attack with or without deicing salts. A simple approach to the determination of the amount and properties of SAP as well as methods to verify SAP effectiveness for frost resistance protection are presented

Simulating mixing processes with water addition using DEM – from bulk material to suspension

This paper introduces a model in the Discrete Element Method to simulate the mixing processes of dry materials with major water addition more realistically. The presented model covers the representation of liquid transfer from fluid particles or moist particles to dryer ones including increase in volume. Depending on the moisture content of the particles in contact, the adequate interaction model (friction, liquid bridge or suspension) and its parameters are applied

Additive Fertigung mit Beton

Dieser Beitrag bietet einen Überblick über den aktuellen Sachstand auf dem Gebiet der additiven Fertigungsverfahren mit Beton, auch 3D-Betondruck genannt. Im Einzelnen wird auf die zugehörige Materialprüfung von druckbarem bzw. gedrucktem frischem, erhärtendem und erhärtetem Beton eingegangen. Außerdem werden mögliche Varianten zur Integration der Bewehrung in die additive Fertigung mit Beton dargelegt

Joule heating as a smart approach in enhancing early strength development of mineral-impregnated carbon-fibre composites (MCF) made with geopolymer

The article at hand presents a novel approach to accelerating the early strength development of mineralimpregnated carbon-fibre composites (MCF) by electrical Joule heating. MCF were produced with a metakaolin-based geopolymer suspension and subsequently cured using Ohmic heating under systemically varied voltages and durations. The MCF produced were characterised in respect of their mechanical and morphological properties. Threepoint-bending and uniaxial tension tests yielded significant enhancement of MCF mechanical properties due to curing within only a few hours. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) as well as micro-computed tomography (μCT) confirmed advanced geopolymerisation by the electrical heating process and a strong sensitivity to parameter selection. After only two hours of resistance heating MCF could demonstrate tensile strength of up to 2800 MPa, showing the great potential for applying the Joule effect as a possibility to enhance the strength development of geopolymer-based MCF. Moreover, the applied method offers a huge potential to manufacture automated fast out-of-oven cured MCF with a variety of shapes and dimensions

Dynamic Single-Fiber Pull-Out of Polypropylene Fibers Produced with Different Mechanical and Surface Properties for Concrete Reinforcement

In strain-hardening cement-based composites (SHCC), polypropylene (PP) fibers are often used to provide ductility through micro crack-bridging, in particular when subjected to high loading rates. For the purposeful material design of SHCC, fundamental research is required to understand the failure mechanisms depending on the mechanical properties of the fibers and the fiber–matrix interaction. Hence, PP fibers with diameters between 10 and 30 µm, differing tensile strength levels and Young’s moduli, but also circular and trilobal cross-sections were produced using melt-spinning equipment. The structural changes induced by the drawing parameters during the spinning process and surface modification by sizing were assessed in single-fiber tensile experiments and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of the fiber material. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and contact angle measurements were applied to determine the topographical and wetting properties of the fiber surface. The fiber–matrix interaction under quasi-static and dynamic loading was studied in single-fiber pull-out experiments (SFPO). The main findings of microscale characterization showed that increased fiber tensile strength in combination with enhanced mechanical interlocking caused by high surface roughness led to improved energy absorption under dynamic loading. Further enhancement could be observed in the change from a circular to a trilobal fiber cross-section