Multiscale material model for asr-affected concrete structures

Abstract

One of the most harmful degradation process for concrete structures is the alkali-silica reaction. This process starts at aggregate level with a gel swelling and can produce damage up to macro level, by compromising the integrity and capacity of the structure. In order to better understand the complex nature of this phenomenon, a multiscale material modeling approach is presented. The aim of the model is to capture the coupled effect between chemical and mechanical loading on stiffness, strength and expansion. To this end the chemical loading is driven by a gel production, within a micromechanical damage model. After summarizing the main features on the model, a numerical example illustrates the use of the model for uniaxial tensile tests.Structural EngineeringCivil Engineering and Geoscience