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Long-term creep deformations in colloidal calcium-silicate-hydrate gels by accelerated aging simulations
Han Liu1, Shiqi Dong2, Longwen Tang3
1Physics of AmoRphous and Inorganic Solids Laboratory (PARISlab), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
|February 16, 2019
Summary
Researchers developed an accelerated simulation method to model delayed creep deformations in colloidal gels like calcium-silicate-hydrate (CSH). This method accurately predicts CSH gel behavior under sustained load, aiding in material design.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Colloid and Surface Chemistry
- Computational Mechanics
Background:
- Jammed colloidal gels exhibit delayed viscoplastic creep deformations under sustained load.
- Modeling and predicting long-timescale creep (up to years) in these materials remains a significant challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an accelerated simulation method for modeling creep deformations in calcium-silicate-hydrate (CSH) gels.
- To provide a physics-based understanding of CSH creep mechanisms relevant to concrete.
Main Methods:
- Mesoscale simulations of CSH gels were performed.
- An accelerated simulation approach utilizing stress perturbations and overaging was employed.
- Simulations were validated against nanoindentation creep tests.
Main Results:
- The accelerated simulations showed excellent agreement with experimental nanoindentation creep tests.
- CSH creep demonstrates a logarithmic time dependence, consistent with granular physics free-volume theory.
- A linear regime was identified where creep is directly proportional to applied load, defining a creep modulus.
Conclusions:
- Concrete creep is attributed to the mesoscale reorganization of CSH grains.
- The developed method offers a reliable approach for predicting CSH gel creep behavior.
- Findings provide a foundation for nanoengineering colloidal gels with reduced creep.
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