Microscopic effects on chloride diffusivity of cement pastes : a scale-transition analysis

Peter Pivonka, C. Hellmich, David Smith

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    137 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    For estimation of the durability of structures, it is highly desirable to quantify and simulate the chloride diffusion process in concrete. To this end, diffusion-cell experiments delivering the chloride diffusivity of cement pastes with different water-cement ratios (related to different microporosities) are evaluated in a scale-transition analysis. For prediction of the apparent chloride diffusivity, cement paste can be modelled by means of a differential homogenization scheme involving nondiffusive spherical inclusions in a diffusive matrix. As a result, chloride diffusivity of cement paste is obtained as a function of the microporosity and the chloride diffusivity in the micropore solution. Remarkably, the latter turns out to be one order of magnitude smaller than the chloride diffusivity in a pure salt solution system. The smaller diffusivity is probably caused by structuring of water molecules along the pore surface of cement paste. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)2251-2260
    JournalCement and Concrete Research
    Volume34
    Issue number12
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2004

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