O século 21 vem sendo caracterizado pela urbanização acelerada em países economicamente emergentes. O aumento das construções em áreas urbanas, quando mal planejado, ocasiona problemas estruturais e espaciais que afetam diretamente os cidadãos e seu entorno. Muitas pesquisas científicas propõem métodos para monitorar a qualidade dos materiais utilizados em obras de engenharia. As inspeções de qualidade mais aplicadas são feitas em materiais relacionados à estrutura, como o concreto. Todo o concreto utilizado em obra é obrigatoriamente submetido ao ensaio à compressão axial, que rompe os corpos-de-prova. Estes ensaios destrutivos não são realizados in loco e todo o material utilizado é descartado após análise. Neste sentido, o sensoriamento remoto pode ser utilizado no mapeamento e monitoramento de materiais de construção, permitindo investigar e identificar diversos componentes de forma não-destrutiva. Os materiais podem ser inspecionados diretamente no local da obra, de uma forma rápida, não-invasiva e de baixo custo, características imprescindíveis no processo contínuo da construção civil. Neste trabalho foi utilizado o equipamento espectrorradiômetro FieldSpec 3 para medir materiais cimentícios à base de cimento Portland (pasta de cimento, argamassa e concreto). Nas amostras de pasta de cimento e argamassa, analisou-se o comportamento espectral de quatro diferentes resistências mecânicas e nas amostras de concreto avaliou-se a diferença entre o comportamento espectral de concretos submetidos a carregamento precoce e concretos de referência. As curvas espectrais geradas pelo registro da radiação eletromagnética refletida e absorvida das amostras foram interpretadas com base na teoria de espectroscopia vibracional e eletrônica. Esta dissertação tem um caráter inovador e a técnica aplicada é extremamente promissora e praticável como um método alternativo. Na literatura não existem estudos que já fizeram esta investigação, nem trabalhos acadêmicos com o propósito de diferenciar resistências mecânicas a partir da análise e interpretação de assinaturas espectrais destes materiais. O objetivo deste trabalho é mostrar uma técnica auxiliar inédita para analisar corpos-de-prova sólidos, utilizando a espectroscopia no visível e infravermelho próximo. O resultado deste estudo constatou que as amostras de pasta e de argamassa apresentaram contraste espectral e detectou a presença e proporção de água nas amostras. Também identificaram-se diferenças entre o comportamento espectral dos concretos de referência e o dos pré-carregados, evidenciando-se a aplicabilidade desta ferramenta na identificação da microfissuração do concreto. Com auxílio da transformada de wavelet foi possível comprovar estatisticamente o contraste espectral e que a profundidade das feições de absorção da água é inversamente proporcional à resistência mecânica, para materiais cimentícios como a pasta e argamassa. A técnica apresentada foi considerada bastante promissora como ferramenta auxiliar na avaliação da qualidade de materiais cimentícios à base de cimento Portland. / The 21st century has been characterized by rapid urbanization in economically emerging countries. The increase of constructions in urban areas, when not planned correctly, causes structural and spatial problems that directly affect citizens and their surroundings. Many scientific researches propose methods to monitor the quality of materials used in engineering works. The quality inspections more applied are made in materials related to the structure, like concrete. All the concrete used in the side work must be submitted to axial compression test, which breakes the samples. These destructive tests are not done in loco and all the material used is discarded after analysis. This way, the remote sensing can be used for mapping and monitoring of construction materials, allowing to investigate and to identify many components in a non-destructive way. The materials can be inspected directly inside the side work, in a quick way, non-invasive and low cost, indispensable characteristics in the ongoing process of civil construction. In this work a piece of equipment FieldSpec 3 spectroradiometer was used to measure cement materials based on Portland cement (cement paste, mortar and concrete). In the cement paste and mortar samples was analyzed the spectral behavior of four different compressive strengths and in the concrete samples was analyzed the difference between the spectral behavior of concretes submitted to early loading and concretes of reference. The spectral curves produced by register of electromagnetic radiation reflected and absorbed of the samples were interpreted based on the theory vibrational and electronic spectroscopy. This dissertation is an innovation and the technique applied is extremely promising and feasible as an alternative method. In the literature there are no studies that have already done this research or academic papers with the purpose of differentiate compressive strengths from the analysis and interpretation of their spectral signatures. The objective of this work is to show an original technique to analyze solid samples using the spectroscopy in the visible and near infrared. The result of this study found that the samples of cement past and mortar showed spectral contrast and detected the presence and proportion of water in the samples. Besides it identified differences between the spectral behavior of early loading and concretes of reference, highlighting the applicability of this tool in the identification of the concrete microcracking. With the help of wavelet transform was possible to prove statistically the spectral contrast and that the depth of water absorption features is inversely proportional to the compressive strength, for cement materials such as paste and mortar. The technique presented was considered very promising as an assistant technique in quality appraisal of cement material based on Portland cement, may complement information obtained by conventional techniques.

O século 21 vem sendo caracterizado pela urbanização acelerada em países economicamente emergentes. O aumento das construções em áreas urbanas, quando mal planejado, ocasiona problemas estruturais e espaciais que afetam diretamente os cidadãos e seu entorno. Muitas pesquisas científicas propõem métodos para monitorar a qualidade dos materiais utilizados em obras de engenharia. As inspeções de qualidade mais aplicadas são feitas em materiais relacionados à estrutura, como o concreto. Todo o concreto utilizado em obra é obrigatoriamente submetido ao ensaio à compressão axial, que rompe os corpos-de-prova. Estes ensaios destrutivos não são realizados in loco e todo o material utilizado é descartado após análise. Neste sentido, o sensoriamento remoto pode ser utilizado no mapeamento e monitoramento de materiais de construção, permitindo investigar e identificar diversos componentes de forma não-destrutiva. Os materiais podem ser inspecionados diretamente no local da obra, de uma forma rápida, não-invasiva e de baixo custo, características imprescindíveis no processo contínuo da construção civil. Neste trabalho foi utilizado o equipamento espectrorradiômetro FieldSpec 3 para medir materiais cimentícios à base de cimento Portland (pasta de cimento, argamassa e concreto). Nas amostras de pasta de cimento e argamassa, analisou-se o comportamento espectral de quatro diferentes resistências mecânicas e nas amostras de concreto avaliou-se a diferença entre o comportamento espectral de concretos submetidos a carregamento precoce e concretos de referência. As curvas espectrais geradas pelo registro da radiação eletromagnética refletida e absorvida das amostras foram interpretadas com base na teoria de espectroscopia vibracional e eletrônica. Esta dissertação tem um caráter inovador e a técnica aplicada é extremamente promissora e praticável como um método alternativo. Na literatura não existem estudos que já fizeram esta investigação, nem trabalhos acadêmicos com o propósito de diferenciar resistências mecânicas a partir da análise e interpretação de assinaturas espectrais destes materiais. O objetivo deste trabalho é mostrar uma técnica auxiliar inédita para analisar corpos-de-prova sólidos, utilizando a espectroscopia no visível e infravermelho próximo. O resultado deste estudo constatou que as amostras de pasta e de argamassa apresentaram contraste espectral e detectou a presença e proporção de água nas amostras. Também identificaram-se diferenças entre o comportamento espectral dos concretos de referência e o dos pré-carregados, evidenciando-se a aplicabilidade desta ferramenta na identificação da microfissuração do concreto. Com auxílio da transformada de wavelet foi possível comprovar estatisticamente o contraste espectral e que a profundidade das feições de absorção da água é inversamente proporcional à resistência mecânica, para materiais cimentícios como a pasta e argamassa. A técnica apresentada foi considerada bastante promissora como ferramenta auxiliar na avaliação da qualidade de materiais cimentícios à base de cimento Portland. / The 21st century has been characterized by rapid urbanization in economically emerging countries. The increase of constructions in urban areas, when not planned correctly, causes structural and spatial problems that directly affect citizens and their surroundings. Many scientific researches propose methods to monitor the quality of materials used in engineering works. The quality inspections more applied are made in materials related to the structure, like concrete. All the concrete used in the side work must be submitted to axial compression test, which breakes the samples. These destructive tests are not done in loco and all the material used is discarded after analysis. This way, the remote sensing can be used for mapping and monitoring of construction materials, allowing to investigate and to identify many components in a non-destructive way. The materials can be inspected directly inside the side work, in a quick way, non-invasive and low cost, indispensable characteristics in the ongoing process of civil construction. In this work a piece of equipment FieldSpec 3 spectroradiometer was used to measure cement materials based on Portland cement (cement paste, mortar and concrete). In the cement paste and mortar samples was analyzed the spectral behavior of four different compressive strengths and in the concrete samples was analyzed the difference between the spectral behavior of concretes submitted to early loading and concretes of reference. The spectral curves produced by register of electromagnetic radiation reflected and absorbed of the samples were interpreted based on the theory vibrational and electronic spectroscopy. This dissertation is an innovation and the technique applied is extremely promising and feasible as an alternative method. In the literature there are no studies that have already done this research or academic papers with the purpose of differentiate compressive strengths from the analysis and interpretation of their spectral signatures. The objective of this work is to show an original technique to analyze solid samples using the spectroscopy in the visible and near infrared. The result of this study found that the samples of cement past and mortar showed spectral contrast and detected the presence and proportion of water in the samples. Besides it identified differences between the spectral behavior of early loading and concretes of reference, highlighting the applicability of this tool in the identification of the concrete microcracking. With the help of wavelet transform was possible to prove statistically the spectral contrast and that the depth of water absorption features is inversely proportional to the compressive strength, for cement materials such as paste and mortar. The technique presented was considered very promising as an assistant technique in quality appraisal of cement material based on Portland cement, may complement information obtained by conventional techniques.

The Soil Water Retention Curve (SWRC) of different soils has been researched thoroughly by multiple Geotechnical Engineers. The interpretation of the SWRC for a specific soil leads to the identification of certain properties of the soil. The SWRC typically involves a plot of suction measurements (on a logarithmic scale) against the volumetric water content or degree of saturation of the soil. This project aims to determine a manner in which concrete properties (such as durability, porosity, shrinkage, strength and stiffness) can be estimated through suction measurements. The Dew Point PotentiaMeter (WP4C) apparatus was used to measure the suctions of different concrete mixtures, as well as to derive the water retention curve of concrete. A cement paste study was first conducted to determine whether this apparatus is able to deliver representative results, which it is. It was discovered that the water retention curve of concrete is similar to a bimodal SWRC identified by Geotechnical Engineers. Thereafter, a mortar study was completed to determine if the water retention curves can be used to estimate different concrete properties. Three different porosity tests were investigated during this research study, namely the X-ray test, the Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP) test and a simple test method described in the durability index testing procedure manual assembled by University of Cape Town, University of the Witwatersrand and CoMSIRU. It was concluded that the MIP test and the simple test method described in the durability index testing procedure manual gave the most comparable results with regards to literature. The shrinkage of the concrete mixture was investigated to determine a relationship between the suctions and the shrinkage of the concrete. Different strength tests of all the concrete mixtures were also investigated, namely the flexural test, the compressive test, the splitting cylinder test and the E-value test (stiffness). It was concluded that there was a definite trend between the suction measurements and the specific concrete properties tested. The water retention curve has the potential to describe various properties of different concrete mixtures. / Dissertation (MEng (Structural Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Civil Engineering / MEng (Structural Engineering) / Unrestricted

Concrete structures have the largest surface area of all human made structures. Large surface area makes concrete capable to absorb CO2 from environment during its lifetime. It is estimated that concrete during its lifetime can absorb about 15-20% of CO2 which had produced in cement production. In Sweden the CO2 uptake by concrete construction is estimated to 300 000 tons annually. This study aims to investigate the influences of fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag on carbonation. Accelerated carbonation with 65% relative humidity and 10% CO2 concentration was utilized to simulate the carbonation in cement pastes and cement mortars. Series of experiments have accomplished by collaborating with RISE and university of Borås. In this study cement pastes crushed into three fractions in order to evaluate the impact of particle size and influence of blended cement in CO2 uptake. Lastly, carbonation depth of mortars after 14 days accelerated carbonation were analyzed. Experimental results show that the increasing CO2 uptake induced by adding mineral admixture such fly ash in cement pastes. In this study cement paste with 30% fly ash replacement and fraction lower than 2 mm exhibit the highest CO2 uptake compared to other cement paste in this study. Moreover, carbonation depth of cement mortar was also increased three times more in mortar with 30% fly ash compared with mortar with 100% Portland cement. Therefore, incorporation of mineral admixture in cement pastes can improve the CO2 uptake and moreover, CO2 uptake can be more efficient if more surface area be involved with CO2 by crushing cement paste into lower 2 mm. / Betongkonstruktioner har den största ytan av alla människor gjorda strukturer. Stor yta gör att betong kan absorbera CO2 från luften under betongens hela livstid. Det uppskattas att betong under sin livstid kan absorbera cirka 15–20 % av CO2 som hade producerats i cementproduktionen. I Sverige uppskattas CO2-upptaget till 300 000 ton per år. Denna studie syftar till att undersöka den optimala kombinationen som kan påverka karbonatisering. Accelererad karbonatisering med 65% relativ luftfuktighet och 10% CO2-koncentration utfördes för att kunna simulera upptaget av koldioxid i cementpastor och cementbruk. En rad experiment har genomförts tillsammans med RISE och Högskolan i Borås. I denna studie krossades cementpastor i tre olika fraktioner för att utvärdera effekten av kornstorlek och påverkan av cementpastasinnehål i upptaget av CO2. Slutligen analyserades karboneringsdjupen för cementbruk efter 14 dagar accelererad karbonatisering. De experimentella resultaten från accelererad karbonatisering visar att med ökad halt av flygaska kan CO2-upptaget ökas. Cementpastan med 30 % flygaska och fraktionen lägre än två mm uppvisar det högsta CO2-upptaget jämfört med andra cementpastor med grövre fraktioner i denna studie. Dessutom ökade karbonatiseringsdjupet i cementbruk med 30% flygaska cirka tre gånger mer jämfört med cementbruk med 100% Portlandcement. Utifrån dessa resultat kan det konstateras att inblandning av tillsattmaterial i cementpasta kan förbättra CO2-upptaget och dessutom kan CO2-upptaget sker effektivare om mer kontaktytor blir involverade med CO2 genom att krossa cementpastan i fraktionen 0–2 mm.

Baigiamojo magistro darbo tikslas – ištirti cheminių įmaišų poveikį reologinėms portlandcemenčio tešlos savybėms, panaudojant skirtingų tipų cementus. Darbe išnagrinėta lietuvių, užsienio mokslinė literatūra, aprašytos naudotos žaliavos, parinktos skirtingos cementinės tešlos sudėtys, kurios skiriasi cemento ir plastifikuojančios įmaišos tipu. Tyrimams naudotos šios medžiagos: AB „Akmenės cementas“ gamyklos portlandcementis CEM I 42,5 (N ir R ankstyvojo stiprumo), klinties portlandcementis CEM II/A-LL 42,5 N, plastiklis Centrament N3, naujausios kartos superplastiklis MC-PowerFlow 3140 ir vanduo. Ištirtas plastiklio ir superplastiklio poveikis portlandcemenčio tešlos vandens ir cemento (V/C) santykio pokyčiams ir sklidumui naudojant Sutardo viskozimetrą. Buvo tiriamos vienodo vandens ir cemento santykio portlandcemenčio tešlos su cheminėmis įmaišomis ir be jų. Tyrimai atlikti naudojant rotacinį viskozimetrą Rheotest NH 4.1 su bendraašiais cilindrais. Nustatytas cheminių įmaišų portlandcemenčio tešloje veiksmingumas, esant skirtingo tipo cementui. Pastebėta, kad portlandcemenčio tešlos dinaminis klampis gali būti reguliuojamas cheminėmis įmaišomis viso indukcinio hidratacijos periodo metu. Sukurta metodika portlandcemenčio tešlos reologinėms savybėms nustatyti bei parinktas reologinis modelis, kuris geriausiai apibūdina gautus tyrimų duomenis. Atlikus portlandcemenčio tešlos su cheminėmis įmaišomis ir be jų tyrimų rezultatų regresinę analizę, gautos klampio, tekėjimo lygtys... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The purpose of this thesis is to analyse the influence of chemical admixtures on the rheological properties of Portland cement paste, which differ depending on the type of cement used. In addition to the literature analysis, different cement paste compositions (differing in type of cement and plasticizers) were tested. Testing materials: Portland cement CEM I 42.5 (N and R early strength), limestone Portland cement CEM II/A-LL 42.5 N, plasticizer Centrament N3, the latest generation superplasticizer MC-PowerFlow 3140 and water. Research focused on effects of plasticizer and superplasticizer on water and cement (W/C) ratio and Portland cement paste slump-flow characteristics. Portland cement pastes with the same water-cement ratio with and without chemical admixtures were tested. Tests were carried out using a Suttard viscometer and rotation viscometer Rheotest NH 4.1 with coaxial cylinders. It was observed that viscosity of Portland cement paste can be controlled by chemical admixtures during the hydration induction period. The work provides analysis of the effectiveness of the chemical admixtures on the rheological properties of the Portland cement pastes, comparing it with a control composition of the Portland cement paste. Diagrams demonstrate changes in viscosity of the Portland cement pastes depending on the type and amount of the chemical admixtures. Obtained results were compared with the same consistence paste without admixtures. We created a new methodology of... [to full text]

Este estudo avaliou propriedades de fratura e seus parâmetros de superfície em composições de pasta de cimento de mesma porosidade capilar, variando o teor de filler calcário como substituinte ao cimento comercial. Ainda, para avaliação do efeito em composições de argamassa, foi avaliada a capacidade de redução de água que essa adição pode proporcionar e seu efeito na resistência mecânica. A avaliação dos parâmetros de fratura ocorreu por ensaio de flexão por carregamento em três pontos, com controle por taxa de deslocamento e as análises de superfície por ensaio de interferometria, em seções de fratura e entalhe. O aumento do teor de filler calcário proporcionou redução da demanda de água nas argamassas, para mesmo comportamento. A redução da demanda foi ainda maior para as composições dispersas com aditivo, em relação à referência com aditivo. As resistências à compressão das argamassas apresentaram boa correlação em relação ao ajuste com todas as composições, enquanto foi observado que argamassas de médio teor de filler podem apresentar mesma resistência à flexão que as argamassas de referência, mesmo que estas apresentem menor porosidade capilar. As pastas ensaiadas à flexão por carregamento três pontos não apresentaram comportamento quase-frágil, impedindo o cálculo da energia de fraturamento. Isto ocorreu devido ao método de ensaio adotado, com configuração inadequada, e que pode ser ajustada através da redução da taxa de deslocamento do ensaio, da geometria dos corpos de prova ou da geometria dos entalhes produzidos. Todas as composições apresentaram insensibilidade à profundidade de entalhe sob as condições de ensaio adotadas, possivelmente devido às falhas de configuração do método. As médias de resistência à flexão e do fator de intensidade de tensão crítico foram maiores para a composição de alto teor de filler, seguidos da referência e da composição de médio teor de filler, respectivamente. Em todas as análises e tipos de superfície estudadas, as composições de alto teor de filler apresentaram maior índice de rugosidade e amplitude entre picos e vales, enquanto não foi identificada diferença entre a referência e a composição de médio teor de filler. Estes dois parâmetros e a raiz quadrática da rugosidade indicaram que a rugosidade das superfícies fraturadas é maior que em superfícies cortadas com disco diamantado. / This study assesses fracture properties and their surface parameters in cement paste compositions of the same capillary porosity, varying the filler content of limestone as a substitute for commercial cement. Also, to evaluate the effect in mortar compositions, the water reduction capacity that this addition can provide and its effect on the mechanical resistance was evaluated. The evaluation of the fracture parameters was performed by three-point loading flexion test with displacement rate control and surface analysis by interferometry test in fracture and notch sections. The increase of limestone filler provided a reduction of the water demand in the mortars, in relation to the reference, for spreading of 265mm in table of consistency. The water demand reduction was even greater for compositions dispersed with admixture, relative to the reference with admixture. The compressive strength of the mortars presented a good correlation in the fit with all the compositions, while it was observed that mortars of medium filler content may have the same flexural strength as the reference mortars, even if they have lower capillary porosity. The pastes tested by three-point loading did not exhibit quasi-fragile behavior, preventing the calculation of fracturing energy. This was due to the inadequately configured test method adopted, which can be adjusted by reducing the test displacement rate, the geometry of the specimens or the geometry of the notches produced. All compositions presented insensitivity to the notch depth under the test conditions adopted, possibly due to method configuration failures. The averages of flexural strength and critical stress intensity factor were higher for the high filler composition, followed by the reference and medium filler composition, respectively. In all analyzes and surface types studied, high filler compositions presented higher roughness and amplitude index between peaks and valleys, while no difference between the reference and medium filler composition was identified. These two parameters and the quadratic root roughness indicated that the roughness of the fractured surfaces is greater than on surfaces cut with diamond disc.

The complex interaction between cement and chemical/mineral admixtures in concrete mixtures sometimes leads to unpredictable concrete performance in the field which is generally defined as concrete incompatibilities. Cement paste rheology measurements instead of traditional workability tests (i.e., slump cone test) can have great potential in detecting those incompatibilities in concrete before the concrete is placed, which can, in turn, avoid related workability problems and setting time as well as heat evolution abnormalities. The objectives of the present study were to examine the applicability of the dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) to measure cement paste rheology, and to identify cement and mineral/chemical admixture incompatibilities, based on the determined rheological parameters. The DSR was modified and optimized for cement paste rheology measurements. Two different modes of operations (i.e., static and dynamic methods) with the modified DSR were investigated to measure representative rheological parameters as well as to identify cement and chemical/mineral admixture incompatibility. The conventional plastic viscosity and yield stress are measured in static mode and storage modulus curve, as a function of time, is measured in dynamic mode. The rate of change of plastic viscosity (RPV) as another static rheological parameter and the modeled magnitude parameter ?, from the dynamic rheological method, showed great potentialities as acceptance criteria to identify incompatible mixtures. The heat of hydration data from isothermal conduction calorimeter tests and setting time results for the studied mixtures have strongly supported the rheology based observations as supporting tools. Based on the main tests results, the acceptance criteria were set up using the rheological parameters in accordance with heat of hydration data. This will ultimately help material suppliers, concrete producers, and other users to detect problematic combinations of concrete ingredients before a given concrete mixture is placed.

The composite material of different density, where porous cement paste serves as matrix and crushed waste expanded polystyrene packages serve as inclusions, was developed. The compositions of formative mixtures and technological parameters of production for this composite material were selected and its properties were investigated. / Sukurta skirtingo tankio kompozitinė medžiaga, kurioje matrica yra poringoji cemento tešla, o intarpai - trupintos polistireninio putplasčio pakavimo taros atliekos. Parinktos minėtos kompozitinės medžiagos formavimo mišinių sudėtys, gamybos technologiniai parametrai ir ištirtos jos bandinių savybės.

Les centrales nucléaires jouent un rôle important au niveau mondial dans la production d'électricité aujourd'hui. Dans l'histoire humaine, deux accidents tragiques ont déjà eu lieu, à Tchernobyl et Fukushima, provoquant des fuites des matières radioactives. Pour éviter ce genre d'accident dans la future, la construction en béton prend un rôle important en tant que matériau de construction de confinement qui est la dernière barrière pour isoler la matière radioactive de l'environnement. La compréhension des transferts dans le béton dans des circonstances graves, en particulier à étudier le comportement du béton sous haute température jusqu'à 200°C. Dans la première partie, un modèle de déshydratation a été appliqué dans le modèle thermo-hygro. Le modèle thermo-hygro a ensuite été mis en oeuvre pour simuler une maquette dont les résultats expérimentaux sont disponibles dans la littérature, sans tenir compte des comportements mécaniques. Enfin, des études paramétrique ont été réalisées pour étudier l'influence de certains paramètres. Le modèle à ensuite été appliqué à des structures sous vitesse de chauffage différente, et le modèle à ensuite été appliqué à des structure sous rythme de chauffage différents et celles avec des épaisseurs différentes pour comparer les profiles de température et de pression de gaz à travers de la mur. / Nuclear power plant now takes an important part in the world's electricity generation. In human history, there have already been two tragic accidents in Chernobyl and Fukushima causing severe radioactive matter leakage. To pre- vent this kind of accident from happening again, concrete structure plays an important role as material of containment building, which is the last barrier to isolate the radioactive matter from the environment. Hence, the transfer properties of concrete under severe circumstances, especially high tempera- ture, are important for this usage. This PhD thesis aims to investigate the behavior of the concrete under high temperature up to 200°C. In the first part, a dehydration model was proposed. The model consists of different dehydration sub-models for main hydrates in the cement paste. In the second part, the dehydration model was implemented in a thermo-hygral model. The thermo- hygral model was then used to simulate a mock-up for which experimental results are available in the literature, without considering the mechanical behaviors. At last, parametric studies were performed to investigate the influ- ence of some parameters, and the model was then applied to structures under different heating rates, and structures with different thicknesses to compare the temperature and gas pressure profiles across a wall.

For usual concrete structure built in several phases, concrete deformations are restrained during the hardening process. When shrinkage is restrained, tensile stresses are induced and a cracking risk occurs. Modelling the evolution of an early age set of parameters on concrete is necessary to predict the early age behaviour of concrete structures. The difficulty lies in the fact that the modelling of concrete properties must be based on experimental data at early age and this data must be obtained automatically because the hardening process of the concrete takes place rapidly during the first hours and also the first days. The thesis deals with experimental and numerical study of the early age properties of cement based materials and more specifically the development of the autogenous deformation, the coefficient of thermal expansion, the E-modulus and the basic creep in compression and tension. For this purpose, a comprehensive work was carried out at ULB and Ifsttar involving the development of a new approach with new test procedures and the design of new testing devices to generate experimental data since the setting of the material. The methodology is based on two repeated testing methods. For the characterization of the viscoelastic behaviour of a concrete since setting, a permanent loading coupled to a test with repeated minute-long loadings is needed. Whereas, the autogenous strain, the coefficient of thermal expansion and the setting are characterized with repeated thermal variations on a concrete sample. The new approach was defined on an ordinary concrete and then extended to the study of the following parameters: the water-cement ratio, the restrained effect of aggregate on the cement paste in the development of concrete properties at early age, the substitution of cement by mineral addition and the difference of behaviour in tension and in compression. Based on these experimental results, new models were developed for the characterization of the early age properties of cement based materials since setting time. An adapted version of the Model Code 2010 for modelling of basic creep is also proposed. / Doctorat en Sciences de l'ingénieur et technologie / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished