Capillary water absorption into alkali-activated slag materials: Experimental and numerical investigation

This study conducted both experimental and numerical investigations on the capillary water absorption into AAS materials with varying mix proportions. The results demonstrate that the capillary water absorption of AAS mortars adheres to the square root of time (SRT) law until wetting front reaches t...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Fangzhou Ren, Jian Zhang, Jianxiang Yang, Xiangsheng Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-03-01
Series:Developments in the Built Environment
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666165924002783
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850056679340638208
author Fangzhou Ren
Jian Zhang
Jianxiang Yang
Xiangsheng Chen
author_facet Fangzhou Ren
Jian Zhang
Jianxiang Yang
Xiangsheng Chen
author_sort Fangzhou Ren
collection DOAJ
description This study conducted both experimental and numerical investigations on the capillary water absorption into AAS materials with varying mix proportions. The results demonstrate that the capillary water absorption of AAS mortars adheres to the square root of time (SRT) law until wetting front reaches the top surface of specimen. The isopropanol (IPA) absorption of AAS mortars also follows the SRT law, and the measured intrinsic capillary sorptivity Sint for IPA and water are quite close. Through theoretical modeling and numerical simulation, the capillary absorption kinetics of different AAS mortars can all be accurately quantified using the Richards equation, regardless of the water retention curve model employed. These results suggest that the microstructure of AAS materials studied herein is stable during capillary water absorption. This may be attributed to the viscous characteristics of AAS materials, arising from the irreversible collapse and rearrangement of the nanostructure of C-A-S-H gels during drying.
format Article
id doaj-art-0da2c80eb8ca42d0a3c823a583686e22
institution DOAJ
issn 2666-1659
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Developments in the Built Environment
spelling doaj-art-0da2c80eb8ca42d0a3c823a583686e222025-08-20T02:51:39ZengElsevierDevelopments in the Built Environment2666-16592025-03-012110059710.1016/j.dibe.2024.100597Capillary water absorption into alkali-activated slag materials: Experimental and numerical investigationFangzhou Ren0Jian Zhang1Jianxiang Yang2Xiangsheng Chen3State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Geotechnics and Tunnelling, College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Urban Resilient Infrastructures (Shenzhen University), Ministry of Education, Shenzhen 518060, China; College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; National Engineering Research Center of Deep Shaft Construction, Shenzhen 518060, ChinaCorrespondence to: College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.; State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Geotechnics and Tunnelling, College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Urban Resilient Infrastructures (Shenzhen University), Ministry of Education, Shenzhen 518060, China; College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; National Engineering Research Center of Deep Shaft Construction, Shenzhen 518060, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Intelligent Geotechnics and Tunnelling, College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Urban Resilient Infrastructures (Shenzhen University), Ministry of Education, Shenzhen 518060, China; College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; National Engineering Research Center of Deep Shaft Construction, Shenzhen 518060, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Intelligent Geotechnics and Tunnelling, College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Urban Resilient Infrastructures (Shenzhen University), Ministry of Education, Shenzhen 518060, China; College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; National Engineering Research Center of Deep Shaft Construction, Shenzhen 518060, ChinaThis study conducted both experimental and numerical investigations on the capillary water absorption into AAS materials with varying mix proportions. The results demonstrate that the capillary water absorption of AAS mortars adheres to the square root of time (SRT) law until wetting front reaches the top surface of specimen. The isopropanol (IPA) absorption of AAS mortars also follows the SRT law, and the measured intrinsic capillary sorptivity Sint for IPA and water are quite close. Through theoretical modeling and numerical simulation, the capillary absorption kinetics of different AAS mortars can all be accurately quantified using the Richards equation, regardless of the water retention curve model employed. These results suggest that the microstructure of AAS materials studied herein is stable during capillary water absorption. This may be attributed to the viscous characteristics of AAS materials, arising from the irreversible collapse and rearrangement of the nanostructure of C-A-S-H gels during drying.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666165924002783Alkali-activated slagCapillary absorptionSorptivityNumerical simulation
spellingShingle Fangzhou Ren
Jian Zhang
Jianxiang Yang
Xiangsheng Chen
Capillary water absorption into alkali-activated slag materials: Experimental and numerical investigation
Developments in the Built Environment
Alkali-activated slag
Capillary absorption
Sorptivity
Numerical simulation
title Capillary water absorption into alkali-activated slag materials: Experimental and numerical investigation
title_full Capillary water absorption into alkali-activated slag materials: Experimental and numerical investigation
title_fullStr Capillary water absorption into alkali-activated slag materials: Experimental and numerical investigation
title_full_unstemmed Capillary water absorption into alkali-activated slag materials: Experimental and numerical investigation
title_short Capillary water absorption into alkali-activated slag materials: Experimental and numerical investigation
title_sort capillary water absorption into alkali activated slag materials experimental and numerical investigation
topic Alkali-activated slag
Capillary absorption
Sorptivity
Numerical simulation
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666165924002783
work_keys_str_mv AT fangzhouren capillarywaterabsorptionintoalkaliactivatedslagmaterialsexperimentalandnumericalinvestigation
AT jianzhang capillarywaterabsorptionintoalkaliactivatedslagmaterialsexperimentalandnumericalinvestigation
AT jianxiangyang capillarywaterabsorptionintoalkaliactivatedslagmaterialsexperimentalandnumericalinvestigation
AT xiangshengchen capillarywaterabsorptionintoalkaliactivatedslagmaterialsexperimentalandnumericalinvestigation