Early-Age Cracking Analysis of a HVFA Concrete Structure Based on Thermo-Hygro-Mechanical Modeling Combined with XFEM

Due to the low hydration rate of high-volume fly ash (HVFA) concrete at early age, the temperature gradient between the concrete core and surfaces could be effectively reduced. However, the low hydration rate results in a lack of hydration degree for early-age HVFA concrete. Thus, during curing, com...

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Main Authors: Wei Cui, Yanjun Luo, Shuang Peng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-01-01
Series:Advances in Materials Science and Engineering
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/5793902
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author Wei Cui
Yanjun Luo
Shuang Peng
author_facet Wei Cui
Yanjun Luo
Shuang Peng
author_sort Wei Cui
collection DOAJ
description Due to the low hydration rate of high-volume fly ash (HVFA) concrete at early age, the temperature gradient between the concrete core and surfaces could be effectively reduced. However, the low hydration rate results in a lack of hydration degree for early-age HVFA concrete. Thus, during curing, compared to the strength of ordinary Portland cement (OPC), a subsequent lower one of HVFA concrete leads to a more sensitive response to inner stresses induced by thermal and moisture loads. Based on ABAQUS, in this paper, user subroutines in the temperature and moisture fields were developed, with regard to the hydration degree, for simulation of the temperature and moisture influences on concrete. Additionally, the Double Power Law (DPL) model was used to depict early-age deformations of concrete in the mechanical field. Combined with the extended finite element method (XFEM), another subroutine for early-age cracking analysis in the mechanical field was then developed. Together with aforementioned subroutines, a thermo-hygro-mechanical model is derived. For evaluation of early-age cracking initiation and propagation of a pier composed of HVFA concrete, the model was implemented with XFEM. The obtained results show that (1) temperature and restraints are the main causes of cracking; (2) moisture loss affects surface cracks on structures at early age; and (3) although the temperature difference between the core and surfaces is not much obvious due to the reduced rate of heat dissipation from hydration, cracking of early-age HVFA concrete is still likely to happen for its low early strength. Thus, timely curing is critical to prevent early cracking.
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spelling doaj-art-e4219c87cc0d4609ab79c557ff4120ff2025-08-20T02:21:34ZengWileyAdvances in Materials Science and Engineering1687-84341687-84422020-01-01202010.1155/2020/57939025793902Early-Age Cracking Analysis of a HVFA Concrete Structure Based on Thermo-Hygro-Mechanical Modeling Combined with XFEMWei Cui0Yanjun Luo1Shuang Peng2State Key Laboratory of Hydraulic Engineering Simulation and Safety, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydraulic Engineering Simulation and Safety, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydraulic Engineering Simulation and Safety, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaDue to the low hydration rate of high-volume fly ash (HVFA) concrete at early age, the temperature gradient between the concrete core and surfaces could be effectively reduced. However, the low hydration rate results in a lack of hydration degree for early-age HVFA concrete. Thus, during curing, compared to the strength of ordinary Portland cement (OPC), a subsequent lower one of HVFA concrete leads to a more sensitive response to inner stresses induced by thermal and moisture loads. Based on ABAQUS, in this paper, user subroutines in the temperature and moisture fields were developed, with regard to the hydration degree, for simulation of the temperature and moisture influences on concrete. Additionally, the Double Power Law (DPL) model was used to depict early-age deformations of concrete in the mechanical field. Combined with the extended finite element method (XFEM), another subroutine for early-age cracking analysis in the mechanical field was then developed. Together with aforementioned subroutines, a thermo-hygro-mechanical model is derived. For evaluation of early-age cracking initiation and propagation of a pier composed of HVFA concrete, the model was implemented with XFEM. The obtained results show that (1) temperature and restraints are the main causes of cracking; (2) moisture loss affects surface cracks on structures at early age; and (3) although the temperature difference between the core and surfaces is not much obvious due to the reduced rate of heat dissipation from hydration, cracking of early-age HVFA concrete is still likely to happen for its low early strength. Thus, timely curing is critical to prevent early cracking.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/5793902
spellingShingle Wei Cui
Yanjun Luo
Shuang Peng
Early-Age Cracking Analysis of a HVFA Concrete Structure Based on Thermo-Hygro-Mechanical Modeling Combined with XFEM
Advances in Materials Science and Engineering
title Early-Age Cracking Analysis of a HVFA Concrete Structure Based on Thermo-Hygro-Mechanical Modeling Combined with XFEM
title_full Early-Age Cracking Analysis of a HVFA Concrete Structure Based on Thermo-Hygro-Mechanical Modeling Combined with XFEM
title_fullStr Early-Age Cracking Analysis of a HVFA Concrete Structure Based on Thermo-Hygro-Mechanical Modeling Combined with XFEM
title_full_unstemmed Early-Age Cracking Analysis of a HVFA Concrete Structure Based on Thermo-Hygro-Mechanical Modeling Combined with XFEM
title_short Early-Age Cracking Analysis of a HVFA Concrete Structure Based on Thermo-Hygro-Mechanical Modeling Combined with XFEM
title_sort early age cracking analysis of a hvfa concrete structure based on thermo hygro mechanical modeling combined with xfem
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/5793902
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AT yanjunluo earlyagecrackinganalysisofahvfaconcretestructurebasedonthermohygromechanicalmodelingcombinedwithxfem
AT shuangpeng earlyagecrackinganalysisofahvfaconcretestructurebasedonthermohygromechanicalmodelingcombinedwithxfem