The Influence of Atmospheric Pressure on Air Content and Pore Structure of Air-entrained Concrete

To study the effect of atmospheric pressure on the properties of fresh and hardened airentrained concrete, three kinds of air entraining agents were used for preparing air-entrained concrete in the plateaus(Lhasa, 61 kPa) and the plains(Beijing, 101 kPa). Air content, slump, compressive strength and pore structure of the three air-entrained concretes were tested in these two places. It is found that the air content of concrete under low atmospheric pressure(LAP) is 4%-36% lower than that of concrete under normal atmospheric pressure(NAP), which explaines the decrease of slump for air-entrained concrete under LAP. Pore number of hardened concrete under LAP is reduced by 48%-69%. While, the proportion of big pores(pore diameter >1 200 μm) and air void spacing factor are increased by 1.5%-7.3% and 51%-92%, respectively. The deterioration of pore structure results in a 3%-9% reduction in the compressive strength of concrete. From the results we have obtained, it can be concluded that the increase of critical nucleation energy of air bubbles and the decrease of volumetric compressibility coefficient of air in the concrete are responsible for the variation of air content and pore structure of concrete under LAP.

BEHAVIOR OF AIR-ENTRAINED CONCRETE AFTER FREEZE-THAW CYCLES

The experimental study of air-entrained concrete specimens subjected to different cycles of freeze-thaw was completed. The dynamic modulus of elasticity, weight loss, the cubic compressive strength, compressive strength, tensile strength and cleavage strength of air-entrained concrete were measured after 0, 100, 200, 300, 400 cycles of freeze-thaw. The experimental results showed that the dynamic modulus of elasticity and strength decreased as the freeze-thaw was repeated. The influences of freeze-thaw cycles on the mechanical properties, the dynamic modulus of elasticity and weight loss were analyzed according to the experimental results. It can serve as a reference for the maintenance, design and the life prediction of dams, hydraulic structures, offshore structures, concrete roads and bridges in northern cold regions.

Air-entrained Concrete： Relationship between Thermal Conductivity and Pore Distribution Analyzed by X-Ray Tomography

The thermal conductivity values of ordinary concrete can be adjusted to those prescribed in constructions by entraining air bubbles to reduce the density of concrete in order to achieve good thermal insulation. This paper concerns the analysis of air bubble distribution in concrete obtained by micro X-ray μCT （computed tomography） and correlates it with its thermal conductivity （k）. The samples were prepared of ordinary concrete varying the density by air-entraining additives, ranging between 2,277 kg/m3 and 1,779 kg/m3, aiming to correlate the mechanical properties and k with the characteristics of the bubble distribution. The results show that air-entrainment leads to viable use of this material as sealer to achieve good thermal insulation, and it can be adjusted, but there seems to be a limit to air entraining. By analysis of the μCT images, it was possible to correlate the more quantity of bubbles of smaller diameter with the minor k, in dry or wet state, and to prove that there is a limit in the entrapped air content, and if it is exceeded, the coalescence occurs.

A Method of Assessing Parameters of Air-Void Structure in Air-Entrained Concretes

The air-void size distribution and number of air voids are crucial characteristics of air-entrainment. The standard spacing factor L is based on the Powers model, in which considerable simplifications are assumed. A better solution is provided by the Philleo factor, which determines the percentage content of protected paste located at a distance S from the edge of the nearest air void. Developing the concept put forward by Philleo, a method of determining the volume of protected paste on the basis of images generated from the numerical model of concrete grain structure including layout of aggregate-paste-air, is proposed. It is the ratio of the volume of the paste protected by air voids to the total paste volume. The PPV （protected paste volume） index accounts not only for sizes and number of air voids, but also for the role of aggregate particles in the placement of these pores, which is often disregarded in analyses. The PPV results obtained from image analysis were compared with standard spacing factor L and with the parameter developed by Philleo. The analyses conducted by the authors shows that accounting for aggregate grains in calculations substantially affects the assessment of the quality of the air-pore structure.

Macro-mechanics and Microstructure of Nanomaterial-modified Geopolymer Concrete: A Comprehensive Review

We have described in detail the effects of nano-SiO_(2),nano-CaCO_(3),carbon nanotubes,and nano-Al_(2)O_(3) on geopolymer concrete from the perspectives of macro mechanics and microstructure.The existing research results show that the mechanism of nano-materials on geopolymer concrete mainly includes the filling effect,nucleation effect,and bridging effect,the appropriate amount of nano-materials can be used as fillers to reduce the porosity of geopolymer concrete,and can also react with Ca(OH)2 to produce C-S-H gel,thereby improving the mechanical properties of geopolymer concrete.The optimum content of nano-SiO_(2) is between 1.0%and 2.0%.The optimum content of nano-CaCO_(3) is between 2.0%and 3.0%.The optimum content of carbon nanotubes is between 0.1%and 0.2%.The optimum content of nano-Al_(2)O_(3) is between 1.0%and 2.0%.The main problems existing in the research and application of nanomaterial-modified geopolymer concrete are summarized,which lays a foundation for the further application of nanomaterial in geopolymer concrete.

RF Optimizer Model for Predicting Compressive Strength of Recycled Concrete

Traditional machine learning(ML)encounters the challenge of parameter adjustment when predicting the compressive strength of reclaimed concrete.To address this issue,we introduce two optimized hybrid models:the Bayesian optimization model(B-RF)and the optimal model(Stacking model).These models are applied to a data set comprising 438 observations with five input variables,with the aim of predicting the compressive strength of reclaimed concrete.Furthermore,we evaluate the performance of the optimized models in comparison to traditional machine learning models,such as support vector regression(SVR),decision tree(DT),and random forest(RF).The results reveal that the Stacking model exhibits superior predictive performance,with evaluation indices including R2=0.825,MAE=2.818 and MSE=14.265,surpassing the traditional models.Moreover,we also performed a characteristic importance analysis on the input variables,and we concluded that cement had the greatest influence on the compressive strength of reclaimed concrete,followed by water.Therefore,the Stacking model can be recommended as a compressive strength prediction tool to partially replace laboratory compressive strength testing,resulting in time and cost savings.

Mechanical Properties of Railway High-strength Manufactured Sand Concrete: Typical Lithology, Stone Powder Content and Strength Grade

In order to achieve the large-scale application of manufactured sand in railway high-strength concrete structure,a series of high-strength manufactured sand concrete(HMC)are prepared by taking the manufactured sand lithology(tuff,limestone,basalt,granite),stone powder content(0,5%,10%,15%)and concrete strength grade(C60,C80,C100)as variables.The evolution of mechanical properties of HMC and the correlation between cubic compressive strength and other mechanical properties are studied.Compared to river sand,manufactured sand enhances the cubic compressive strength,axial compressive strength and elastic modulus of concrete,while its potential microcracks weaken the flexural strength and splitting tensile strength of concrete.Stone powder content displays both positive and negative effects on mechanical properties of HMC,and the stone powder content is suggested to be less than 10%.The empirical formulas between cubic compressive strength and other mechanical properties are proposed.

Bending Stiffness of Concrete-Filled Steel Tube and Its Influence on Concrete Placement Timing of Composite Beam-String Structure

When the upper chord beam of the beam-string structure(BSS)is made of concrete-filled steel tube(CFST),its overall stiffness will change greatly with the construction of concrete placement,which will have an impact on the design of the tensioning plans and selection of control measures for the BSS.In order to accurately obtain the bending stiffness of CFST beam and clarify its impact on the mechanical properties of composite BSS during construction,the influence of some factors such as height-width ratio,wall thickness of steel tube,elasticity modulus of concrete,and friction coefficient on the bending stiffness are analyzed parametrically by the numerical simulation technology based on an actual project.The calculation formula of the equivalent bending stiffness of CFST is also established through mathematical statistical simulation.Then,the equivalent bending stiffness is introduced into the construction and use stages of the composite BSS,respectively,and the mechanical properties such as prestress-tensioning control value,structural deformation,and internal force of key members are comparatively analyzed when adopting two different construction plans.Moreover,the optimal construction plan of concrete placement first and then prestress-tensioning is proposed.

Discrete Numerical Study on Type II Fracture of Partially Detached Concrete Panels in Cold Region

When the upper chord beam of the beam-string structure(BSS)is made of concrete-filled steel tube(CFST),its overall stiffness will change greatly with the construction of concrete placement,which will have an impact on the design of the tensioning plans and selection of control measures for the BSS.In order to accurately obtain the bending stiffness of CFST beam and clarify its impact on the mechanical properties of composite BSS during con-struction,the influence of some factors such as height-width ratio,wall thickness of steel tube,elasticity modulus of concrete,and friction coefficient on the bending stiffness are analyzed parametrically by the numerical simula-tion technology based on an actual project.The calculation formula of the equivalent bending stiffness of CFST is also established through mathematical statistical simulation.Then,the equivalent bending stiffness is introduced into the construction and use stages of the composite BSS,respectively,and the mechanical properties such as prestress-tensioning control value,structural deformation,and internal force of key members are comparatively analyzed when adopting two different construction plans.Moreover,the optimal construction plan of concrete placementfirst and then prestress-tensioning is proposed.

Dynamic properties of low-density expandable polystyrene concrete materials

Expanded polystyrene(EPS)concrete,known for its environmental friendliness,energy absorption capacity,and low impedance,has significant potential application in the fields of wave absorption and vibration reduction.This study designed and prepared EPS concrete materials with four levels of density.Quasi-static uniaxial compression and Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar(SHPB)impact tests were conducted to obtain stress-strain curves,elastic moduli,failure modes,energy absorptions,and strain rate effects of the EPS concrete under quasi-static and dynamic loading conditions.The influences of density on various performance indicators were analyzed.By combining the Zhu-Wang-Tang(ZWT)constitutive model with a modified elastic-brittle model,a modified dynamic constitutive model was proposed.The accuracy of the model was validated by the experimental data.The results indicate that the addition of EPS particles enhances the ductility of the EPS concrete.The EPS concrete has significant strain rate effect,which gets stronger as density increases.The modifiedconstitutive model accurately characterizes the dynamic stress-strain curves of the EPS concrete.

A Damage Control Model for Reinforced Concrete Pier Columns Based on Pre-Damage Tests under Cyclic Reverse Loading

To mitigate the challenges in managing the damage level of reinforced concrete(RC)pier columns subjected to cyclic reverse loading,this study conducted a series of cyclic reverse tests on RC pier columns.By analyzing the outcomes of destructive testing on various specimens and fine-tuning the results with the aid of the IMK(Ibarra Medina Krawinkler)recovery model,the energy dissipation capacity coefficient of the pier columns were able to be determined.Furthermore,utilizing the calibrated damage model parameters,the damage index for each specimen were calculated.Based on the obtained damage levels,three distinct pre-damage conditions were designed for the pier columns:minor damage,moderate damage,and severe damage.The study then predicted the variations in hysteresis curves and damage indices under cyclic loading conditions.The experimental findings reveal that the displacement at the top of the pier columns can serve as a reliable indicator for controlling the damage level of pier columns post-loading.Moreover,the calibrated damage index model exhibits proficiency in accurately predicting the damage level of RC pier columns under cyclic loading.

Feasibility study on the suitability of dielectric barrier discharge plasma treatment of desert sand for concrete production purposes

Due to the continuously increasing building and construction industry,sand has become one of the most questioned raw materials worldwide.However,the available amount of sand suitable for concrete production is orders of magnitude lower that the demand and consumption.Even though desert sand is sufficiently available,it is not usable for realizing stable concrete due to its surface shape.Against this background,the suitability of energy-efficient‘cold'dielectric barrier discharge plasma operated at atmospheric pressure for improving the properties of concrete produced from desert sand was investigated in this contribution.It is shown that such plasma treatment allows for a certain roughening and re-shaping of sand grains.As a result,the mass flow of treated sand is decreased due to an improved wedging of sand grains.This leads to a certain increase in compressive strength of concrete samples.Even though this increase is marginal,the suitability of the applied type of plasma for modification of the geometry and surface chemistry of sand grains was proven,showing its basic potential for the treatment and preconditioning of sand used for concrete,mortar or plastering.

Effects of Repair Grouting and Jacketing on Corrosion Concrete Using Ultrasonic Method

Concrete is one of the most important elements in building construction.However,concrete used in construction is susceptible to damage due to corrosion.The influence of corrosive substances causes changes in the reinforcing steel and affects the strength of the structure.The repair method is one approach to overcome this problem.This research aims to determine the effect of grouting and jacketing repairs on corroded concrete.The concrete used has dimensions of 15 cm×15 cm×60 cm with planned corrosion variations of 50%,60%,and 70%.The test objects were tested using the Non-Destructive Testing(NDT)method using Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity(UPV).The test results show that the average speed of normal concrete is 5070 m/s,while the lowest average speed is 3070 m/s on the 70%planned corrosion test object.The test object was then given a load of 1600 kgf.At this stage,there is a decrease in speed and wave shape with the lowest average speed obtained at 2753 m/s.The repair method is an effort to restore concrete performance by using grouting and jacketing.Grouting is done by injecting mortar material into it.Jacketing involves adding thickness to the existing concrete layer with additional layers of concrete.After improvements were made,there was an improvement in the UPV test,with a peak speed value of 4910 m/s.Repairing concrete by filling cracks can improve concrete continuity and reduce waveform distortion,thereby increasing wave propagation speed.

Experimental and Numerical Study of Bonding Capacity of Interface between Ultra-High Performance Concrete and Steel Tube

This study investigates the bond performance at the interfacial region shared by Ultra-High Performance Concrete(UHPC)and steel tubes through push-out tests.This study examines how changes in steel fiber volumetric ratio and thickness of steel tube influence the bond strength characteristics.The results show that as the enhancement of the steel tube wall thickness,the ultimate bond strength at the interface improves significantly,whereas the initial bond strength exhibits only slight variations.The influence of steel fiber volumetric ratio presents a nonlinear trend,with initial bond strength decreasing at low fiber content and increasing significantly as fiber content rises.Additionally,finite element(FE)simulations were applied to replicate the experimental conditions,and the outcomes showed strong correlation with the experimental data,confirming the exactitude of the FE model in predicting the bond behavior at the UHPC-Steel interface.These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing the design of UHPC-Filled steel tubes in high-performance structure.

Intelligent Small Sample Defect Detection of Concrete Surface Using Novel Deep Learning Integrating Improved YOLOv5

Dear Editor,This letter presents an intelligent small sample defect detection of concrete surface using novel deep learning integrating the improved YOLOv5 based on the Wasserstein GAN(WGAN)enhancement algorithm.The proposed method is capable of producing top-notch data sets to address the issues of insufficient samples and substandard quality.

Utilization of Basalt Saw Mud as a Spherical Porous Functional Aggregate for the Preparation of Ordinary Structure Concrete

To promote the production and application of artificial aggregates,save natural sand resources and protect the ecological environment,we evaluated the feasibility of using spherical porous functional aggregates(SPFAs) formed by basalt saw mud under autoclave curing in ordinary structural concrete.In our work,two types of prewetted functional aggregates were taken as replacements for natural aggregates with different volume substitution rates(0%,5%,10%,15%,20%,25%,and 30%) in the preparation of ordinary structural concrete with water-to-binder ratios(W/B) of 0.48 and 0.33.The effects of the functional aggregate properties and content,W/B,and curing age on the fluidity,density,mechanical properties and autogenous shrinkage of ordinary concrete were analyzed.The experimental results showed that the density of concrete declined at a rate of not more than 5%,and the 28 d compressive strength could reach 31.0-68.2 MPa.Low W/B,long curing age and high-quality functional aggregates were conducive to enhancing the mechanical properties of SPFAs concrete.Through the rolling effects,SPFAs can optimize the particle gradation of aggregate systems and improve the fluidity of concrete,and the water stored inside SPFAs provides an internal curing effect,which prolongs the cement hydration process and considerably reduces the autogenous shrinkage of concrete.SPFAs exhibits high strength and high density,as well as being more cost-effective and ecological,and is expected to be widely employed in ordinary structural concrete.

High-speed penetration of ogive-nose projectiles into thick concrete targets:Tests and a projectile nose evolution model

The majority of the projectiles used in the hypersonic penetration study are solid flat-nosed cylindrical projectiles with a diameter of less than 20 mm.This study aims to fill the gap in the experimental and analytical study of the evolution of the nose shape of larger hollow projectiles under hypersonic penetration.In the hypersonic penetration test,eight ogive-nose AerMet100 steel projectiles with a diameter of 40 mm were launched to hit concrete targets with impact velocities that ranged from 1351 to 1877 m/s.Severe erosion of the projectiles was observed during high-speed penetration of heterogeneous targets,and apparent localized mushrooming occurred in the front nose of recovered projectiles.By examining the damage to projectiles,a linear relationship was found between the relative length reduction rate and the initial kinetic energy of projectiles in different penetration tests.Furthermore,microscopic analysis revealed the forming mechanism of the localized mushrooming phenomenon for eroding penetration,i.e.,material spall erosion abrasion mechanism,material flow and redistribution abrasion mechanism and localized radial upsetting deformation mechanism.Finally,a model of highspeed penetration that included erosion was established on the basis of a model of the evolution of the projectile nose that considers radial upsetting;the model was validated by test data from the literature and the present study.Depending upon the impact velocity,v0,the projectile nose may behave as undistorted,radially distorted or hemispherical.Due to the effects of abrasion of the projectile and enhancement of radial upsetting on the duration and amplitude of the secondary rising segment in the pulse shape of projectile deceleration,the predicted DOP had an upper limit.

Numerical parametric study on the influence of location and inclination of large-scale asperities on the shear strength of concreterock interfaces of small buttress dams

When assessing the sliding stability of a concrete dam,the influence of large-scale asperities in the sliding plane is often ignored due to limitations of the analytical rigid body assessment methods provided by current dam assessment guidelines.However,these asperities can potentially improve the load capacity of a concrete dam in terms of sliding stability.Although their influence in a sliding plane has been thoroughly studied for direct shear,their influence under eccentric loading,as in the case of dams,is unknown.This paper presents the results of a parametric study that used finite element analysis(FEA)to investigate the influence of large-scale asperities on the load capacity of small buttress dams.By varying the inclination and location of an asperity located in the concrete-rock interface along with the strength of the rock foundation material,transitions between different failure modes and correlations between the load capacity and the varied parameters were observed.The results indicated that the inclination of the asperity had a significant impact on the failure mode.When the inclinationwas 30and greater,interlocking occurred between the dam and foundation and the governing failure modes were either rupture of the dam body or asperity.When the asperity inclination was significant enough to provide interlocking,the load capacity of the dam was impacted by the strength of the rock in the foundation through influencing the load capacity of the asperity.The location of the asperity along the concrete-rock interface did not affect the failure mode,except for when the asperity was located at the toe of the dam,but had an influence on the load capacity when the failure occurred by rupture of the buttress or by sliding.By accounting for a single large-scale asperity in the concrete-rock interface of the analysed dam,a horizontal load capacity increase of 30%e160%was obtained,depending on the inclination and location of the asperity and the strength of the foundation material.

The Influence of Chemical Admixtures on the Fluidity,Viscosity and Rheological Properties of Ultra-High Performance Concrete

To achieve higher strength and better durability,ultra-high performance concrete(UHPC)typically employs a relatively small water-binder ratio.However,this generally leads to an undesired increase in the paste viscosity.In this study,the effects of liquid and powder polycarboxylate superplasticizers(PCE)on UHPC are compared and critically discussed.Moreover,the following influential factors are considered:air-entraining agents(AE),slump retaining agents(SA),and defoaming agents(DF)and the resulting flow characteristics,mechanical properties,and hydration properties are evaluated assuming UHPC containing 8‰powder PCE(PCE-based UHPC).It is found that the spread diameter of powder PCE is 5%higher than that of liquid PCE.Among the chemical admixtures studied,AEs have the best effect on improving UHPC workability,while DFs have the worst effect.When the addition of AE and SA is 1.25‰and 14.7%of PCE,paste viscosity reduces by 35%and 19%,respectively compared to the paste with only 8‰PCE.A low AE dosage(1.25‰)decreases compressive strength by 4.1%,while SA(8.1%)increases UHPC compressive strength by 9.1%.Both AE and SA significantly delay the UHPC hydration process,reducing the hydration heat release peaks by 76%and 27%,respectively.

Effects of Atmospheric Pressure on Developmental Characteristics and the Stability of Air Entraining Agent for Concrete

In order to ascertain the effects of atmospheric pressure on developmental characteristics and the stability of AEA(air-entraining agent)solution bubbles,AEA solution experiments and AEA solution bubble experiments were,respectively,conducted in Peking(50 m,101.2 kPa)and Lhasa(3,650 m,63.1 kPa).Surface tensions and inflection-point concentrations were tested based on AEA solutions,whilst developmental characteristics,thicknesses and elastic coefficients of liquid films were tested based on air bubbles of AEA solutions.The study involved three types of AEAs,which were TM-O,226A,and 226S.The experimental results show that initial sizes of TM-O,226A,and 226S are,respectively,increased by 43.5%,17.5%,and 3.8%.With the decrease of ambient pressure,the drainage rate and the drainage index of AEA solution bubbles increase.Interference experiments show that the liquid film thicknesses of all tested AEA solution bubbles are in micron scales.When the atmospheric pressure decreases from 101.2 to 63.1 kPa,the liquid film thicknesses of three types of AEA solutions decrease in various degrees;and film elasticities at critical thicknesses increase.Liquid film of 226S solution bubbles is the most stable,presenting as a minimum thickness variation.It should be noted that elastic coefficient of liquid film only represents the level at critical thickness,thus it can not be applied as the only evaluating indicator of bubble stability.For a type of AEA,factors affecting the stability of its bubbles under low atmospheric pressure include initial bubbles size,liquid film thickness,liquid film elasticity,ambient temperature,etc.