The Microstructure of Portland Cement-Based Materials: Computer Simulation and Percolation Theory

Published

April 1, 1998

Author(s)

Edward J. Garboczi, Dale P. Bentz

Abstract

Cement-based materials are usually composites, where the matrix consists of cement paste. Cement paste is a material formed from the hydration reaction of cement, usually a calcium silicate material, with water. The microstructure of cement paste changes drastically over a time period of about one week, with slower changes occurring over subsequent weeks to months. The effect of this hydration process on the changing microstucture can be represented using computer simulation techniques applied to three-dimensional digital-image-based models. Percolation theory can be used to understand the evolving microstructure in terms of the three percolation thresholds that are of importance in the cement paste microstructure: the set point, capilary porosity percolation, and the percolation of the C-S-H phase.

Proceedings Title

Proceedings of the Spring 1998 Materials Research Society on Computational Materials Science

Volume

529

Conference Dates

April 13-17, 1998

Conference Title

Materials Research Society

Pub Type

Conferences

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Keywords

building technology, cement paste, composites, computer simulation, percolation

Citation

Garboczi, E. and Bentz, D. (1998), The Microstructure of Portland Cement-Based Materials: Computer Simulation and Percolation Theory, Proceedings of the Spring 1998 Materials Research Society on Computational Materials Science, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=860149 (Accessed April 24, 2024)