Enhanced thermodynamic analysis coupled with temperature-dependent microstructures of cement hydrates

This paper describes a computational method for simulating concrete performance. The method is enhanced to take into account the influence of the curing temperature history on the early-age development process. In order to investigate the effect of temperature on hydration, micro-pore structure development, and moisture profile in concrete, the authors carried out systematic sensitivity analyses. These analyses were used to create a numerical model that takes into account the temperature-dependent intrinsic porosity of hydrates and the available space for hydrate precipitation. For example, at high curing temperatures, the intrinsic porosity decreases and the available space for hydration increases. Experiments verified that the proposed method accurately predicts hydration processes, microstructure formation, and relative humidity for different mix proportions under various temperatures. Compared with the conventional model, the new model offers greater overall computational accuracy for low W/C and high temperature curing.