Concrete as a self-organizing system

Abstract

All levels of the product heterogeneities, including the product itself, are open complex systems, which are organizing themselves in autopoiesis mode. Such order of structure formation assumes a certain selectivity of the organization of the system while maintaining its openness to the influence of the environment. Factors of control may only initiate structural changes, but do not determine in what ways they will occur. The mechanisms of the structure organization at the selected levels of heterogeneities are qualitatively differing. Individual complex of processes and the phenomena is realized at each level; however, all heterogeneities are in the multi-scale co-ordination and influence each other, causing the interconnected structural variations. This supports the self-organization of the material structure. The mutual influence of the structural self-organization of individual levels of heterogeneities at the formation of the integral concrete structure is analyzed. Deformations determine the structure formation and functioning of concrete. Controlling the manifestation of deformation allows providing a directed structure of the material. For receiving the given sets of active elements, the factors controlling the processes of organization of micro- and macrostructures of concrete are accepted.