Freeze–thaw damage analysis and life prediction of modified pervious concrete based on Weibull distribution

Abstract

An assessment of the freeze–thaw durability of pervious concrete was conducted using a rapid freezing method to investigate the durability of modified pervious concrete within a freeze–thaw environment. The optimal proportion of the modified material was determined by evaluating the mass-loss rate and the relative dynamic elastic modulus as indicators of freeze–thaw performance. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to observe microcrack propagation and reaction products. A freeze–thaw damage model, based on the Weibull probability distribution, was formulated. Freeze–thaw damage analysis and life prediction assessment were carried out using curves such as freeze–thaw damage velocity curves, freeze–thaw damage acceleration curves, failure rate curves, and reliability life curves. The outcomes revealed that the inclusion of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and silica ash had a favourable impact on improving the frost resistance of pervious concrete at later stages. The optimal proportions for PAN fibre and silica ash were determined as 0.6% and 8%, respectively. As the number of freeze–thaw cycles approached approximately 52.03 times, the freeze–thaw cycle velocity peaked. Subsequently, the freeze–thaw damage velocity was categorised into three stages based on the freeze–thaw damage acceleration curve. The degradation of pervious concrete due to freeze–thaw cycles followed a typical loss-type failure pattern. Notably, a 50% increase in PAN fibre content resulted in a 62.92% reduction in failure rate. Furthermore, a predictive analysis was conducted to estimate the lifespan of pervious concrete in a representative freeze–thaw region in China was performed.