Mesoscale numerical simulation on the deterioration of cement-based materials under external sulfate attack

Abstract

This paper is focused on the deterioration of cement-based materials subjected to external sulfate attack (ESA). For this purpose, a mesoscale chemo-mechanical model was developed and numerically implemented in ABAQUS. Firstly, a mesoscale cement-based material was geometrically reconstructed to reflect its heterogeneity, and the mechanical performance of its different constituents was quantitatively characterized; Secondly, some models for sulfate diffusion, reaction and expansion were constructed to describe the evolution of sulfates and its products in cement-based materials, the volume expansion characteristics of its matrix; Finally, the developed model was numerically implemented by ABAQUS and verified by the literature, and it was used to numerically analyze the concentration distributions of sulfates and ettringite in cement mortar specimen, mechanical response of matrix and its cracking characteristics, the results obtained agreed well with theoretical analysis and experimental observations. The developed mesoscale chemo-mechanical model may bring insights to the performance and life predictions of concrete structures in marine engineering.