Micromechanics-Based Prediction Models and Experimental Validation on Elastic Modulus of Recycled Aggregate Concrete

Abstract

Elastic modulus is one of the most important mechanical properties of concrete (including recycled aggregate concrete), and it has a notable guiding significance for engineering. There is a lack of micromechanical research on the elastic modulus of recycled aggregate concrete. This paper adopts four models based on micromechanics, including the Voigt model, Reuss model, Eshelby method, and Mori–Tanaka method, to predict the elastic modulus of recycled aggregate concrete. The optimal model is determined by comparing the results of the four models with the experimental data. On this basis, some previous prediction methods for the elastic modulus of concrete are employed to be compared with the most satisfactory models in this paper. Several experimental data from the open literature are also utilized to better illustrate the reliability of the prediction models. It is concluded that the Mori–Tanaka method unfailingly produces more accurate predictions compared to other models. It gives the best overall approximation for various data and has extensive effects in predicting the elastic modulus of RAC. This work may be helpful in promoting the development of micromechanics research in recycled aggregate concrete.