Microstructural modelling of the strength of mortars containing fly ash using µic

Abstract

Although it is well known that the physical and chemical properties of fly ashes play an important role in microstructural development, models that explicitly simulate the effects of these properties on the performance of pastes and mortars are not available. The process of hydration in cement pastes containing 10 different fly ashes was simulated in a microstructural model. In this model, it was possible to explicitly include the effect of the particle size distribution and composition of cements and fly ashes. It was found that the strength of mortars measured in the laboratory correlated well with microstructural properties calculated from the simulations, including the effects of the physical and chemical properties of cements and fly ashes. The results show that although the strength development of mortars containing various cements and fly ashes can be predicted using models, the properties of hydration products in the presence of fly ash have to be considered to be different than when without fly ash in order to explain strength development observed in mortars.