Numerical modeling—A new tool for understanding shotcrete

Abstract

The analytical flow simulation of fresh concrete is a recent challenge to researchers. Due to its heterogeneity, the concrete mix shows neither a perfectly viscous nor perfectly particulate behavior. However, the particulate behavior of fresh concrete flow like arching and blocking in pipes and in complex boundary conditions, is very common. This is further magnified due to high pressure in the case of shotcreting. For the first time in shotcrete research, authors propose the application of the Distinct Element Method [1] (DEM) to predict particle behavior and amount of rebound loss, and to assess the quality of the shotcrete analytically. Also, the effect of an accelerating agent, the way its effect is modeled, effects of gradual change in shooting pressure, the resulting rebound is shown. The void of the attached concrete is also compared with that of normal cast concrete in an analytical way.