Numerical modelling of porous cement-based materials by superabsorbent polymers

Abstract

The development of new cementitious materials raises new challenges with regard to structural design. One of the potential applications of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) is to deliver well-defined porosity to cement systems. This is particularly interesting for the development of porous cement-based materials with high technical performance. In this paper, a numerical approach to model the basic mechanical properties of the porous cement with SAP is developed. The modelling approach is based on computational micromechanics and uses a representative volume element that emulates the microstructure of the cement-based material to determine the overall material response and the local behaviour. Using this approach several sensitivity analyses are undertaken examining various parameters. The modelling approach is compared with experimental results showing reasonable correlation. The proposed approach provides faster and cheaper tool to design porous materials due to a reduction in the required experimental effort.