Quantitative analysis and affecting factors of the overlapping degree of interfacial transition zone between neighboring aggregates in concrete

Abstract

Based on the nearest surface function formula, a quantitative formula to measure the overlapping degree between the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) of neighboring aggregate particles was put forward. The formula was further deduced to quantitatively analyze the influence of the volume fraction of aggregate, ITZ thickness and the maximum aggregate diameter on the overlapping degree between neighboring ITZ. The volume of ITZ was quantitatively calculated in actual concrete by comparing the nearest surface function formula with an approximate method, that is the surface area of the aggregates multiplied by the uniform thickness of the ITZ layers. The results showed that the influencing order of these three factors on the overlapping degree between neighboring ITZ in turn was the interface thickness, aggregate volume fraction and the maximum aggregate diameter; As long as the interface thickness <50 μm and the aggregate volume fraction <50%, the calculated error between two methods mentioned above is about 10 %.