Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Theoretical Frame to Study Stability of Fresh Concrete

  • Published:
Materials and Structures Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A theoretical frame able to describe the segregation under gravity of a mono-sized granular material in a yield stress suspending fluid is presented. Two stability criteria are proposed. The first one deals with the stability of a single sphere in a yield stress fluid while the second one takes into account the mechanical interactions between the particles that could lower the risk of instability. The two criteria are then experimentally validated in the case of polystyrene spheres in a cement paste. Image analysis techniques are used to measure the final solid fraction in the segregated zone. The comparison of the experimental and theoretical results is followed by an analysis of the possible use of such criteria in a mix proportioning method and a short discussion of the influence of the change of rheological properties with time on the segregation phenomenon.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Okamura H, Ozawa K (1995) Mix design for self-compacting concrete. Proc. of JSCE Concrete Library International 25:107–120.

  2. Billberg P (2003) Form pressure generated by self-compacting concrete. Proceedings of the 3rd international RILEM Symposium on Self-Compacting Concrete, Reykjavik, Iceland, (RILEM PRO33), pp. 271–280.

  3. Wallevik O (2003) Rheology–-a scientific approach to develop self-compacting concrete. Proceedings of the 3rd international RILEM Symposium on Self-Compacting Concrete, Reykjavik, Iceland, (RILEM PRO33), pp. 23–31.

  4. De Larrard F (1999) Concrete mixture proportioning. E & FN Spon, London.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Saak AW, Jenning H, Shah S (2001) New methodology for designing self-compacting concrete. ACI materials Journal 98(6):429–439.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Cussigh F, Sonebi M, De Schutter G (2003) Project testing SCC-segregation test methods. Proceedings of the 3rd international RILEM Symposium on Self-Compacting Concrete, Reykjavik, Iceland, (RILEM PRO33), pp. 311–322.

  7. Daczko JA (2003) A comparison of passing ability test methods for self consolidating concrete. Proceedings of the 3rd international RILEM Symposium on Self-Compacting Concrete, Reykjavik, Iceland, (RILEM PRO33), pp. 335–344.

  8. He YB, Laskowski JS, Klein B (2001) Particle movement in non-Newtonian slurries: the effect of yield stress on dense medium separation. Chemical Engineering Science 56:2991–2998.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Ansley RW, Smith TN (1967) Motion of spherical particles in a Bingham plastic. A.I.Ch.E. Journal 13:1193–1196.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Batchelor GK (1967) An introduction to fluid mechanics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Bethmond S, d'Aloïa Schwarzentruber L, Stefani C, Le Roy R (2003) Defining the stability criterion of a sphere suspended in a cement paste: a way to study the segregation risk in self compacting concrete (SCC). Proceedings of the 3rd international RILEM Symposium on Self-Compacting Concrete, Reykjavik, Iceland, (RILEM PRO33), pp. 94–105.

  12. Du Plessis MP, Ansley RW (1967) J. Pipeline Division (ASCE) 2(1).

  13. Hill R (1950) The mathematical theory of plasticity. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  14. Dontula P, Macosko CW (1999) Yield stress of Orbitz. Rheology Bulletin 68(1):5–6.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Beris AN, Tsamopoulos JA, Armstrong RC, Brown RA (1985) Creeping motion of a sphere through a Bingham plastic. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 158:219–244.

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  16. Petrou MF, Wan B, Galada-Maria F, Kolli VG, Harries KA (2000) Influence of mortar rheology on aggregate settlement. ACI Materials Journal 97(4):479–485.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Petrou MF, Harries KA, Galada-Maria F, Kolli VG (2000) A unique experimental method for monitoring aggregate settlement in concrete. Cem. Conc. Res. 30:809–816.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Jossic L, Magnin A (2001) Traînée et stabilité d'objet en fluide à seuil. les cahiers de rhéologie 18(1). (Only available in French).

  19. Chhabra RP (1993) Bubbles, drops, and particles in non-Newtonian flows. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Bürger R (2000) Phenomenological foundation and mathematical theory of sedimentation–consolidation processes. Chemical Engineering Journal 80:177–188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Roussel N, Lanos C (2004) Particle fluid separation in shear flow of dense suspensions: experimental measurements on squeezed clay pastes. Appl. Rheol. 14:256–265.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Yang SM, Leal LG, Kim YS (2002) Hydrodynamic interaction between spheres coated with deformable thin liquid films. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 250:457–465.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Rodin GJ (1996) Squeeze film between two spheres in a power-law fluid. J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech. 63:141–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Banfill PFG, Saunders DC (1981) On the viscosimetric examination of cement pastes. Cem. Conc. Res. 11:363–370.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Caufin B, Papo A (1983) Rheological testing methods for gypsum plaster pastes. RILEM materials and structures 95:315–321.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Nguyen QD, Boger DV (1985) Direct yield stress measurement with the vane method. J. Rheol. 29:335–347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Rasband W, ImageJ, Image processing and analysis in Java. downloadable on the ImageJ homepage (http://rsb.info.nih.gov/ij/).

  28. Lei WG, Struble LJ (1997) Microstructure and flow behaviour of fresh cement paste. J. Am. Ceram. Society 80(8):2021–2028.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Roussel N (2005) Fresh cement paste steady and transient flow behaviour. Cem. Conc. Res. (Accepted for publication).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. LCPC, Paris, France

    N. Roussel

Authors
  1. N. Roussel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Roussel, N. A Theoretical Frame to Study Stability of Fresh Concrete. Mater Struct 39, 81–91 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-005-9036-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-005-9036-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation