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Chemical modelling of Alkali Silica reaction: Influence of the reactive aggregate size distribution

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Abstract

This article presents a new model which aims at predicting the expansion induced by Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR) and describing the chemical evolution of affected concretes. It is based on the description of the transport and reaction of alkalis and calcium ions within a Relative Elementary Volume (REV). It takes into account the influence of the reactive aggregate size grading on ASR, i.e. the effect of the simultaneous presence of different sized reactive aggregates within concrete. The constitutive equations are detailed and fitted using experimental results. Results from numerical simulations are presented and compared with experiments.

Résumé

Cet article présente un modèle qui a pour but la prédiction du gonflement induit par la réaction alcali-silice et la description de l’évolution chimique des bétons affectés. Il est basé sur la description du transport et de la réaction des alcalins et des ions calcium dans un Volume Elémentaire Représentatif. Il permet notamment de tenir compte de l’influence de la granulométrie réactive, c′est-à-dire de l’influence de la présence simultanée de granulats réactifs de différentes tailles dans le béton. Les équations constitutives du modèle sont détaillées puis calées à partir de résultats expérimentaux. Les résultats des simulations numériques sont présentés et comparés aux valeurs expérimentales.

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Abbreviations

α:

Function describing the equilibrium in solution between alkalis and calcium ions in presence of sufficient portlandite

d :

Isotropic and uniform damage within the Relative␣Elementary Volume

\(\bar{D}_i^a(X)\quad\bar{D}_i^{\rm hcp}(X)\) :

Homogenized diffusion coefficients for the ionic species X (calcium Ca␣and alkalis Na respectively) within and outside the reactive aggregate i respectively

ɛ asr0 :

Data for ASR inelastic strain evolution

ϕ i :

Volume fraction of the reactive aggregates of the granular class i

\(\bar{\Phi}_i(X)\) :

Flux of ions X penetrating all the reactive aggregates of the granular class i

γ X :

Davies activity coefficient for the ionic species X

I :

Ionic strength of the inner solution of concrete

k €g€i :

Damage parameter for the reactive aggregates i

M :

Mass of the aggregates (reactive and inert) for 1 m3 of concrete

n a i :

Number of reactive aggregates of the granular class i

\(\bar{\Pi}_i(\hbox{Ca})\) :

Sink term in the diffusion equation for the reactive aggregate i describing the dissolution/precipitation of portlandite

p SiO :

Percentage of reactive silica within the reactive aggregates

R i :

Mean radius of the reactive aggregates of the granular class i

R REV :

Radius of the Relative Elementary Volume

ρ:

Density of the aggregates (reactive and inert)

\(\bar{S}_i^{\rm reac}(X)\quad\bar{S}_i^{\rm hcp}(X)\) :

Sink terms of the diffusion equation within and outside the reactive aggregate i respectively

V a i :

Volume of the reactive aggregate of the granular class i

V p i :

Porous volume surrounding the reactive aggregates i available for the swelling of the reaction products

V gelmol :

Molar volume of the reaction products (gel and C–S–H)

V REV :

Volume of the Relative Elementary Volume

(X):

Chemical activity of the ionic species X

\(\overline{X}_i\) ( \(\overline{\hbox{Ca}}_i\quad\overline{\hbox{Na}}_i)\) :

Homogenized concentration of the ionic species X (calcium Ca and alkalis Na respectively) around the reactive aggregate i

z X :

Valence of the ion X

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the DER and CIH departments of Electricité de France (EdF) and especially Hélène Tournier-Cognon and Eric Bourdarot for their financial and scientific support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CEA Saclay – DEN/DANS/DPC/SCCME/LECBA, 91191, Gif sur Yvette, France

    S. Poyet

  2. LMDC, UPS – INSA Toulouse, 135 avenue de Rangueil, 33077, Toulouse cedex 4, France

    A. Sellier

  3. Oxand SA, 36b avenue Franklin Roosevelt, 77210, Avon, France

    B. Capra

  4. Université Lyon 1-L2MS PETRA GC, 82 boulevard Niels Bohr, 69622, Villeurbanne cedex, France

    G. Foray

  5. IRSN – BP 17, 92262, Fontenay aux Roses Cedex, France

    J.-M. Torrenti

  6. EdF/DER – Les Renardières, Route de Sens, Ecuelles, 77818, Moret sur Loing, France

    H. Cognon

  7. CIH – Savoie Technolac, 73373, Le Bourget du Lac, France

    E. Bourdarot

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  1. S. Poyet
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  2. A. Sellier
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  3. B. Capra
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  6. H. Cognon
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  7. E. Bourdarot
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Correspondence to S. Poyet.

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Poyet, S., Sellier, A., Capra, B. et al. Chemical modelling of Alkali Silica reaction: Influence of the reactive aggregate size distribution. Mater Struct 40, 229–239 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-006-9139-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-006-9139-3

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