THEMES and PROJECTS

Objectives:

To test emergent understanding of water dynamics in cement at the atomic level against theoretical predictions based on molecular dynamic simulations.

Project 2:

Lattice Boltzmann modelling of C-S-H gel pore-water interactions

Partners:

University of Cambridge
Lafarge, France

Objectives:

To build a coupled solid / liquid phase Lattice Boltzmann (LB) model of small gel regions of C-S-H and validate against experimental visualisations of morphology.

Project 3:

Lattice Boltzmann modelling of water dynamics in cement paste

Partners:

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland
Holcim, Switzerland
Simco, Canada

Objectives:

To build a predictive and validated lattice Boltzmann model of water dynamics in cement paste as an add-on to the structural code µic.

Project 4:

The role of µ-cracks in concrete on water transport

Partners:

Imperial College London
Sika, Switzerland

Objectives:

To understand how micro-cracks develop in concrete and to model the role of microcracks in different transport processes and in the acceleration of deterioration.

Project 5:

Modelling hysteresis in wetting / drying cycles of cement

Partners:

IFSTTAR, France
HeidelbergCement, Germany
Elkem, Norway

Objectives:

To model water absorption and desorption in a range of cements, cement analogues and concrete.

Objectives:

To experimentally determine water transport pathways, mechanisms and coefficients in cements, cement analogues and concretes to support the modelling theme, especially P 5.

Project 7:

µ-structural characterisation

Partners:

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland

Holcim, Switzerland

SGS Intron, the Netherlands

Objectives:

To develop a materials databank and characterise the microstructure of the cementitious materials used within other research projects including quantification of solid phases, their distribution and porosity.

Project 8:

Relationship between composition, structure & morphology in C-S-H

Partners:

University of Leeds, UK

Holcim, Switzerland

Objectives:

To determine the morphology of C-S-H and whether links exist between composition, structure and morphology or whether it is only kinetically controlled.

Project 9:

NMR Imaging and relaxation analysis

Partners:

University of Surrey, UK

Lafarge, Switzerland

Objectives:

To provide the NMR relaxation and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data required to support the atomic level modelling (Ps 1, 2) and modelling of transport in cements and concretes (Ps 3, 4, 5).

Project 10:

Cryo-porometry

Partners:

Technical Universty of Denmark, Denmark

Lafarge, France

Objectives:

To model water absorption and desorption in a range of cements, cement analogues and concrete.

Project 11:

Characterisation of cracks in concrete and transport in concrete

Partners:

University Politecnica de Catalunyia, Spain

Sika, Switzerland

Objectives:

To model water absorption and desorption in a range of cements, cement analogues and concrete.

Objectives:

To make experimental measurements to validate the emergent picture, from Ps 1, 2, 5 and 8, of water dynamics in synthetic C-S-H and C-S-H analogues.

Project 13:

Validation and application of transport models

Partners:

Holcim, Switzerland

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland

Objectives:

To validate and apply the derived model with respect to water transport properties of hydrating cement/concrete systems.

Project 14:

Validation of evolved scientific basis to conventional tests

Partners:

HeidelbergCement, Germany

University of Surrey, UK

Objectives:

To test emergent understanding of the scientific basis to established tests for water dynamics and transport in cement based materials.

Project 15:

Validation of modelling with respect to drying and shrinkage

Partners:

Sika, Switzerland

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland

Objectives:

To validate developed models of water transport in systems where shrinkage and hence cracking upon curing / drying is notable.