Quantitative characterization of the microstructure of fresh cement paste via random packing of polydispersed Platonic cement particles

On a microscopic scale, fresh cement paste is composed of random packing of irregular cement particles, and their initial packing behavior plays an important role in microstructural evolution. The preponderance of previous works has focused on the microstructure model by random packing of three-dimensional spheroidal particles, and little is known about non-spheroidal particles. In this paper, a modified cement particle size distribution function is used to facilitate the particle size distribution of convex polyhedral cement particles. Based on an overlapping detection algorithm, the microstructure model of fresh cement paste is simulated by the random sequential packing of Platonic cement particles of various sizes. Applying stereological tools and the serial sectioning analysis technique, the modeling microstructure composed of polydispersed Platonic cement particles is characterized and compared with that of ellipsoidal cement particles with various aspect ratios. The statistical results are investigated to evaluate the influence of cement particle shape on the microstructure of fresh cement paste. Finally, with the derived experimental and numerical results of microstructural parameters, the reliability of the statistical results is verified.

[1]  Xiaodong Jia,et al.  Validation of a digital packing algorithm in predicting powder packing densities , 2007 .

[2]  P. Stroeven,et al.  Local porosity analysis of pore structure in cement paste , 2005 .

[3]  Aibing Yu,et al.  Dynamic Simulation of the Packing of Ellipsoidal Particles , 2011 .

[4]  P. Navi,et al.  Three-dimensional characterization of the pore structure of a simulated cement paste , 1999 .

[5]  F. Stillinger,et al.  Improving the Density of Jammed Disordered Packings Using Ellipsoids , 2004, Science.

[6]  Z. M. Wang,et al.  Mesoscopic study of concrete I: generation of random aggregate structure and finite element mesh , 1999 .

[7]  Z. M. Wang,et al.  Mesoscopic study of concrete II: nonlinear finite element analysis , 1999 .

[8]  Junzhi Cui,et al.  An effective computer generation method for the composites with random distribution of large numbers of heterogeneous grains , 2008 .

[9]  S Torquato,et al.  Dense packings of polyhedra: Platonic and Archimedean solids. , 2009, Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics.

[10]  P. Geissler,et al.  Self-assembly of uniform polyhedral silver nanocrystals into densest packings and exotic superlattices. , 2012, Nature materials.

[11]  Jin-Young Park,et al.  Representation of real particles for DEM simulation using X-ray tomography , 2007 .

[12]  Jianjun Zheng,et al.  Characterization of Microstructure of Interfacial Transition Zone in Concrete , 2005 .

[13]  Edward J. Garboczi,et al.  Analytical formulas for interfacial transition zone properties , 1997 .

[14]  Adil Amirjanov,et al.  The development of a simulation model of the dense packing of large particulate assemblies , 2004 .

[15]  Huisu Chen,et al.  A 2D elliptical model of random packing for aggregates in concrete , 2010 .

[16]  Rajesh Ransing,et al.  A discrete deformable element approach for the compaction of powder systems , 2003 .

[17]  Wei Sun,et al.  Overestimation of the interface thickness around convex-shaped grain by sectional analysis , 2007 .

[18]  L. J. Sluys,et al.  ITZ volume fraction in concrete with spheroidal aggregate particles and application: Part I. Numerical algorithm , 2011 .

[19]  D. Vidal,et al.  Determination of particle shape distribution of clay using an automated AFM image analysis method , 2010 .

[20]  S. H. Chen,et al.  Evidence of dynamic crossover phenomena in water and other glass-forming liquids: experiments, MD simulations and theory , 2009, Journal of physics. Condensed matter : an Institute of Physics journal.

[21]  Pradip Roul,et al.  Mechanical properties of non-cohesive polygonal particle aggregates , 2011 .

[22]  S. Diamond.  PERCOLATION DUE TO OVERLAPPING ITZS IN LABORATORY MORTARS? A MICROSTRUCTURAL EVALUATION , 2003 .

[23]  J. Dolado,et al.  Recent advances in modeling for cementitious materials , 2011 .

[24]  F. Stillinger,et al.  Jammed hard-particle packings: From Kepler to Bernal and beyond , 2010, 1008.2982.

[25]  B. Oh,et al.  PREDICTION OF DIFFUSIVITY OF CONCRETE BASED ON SIMPLE ANALYTIC EQUATIONS , 2004 .

[26]  Huisu Chen,et al.  An overlapping detection algorithm for random sequential packing of elliptical particles , 2011 .

[27]  J. Sherwood,et al.  LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Packing of spheroids in three-dimensional space by random sequential addition , 1997 .

[28]  Shashank Bishnoi,et al.  µic: A New Platform for Modelling the Hydration of Cements , 2009 .

[29]  Richard A Williams,et al.  A packing algorithm for particles of arbitrary shapes , 2001 .

[30]  Stephen R. Williams,et al.  Effect of particle shape on the density and microstructure of random packings , 2007, Journal of physics. Condensed matter : an Institute of Physics journal.

[31]  Stefano Sacanna,et al.  Observation of a shape-dependent density maximum in random packings and glasses of colloidal silica ellipsoids , 2007 .

[32]  L. J. Sluys,et al.  Characterization of the packing of aggregate in concrete by a discrete element approach , 2009 .

[33]  Jeffrey W. Bullard,et al.  Shape analysis of a reference cement , 2004 .

[34]  Sharon C. Glotzer,et al.  Disordered, quasicrystalline and crystalline phases of densely packed tetrahedra , 2009, Nature.

[35]  L. Chernozatonskii,et al.  Graphene-based semiconductor nanostructures , 2013 .

[36]  Huisu Chen,et al.  Microstructural modelling of cement-based materials via random packing of three-dimensional ellipsoidal particles , 2012 .

[37]  L. J. Sluys,et al.  Theoretical prediction on thickness distribution of cement paste among neighboring aggregates in concrete , 2011 .

[38]  Fernando A Escobedo,et al.  Mesophase behaviour of polyhedral particles. , 2011, Nature materials.

[39]  William L. George,et al.  A parallel reaction-transport model applied to cement hydration and microstructure development , 2010 .

[40]  L. J. Sluys,et al.  ITZ volume fraction in concrete with spheroidal aggregate particles and application: Part II. Prediction of the chloride diffusivity of concrete , 2011 .

[41]  J. Bullard,et al.  A Model Investigation of the Influence of Particle Shape on Portland Cement Hydration , 2006 .

[42]  M. Stroeven,et al.  Assessment of packing characteristics by computer simulation , 1999 .

[43]  Arshad Kudrolli,et al.  Maximum and minimum stable random packings of Platonic solids. , 2010, Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics.

[44]  B. Bary,et al.  Assessment of diffusive and mechanical properties of hardened cement pastes using a multi-coated sphere assemblage model , 2006 .

[45]  K. Auh,et al.  Multi-level particle packing model of ceramic agglomerates , 2000 .

[46]  Jing Hu,et al.  Gradient structures in cementitious materials , 2007 .

[47]  David H. Eberly,et al.  Geometric Tools for Computer Graphics , 2002 .

[48]  Aibing Yu,et al.  Discrete particle simulation of gas fluidization of ellipsoidal particles , 2011 .

[49]  A. Guttmann,et al.  Exact solution of the staircase and row-convex polygon perimeter and area generating function , 1990 .

[50]  Huisu Chen,et al.  Microstructural characterization of fresh cement paste via random packing of ellipsoidal cement particles , 2012 .

[51]  Christopher B. Murray,et al.  Synthesis and Characterization of Monodisperse Nanocrystals and Close-Packed Nanocrystal Assemblies , 2000 .

[52]  Sun-Myung Kim,et al.  Meso-scale computational modeling of the plastic-damage response of cementitious composites , 2011 .

[53]  A. Munjiza,et al.  The modelling of particle systems with real shapes , 2004, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences.

[54]  Huisu Chen,et al.  Mesostructural characterization of particulate composites via a contact detection algorithm of ellipsoidal particles , 2012 .

[55]  B. Bary,et al.  Influence of inclusion shapes on the effective linear elastic properties of hardened cement pastes , 2006 .

[56]  H. Splittgerber,et al.  Einfluss adsorbierter wasserfilme auf die Van der Waals kraft zwischen quarzglasoberflächen , 1974 .

[57]  K. Scrivener,et al.  The Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ) Between Cement Paste and Aggregate in Concrete , 2004 .