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Permeability of cracked concrete

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Abstract

The goal of the research presented here was to study the relationship between cracking and water permeability. A feedback-controlled test was used to generate width-controlled cracks. Water permeability was evaluated by a low-pressure water permeability test. The factors chosen for the experimental design were material type (paste, mortar, normal and high strength concrete), thickness of the sample and average width of the induced cracks (ranging from 50 to 350 micrometers). The water permeability test results indicated that the relationships between permeability and material type differ for uncracked and cracked material, and that there was little thickness effect. Permeability of uncracked material decreased from paste, mortar, normal strength concrete (NSC) to high strength concrete (HSC). Water permeability of cracked material significantly increased with increasing crack width. For cracks above 100 microns, NSC showed the highest permeability coefficient, where as mortar showed the lowest one.

Résumé

Le but de la recherche présentée ici a été d'étudier la relation entre la fissuration d'un matériau et sa perméabilité à l'eau. Un essai avec contrôle par rétroaction a été utilisé pour générer des fissures d'ouverture contrôlée. La perméabilité à l'eau a été évaluée par un essai à basse pression. Les paramètres choisis pour la conception du programme expérimental ont été le type de matériau (pâte de ciment, mortier, béton ordinaire et béton à haute performance), l'épaisseur de l'échantillon et l'ouverture moyenne des fissures provoquées (variant de 50 à 350 micromètres). Les résultats des essais de perméabilité à l'eau montrent que les relations entre la perméabilité et le type de matériau diffèrent selon que le matériau est fissuré ou non, et que l'épaisseur de l'échantillon a peu d'influence sur la perméabilité. La perméabilité du matériau non fissuré est décroissante à partir de la pâte de ciment, le mortier, le béton ordinaire jusqu'à celle du béton à haute performance. La perméabilité du matériau fissuré augmente de façon significative lorsque l'ouverture des fissures s'agrandit. Pour les fissures de plus de 100 micromètres, on observe que le béton ordinaire présente le coefficient de perméabilité le plus élevé, et le mortier le coefficient le plus faible.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. NSF Center for Science and Technology of Advanced Cement-Based Materials, Northwesterm University, 2145 Sheridan Rd., 60208-4400, Evanston, Illinois, USA

    C. -M. Aldea & S. P. Shah

  2. National Institute of Statistical Sciences, PO Box 14162, 27709-4162, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA

    A. Karr

Authors
  1. C. -M. Aldea
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  2. S. P. Shah
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  3. A. Karr
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Editorial Note Dr. S. P. Shah is a RILEM Senior Member and is the Chairman of RILEM TC 148-SSC (Test methods for the strain softening response of concrete). He is a member of RILEM TC 162-TDF (Test and design methods for steel fibre reinforced concrete) and of TC EAS (Early age shrinkage induced stresses and cracking in cementitious systems). Prof. Shah is a member of the Management Advisory Committee of RILEM. Surendra Shah is also editor in chief of Concrete Science and Engineering, a scientific journal published quarterly by RILEM Publications S. A. R. L.

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Aldea, C.M., Shah, S.P. & Karr, A. Permeability of cracked concrete. Mat. Struct. 32, 370–376 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02479629

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02479629

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