Simulation of Permeation of Saturated Cement Paste Based on a New Meso-scale Pore Network Model

• Main Authors: Yong Zhou, Yuxuan Yang, Bigya Gyawali, Weiping Zhang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SpringerOpen 2021-08-01
• Series: International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
• Subjects: cementitious materials; hydration process; weighted Voronoi diagram; pore network model
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40069-021-00468-7
• ISSN: 1976-0485; 2234-1315

Abstract This paper presents the simulation of the permeation of saturated cement paste based on a novel pore network model. First, a 2D hydration model of cement particles was developed by extending the work of Zheng et al. 2005 to provide the background for the network construction. Secondly, the establishment of the pore network model and simulation of permeation of saturated cement paste were carried out. The irregular pores between any two hydrated cement particles were linearized with clear distances as the diameters of pores. The straight tubular pores were interconnected with one another to form the network model. During this process, the weighted Voronoi diagram was employed to operate on the graphical expression of the hydrated cement particles. Water permeation in saturated cement paste was simulated to verify the pore network model. Finally, the factors including water–cement ratio, reaction temperature, reaction time and cement particle size that would influence water permeation were numerically investigated.