Concrete construction engineering handbook

CERN Document Server

Nawy, Edward G

2008-01-01

Provides coverage of concrete construction engineering and technology. This work features discussions focusing on: the advances in engineered concrete materials; reinforced concrete construction; specialized construction techniques; and, design recommendations for high performance.

FORMULATION OF MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM DESCRIBING PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROCESSES AT CONCRETE CORROSION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergey V. Fedosov

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the relevance of new scientific research focused on modeling of physical and chemical processes occurring in the cement concrete at their exploitation. The basic types of concrete corrosion are described. The problem of mass transfer processes in a flat reinforced concrete wall at concrete corrosion of the first and the second types has been mathematically formulated.

Concreteness effects in semantic processing: ERP evidence supporting dual-coding theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Kounios, J; Holcomb, P J

1994-07-01

Dual-coding theory argues that processing advantages for concrete over abstract (verbal) stimuli result from the operation of 2 systems (i.e., imaginal and verbal) for concrete stimuli, rather than just 1 (for abstract stimuli). These verbal and imaginal systems have been linked with the left and right hemispheres of the brain, respectively. Context-availability theory argues that concreteness effects result from processing differences in a single system. The merits of these theories were investigated by examining the topographic distribution of event-related brain potentials in 2 experiments (lexical decision and concrete-abstract classification). The results were most consistent with dual-coding theory. In particular, different scalp distributions of an N400-like negativity were elicited by concrete and abstract words.

Experimental observation of internal water curing of concrete

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lura, Pietro; Jensen, Ole Mejlhede

2007-01-01

Internal water curing has a significant effect on concrete. In addition to affecting hydration and moisture distribution, it influences most concrete properties, such as strength, shrinkage, cracking, and durability. The following paper is an overview of experimental methods to study internal water...... curing of concrete and its consequences. The special techniques needed to study internal water curing are dealt with along with the consequences of this process. Examples of applications are given and new measuring techniques that may potentially be applied to this field are addressed....

Comminution and sizing processes of concrete block waste as recycled aggregates.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, P C C; Ulsen, C; Pereira, F A; Quattrone, M; Angulo, S C

2015-11-01

Due to the environmental impact of construction and demolition waste (CDW), recycling is mandatory. It is also important that recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) are used in concrete to meet market demands. In the literature, the influence of RCAs on concrete has been investigated, but very limited studies have been conducted on how the origin of concrete waste and comminution processes influence RCA characteristics. This paper aims to investigate the influence of three different comminution and sizing processes (simple screening, crushing and grinding) on the composition, shape and porosity characteristics of RCA obtained from concrete block waste. Crushing and grinding implies a reduction of RCA porosity. However, due to the presence of coarse quartz rounded river pebbles in the original concrete block mixtures, the shape characteristics deteriorated. A large amount of powder (<0.15 mm) without detectable anhydrous cement was also generated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

INVESTIGATION OF CEMENT CONCRETE CONGLOMERATE SOLIDIFICATION PROCESS BY IMPEDANCE SPECTROSCOPY METHOD

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S. N. Bandarenka

2015-01-01

Full Text Available One of the most prospective directions in preservation  and increase of service live of  road pavements is a construction of  automobile roads with cement concrete surface. Modern tendencies for provision of road construction quality presuppose a necessity to control processes of solidification and subsequent destruction of the material while forming and using cement concrete conglomerate being considered as a basic element of the road surface.  Multiyear practical experience of  automobile road operation using cement concrete pavements reveals an importance for monitoring  such processes as formation and destruction of cement concrete materials. An impedance spectroscopy method has been tried out and proposed as a tool for solution of the given problem.Experimental samples of cement concrete have been prepared for execution of tests, graded silica sand and granite chippings with particle size from 0.63 to 2.5 mm have been used as a fine aggregate in the samples. Dependencies of resistance (impedance on AC-current frequency  have been studied for samples of various nature and granulometric composition. The Gamry  G300 potentiostat has been used for measurement of complex impedance value. A spectrum analysis and calculation of equivalent circuit parameters calculation have been carried out while using EIS Spectrum Analyzer program.Comparison of impedance spectra for the prepared cement concrete samples have made it possible to reveal tendencies in changing spectrum parameters during solidification and subsequent contact with moisture in respect of every type of the sample. An equivalent electrical circuit has been developed that  characterizes physical and chemical processes which are accompanied by charge transfer in cement concrete conglomerate. The paper demonstrates a possibility to use an impedance spectroscopy for solution of a number of actual problems in the field of cement concrete technology problems. Particularly, the problems

CONCRETE BASED ON MODIFIED DISPERSE CEMENT SYSTEM

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D. V. Rudenko

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The article considers definition of the bond types occurring in a modified cement concrete matrix, and the evaluation of the quality of these links in a non-uniform material to determine the geometrical and physical relationships between the structure and the cement matrix modifiers. Methodology. To achieve this purpose the studies covered the microstructure of dispersed modified concrete cement matrix, the structure formation mechanism of the modified cement concrete system of natural hardening; as well as identification of the methods of sound concrete strength assessment. Findings. The author proposed a model of the spatial structure of the concrete cement matrix, modified by particulate reinforcement crystal hydrates. The initial object of study is a set of volume elements (cells of the cement matrix and the system of the spatial distribution of reinforcing crystallohydrates in these volume elements. It is found that the most dangerous defects such as cracks in the concrete volume during hardening are formed as a result of internal stresses, mainly in the zone of cement matrix-filler contact or in the area bordering with the largest pores of the concrete. Originality. The result of the study is the defined mechanism of the process of formation of the initial strength and stiffness of the modified cement matrix due to the rapid growth of crystallohydrates in the space among the dispersed reinforcing modifier particles. Since the lack of space prevents from the free growth of crystals, the latter cross-penetrate, forming a dense structure, which contributes to the growth of strength. Practical value. Dispersed modifying cement matrix provides a durable concrete for special purposes with the design performance characteristics. The developed technology of dispersed cement system modification, the defined features of its structure formation mechanism and the use of congruence principle for the complex of technological impacts of physical

Concrete and prestressing process, container made with this concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerard, M.

1992-01-01

Shape memory alloy fibers or heat shrinking fibers are encapsulated in a standard concrete. Prestressed concrete is obtained by heat treatment. Application is made to the fabrication of radioactive waste containers

Significance of tests and properties of concrete and concrete-making materials

CERN Document Server

Pielert, James H

2006-01-01

Reflects a decade of technological changes in concrete industry! The newest edition of this popular ASTM publication reflects the latest technology in concrete and concrete-making materials. Six sections cover: (1) General information on the nature of concrete, sampling, variability, and testing laboratories. A new chapter deals with modeling cement and concrete properties. (2) Properties of freshly mixed concrete. (3) Properties of hardened concrete. (4) Concrete aggregates—this section has been revised and the chapters are presented in the order that most concerns concrete users: grading, density, soundness, degradation resistance, petrographic examination, reactivity, and thermal properties. (5) Materials other than aggregates—the chapter on curing materials now reflects the current technology of materials applied to new concrete surfaces. The chapter on mineral admixtures has been separated into two chapters: supplementary cementitious materials and ground slag. (6) Specialized concretes—contains a ...

Special zone territory decontamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samojlenko, Yu.N.; Golubev, V.V.

1989-01-01

Special zone is the Chernobyl' NPP operating site (OS). OS decontamination is described including reactor ruins from the accident moment. The process was begun from reactor bombardment with absorbing and filtering materials (sand, clay, lead, boron compounds). Then were produced soil shovelling, territory filling by dry concrete and laying concrete layer with thickness up to 300 mm. NPP room and equipment decontamination is described. 3 figs.; 3 tabs

304 Concretion facility closure plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-04-01

The Hanford Site, located northwest of Richland, Washington, houses reactors, chemical-separation systems, and related facilities used for the production of special nuclear materials. The 300 Area of the Hanford Site contains reactor fuel manufacturing facilities and several research and development laboratories. Recyclable scrap uranium Zircaloy-2 and copper silicon alloy, uranium-titanium alloy, beryllium/Zircaloy-2 alloy, and Zircaloy-2 chips and fines were secured in concrete billets in the 304 Concretion Facility, located in the 300 Area. The beryllium/Zircaloy-2 alloy and Zircaloy-2 chips and fines are designated as low-level radioactive mixed waste (LLRMW) with the characteristic of ignitability. The concretion process reduced the ignitability of the fines and chips for safe storage and shipment. This process has been discontinued and the 304 Concretion Facility is now undergoing closure as defined in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA). This closure plan presents a description of the facility, the history of materials and wastes managed, and the procedures that will be followed to close the 304 Concretion Facility (304 Facility). Clean closure of the 304 Facility is the proposed method for closure of the facility. Justification for this proposal is presented. 15 refs., 22 figs., 4 tabs

Self-compacting concrete (SCC)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Geiker, Mette Rica

2008-01-01

In many aspects Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC, “Self-Consolidating Concrete” in North America) can be considered the concrete of the future. SCC is a family of tailored concretes with special engineered properties in the fresh state. SCC flows into the formwork and around even complicated...... reinforcement arrangements under its own weight. Thus, SCC is not vibrated like conventional concrete. This drastically improves the working environment during construction, the productivity, and potentially improves the homogeneity and quality of the concrete. In addition SCC provides larger architectural...

Detection of cracks on concrete surfaces by hyperspectral image processing

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Bruno O.; Valença, Jonatas; Júlio, Eduardo

2017-06-01

All large infrastructures worldwide must have a suitable monitoring and maintenance plan, aiming to evaluate their behaviour and predict timely interventions. In the particular case of concrete infrastructures, the detection and characterization of crack patterns is a major indicator of their structural response. In this scope, methods based on image processing have been applied and presented. Usually, methods focus on image binarization followed by applications of mathematical morphology to identify cracks on concrete surface. In most cases, publications are focused on restricted areas of concrete surfaces and in a single crack. On-site, the methods and algorithms have to deal with several factors that interfere with the results, namely dirt and biological colonization. Thus, the automation of a procedure for on-site characterization of crack patterns is of great interest. This advance may result in an effective tool to support maintenance strategies and interventions planning. This paper presents a research based on the analysis and processing of hyper-spectral images for detection and classification of cracks on concrete structures. The objective of the study is to evaluate the applicability of several wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum for classification of cracks in concrete surfaces. An image survey considering highly discretized wavelengths between 425 nm and 950 nm was performed on concrete specimens, with bandwidths of 25 nm. The concrete specimens were produced with a crack pattern induced by applying a load with displacement control. The tests were conducted to simulate usual on-site drawbacks. In this context, the surface of the specimen was subjected to biological colonization (leaves and moss). To evaluate the results and enhance crack patterns a clustering method, namely k-means algorithm, is being applied. The research conducted allows to define the suitability of using clustering k-means algorithm combined with hyper-spectral images highly

Processing concrete words: fMRI evidence against a specific right-hemisphere involvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Fiebach, Christian J; Friederici, Angela D

2004-01-01

Behavioral, patient, and electrophysiological studies have been taken as support for the assumption that processing of abstract words is confined to the left hemisphere, whereas concrete words are processed also by right-hemispheric brain areas. These are thought to provide additional information from an imaginal representational system, as postulated in the dual-coding theory of memory and cognition. Here we report new event-related fMRI data on the processing of concrete and abstract words in a lexical decision task. While abstract words activated a subregion of the left inferior frontal gyrus (BA 45) more strongly than concrete words, specific activity for concrete words was observed in the left basal temporal cortex. These data as well as data from other neuroimaging studies reviewed here are not compatible with the assumption of a specific right-hemispheric involvement for concrete words. The combined findings rather suggest a revised view of the neuroanatomical bases of the imaginal representational system assumed in the dual-coding theory, at least with respect to word recognition.

Imaginal, semantic, and surface-level processing of concrete and abstract words: an electrophysiological investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

West, W C; Holcomb, P J

2000-11-01

Words representing concrete concepts are processed more quickly and efficiently than words representing abstract concepts. Concreteness effects have also been observed in studies using event-related brain potentials (ERPs). The aim of this study was to examine concrete and abstract words using both reaction time (RT) and ERP measurements to determine (1) at what point in the stream of cognitive processing concreteness effects emerge and (2) how different types of cognitive operations influence these concreteness effects. Three groups of subjects performed a sentence verification task in which the final word of each sentence was concrete or abstract. For each group the truthfulness judgment required either (1) image generation, (2) semantic decision, or (3) evaluation of surface characteristics. Concrete and abstract words produced similar RTs and ERPs in the surface task, suggesting that postlexical semantic processing is necessary to elicit concreteness effects. In both the semantic and imagery tasks, RTs were shorter for concrete than for abstract words. This difference was greatest in the imagery task. Also, in both of these tasks concrete words elicited more negative ERPs than abstract words between 300 and 550 msec (N400). This effect was widespread across the scalp and may reflect activation in a linguistic semantic system common to both concrete and abstract words. ERPs were also more negative for concrete than abstract words between 550 and 800 msec. This effect was more frontally distributed and was most evident in the imagery task. We propose that this later anterior effect represents a distinct ERP component (N700) that is sensitive to the use of mental imagery. The N700 may reflect the a access of specific characteristics of the imaged item or activation in a working memory system specific to mental imagery. These results also support the extended dual-coding hypothesis that superior associative connections and the use of mental imagery both contribute

The drying process of concrete: a neutron radiography study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beer, F.C. de; Strydom, W.J.; Griesel, E.J.

2004-01-01

The natural drying process of concrete, which has a significant effect on its characteristics, for example durability, was studied at the neutron radiography facility at SAFARI-1 nuclear research reactor, operated by Necsa. Monitoring of the movement of the water in concrete samples, which were wet cured for one day and covered on all the sides but one, was done by means of a CCD camera system. In this paper the methodology in observing the drying process will be described together with results obtained from this investigation. The measured water content and porosity results were quantified and compared reasonably well with conventional gravimetrical measurements

The Impact of Concrete Pavement Field Floor to Vehicle Missile Launching Process

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Wei Xinlin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The conception and evaluation indices of the bearing capacity of the concrete pavement field floor are analyzed in this paper. In order to get the damage process of the concrete panel, its tension and compression injury factors are derived, and a field floor structural dynamic model with concrete damage constitutive relation is built based on ABAQUS, and the influence of thickness and Young’s modulus of the concrete panel to the vehicular missile launching is comparatively analyzed.

304 Concretion Facility Closure Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-10-01

The Hanford Site, located northwest of Richland, Washington, houses reactors, chemical-separation systems, and related facilities used for the production of special nuclear materials. The 300 Area of the Hanford Site contains reactor fuel manufacturing facilities and several research and development laboratories. Recyclable scrap uranium with Zircaloy-2 and copper silicon allo , uranium-titanium alloy, beryllium/Zircaloy-2 alloy, and Zircaloy-2 chips and fines were secured in concrete billets (7.5-gal containers) in the 304 Concretion Facility (304 Facility), located in the 300 Area. The beryllium/Zircaloy-2 alloy and Zircaloy-2 chips and fines are designated as low-level radioactive mixed waste (LLRMW) with the characteristic of ignitability. The concretion process reduced the ignitability of the fines and chips for safe storage and shipment. This process has been discontinued and the 304 Concretion Facility is now undergoing closure as defined in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) and the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Dangerous Waste Regulations, WAC 173-303-040 (Ecology 1991). This closure plan presents a description of the facility, the history of materials and wastes managed, and the procedures that will be followed to close the 304 Facility. The strategy for closure of the 304 Facility is presented in Section 6.0

Concrete sample point: 304 Concretion Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rollison, M.D.

1995-01-01

This report contains information concerning the analysis of concretes for volatile organic compounds. Included are the raw data for these analysis and the quality control data, the standards data, and all of the accompanying chains-of-custody records and requests for special analysis

Generation of point isotropic source dose buildup factor data for the PFBR special concretes in a form compatible for usage in point kernel computer code QAD-CGGP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radhakrishnan, G.

2003-01-01

Full text: Around the PFBR (Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor) reactor assembly, in the peripheral shields special concretes of density 2.4 g/cm 3 and 3.6 g/cm 3 are to be used in complex geometrical shapes. Point-kernel computer code like QAD-CGGP, written for complex shield geometry comes in handy for the shield design optimization of peripheral shields. QAD-CGGP requires data base for the buildup factor data and it contains only ordinary concrete of density 2.3 g/cm 3 . In order to extend the data base for the PFBR special concretes, point isotropic source dose buildup factors have been generated by Monte Carlo method using the computer code MCNP-4A. For the above mentioned special concretes, buildup factor data have been generated in the energy range 0.5 MeV to 10.0 MeV with the thickness ranging from 1 mean free paths (mfp) to 40 mfp. Capo's formula fit of the buildup factor data compatible with QAD-CGGP has been attempted

Estimating Durability of Reinforced Concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Varlamov, A. A.; Shapovalov, E. L.; Gavrilov, V. B.

2017-11-01

In this article we propose to use the methods of fracture mechanics to evaluate concrete durability. To evaluate concrete crack resistance characteristics of concrete directly in the structure in order to implement the methods of fracture mechanics, we have developed special methods. Various experimental studies have been carried out to determine the crack resistance characteristics and the concrete modulus of elasticity during its operating. A comparison was carried out for the results obtained with the use of the proposed methods and those obtained with the standard methods for determining the concrete crack resistance characteristics.

Physicochemical characterization of steel slag post-processed as aggregate for sustainable concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souza, B.P. de; Fontes, W.C.; Carvalho, J.M.F. de; Mol, R.M.R.; Costa, E.C.P. da; Peixoto, R.A.F.

2016-01-01

The concrete is the material most widely used in construction, consuming a large amount of natural resources for its production. Therefore, this work analyzes the technical and environmental aspects of concrete with full replacement of natural aggregates for processed LD steelmaking slag. The experimental program comprehends physical characterization - particle size distribution, moisture content, bulk and specific density - and elemental chemical characterization with X-Ray Fluorescence, and mineralogical characterization via X-Ray Diffraction. Morphological characterization was performed through a stereomicroscope. From these results, concrete with compressive strengths of 20 and 40 Mpa were developed, with ABPC methodology. These were characterized in the fresh and hardened states, obtaining results favorable to the steelmaking slag application in Portland cement concrete. This sustainable concrete features properties similar conventional concrete, and contributing to sustainability of buildings. (author)

Optimization of concrete composition in radioactive waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plecas, I.; Peric, A.

1995-01-01

Low and intermediate level waste represents 95% of the total wastes that is conditioned into special concrete containers. Since these containers are to protect radioactive waste safely for about 300 years, the selection and precise control of physical and mechanical characteristics of materials is very important. After volume reduction and valuable components recovery, waste materials have to be conditioned for transport, storage and disposal. Conditioning is the waste management step in which radioactive wastes are immobilized and packed. The immobilization processes involve conversation of the wastes to solid forms that reduce the potential for migration or dispersion of radionuclides from the wastes by natural processes during storage, transport and disposal. The immobilization processes involve the use of various matrices of nonradioactive materials, such as concrete, to fix the wastes as monoliths, usually directly in the waste containers used for subsequent handling. In this paper an optimization of concrete container composition, used for storing radioactive waste from nuclear power plants, is presented. Optimization was performed on the composition of the concrete that is used in the container production. In experiments, the authors tried to obtain the best mechanical characteristics of the concrete, varying the weight percentage of the granulate due to its diameter, water-to-cement ratios and type of the cements that were used in preparing the concrete container formulation. Concrete containers, that were optimized in the manner described in this paper, will be in used for the radioactive waste materials final disposal, using the concept of the engineer trench system facilities

Phases of fracture process zone and tension softening properties of concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mihashi, H.; Nomura, N.

1991-01-01

The safety and serviceability of concrete structures are influenced very much by the cracking behavior of concrete. Since comprehensive numerical analysis techniques have been extensively developed to predict the mechanical behavior of concrete structures in the limit state, it is essential to study the constitutive laws to describe the cracking behavior of concrete in detail. The tension softening behavior of concrete is highly dominated by the existence of a fracture process zone (FPZ) ahead of a crack tip. Since the direct observation of the FPZ of concrete is hardly possible, the indirect techniques are applied, but it is still ambiguous what happens in the FPZ and how it affects the tension softening property. The purpose of this study is to present the property of the FPZ focusing on the influence of material structures by means of three-dimensional acoustic emission. These results are correlated to tension softening behavior evaluated by a numerical analysis to discuss how the tension softening property is related to the characteristics of the FPZ. The test procedure and the results are reported. (K.I.)

Corrosion on reinforced concrete structures. An application for the intermediate level radioactive waste container

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arva, Alejandro; Alvarez, Marta G.; Duffo, Gustavo S.

2003-01-01

The behavior of steel reinforcement bars (rebars) for a high performance reinforced concrete made of sulfate resistant portland cement was evaluated from the rebars corrosion point of view. The results from the present work will be used to evaluate the materials properties to be used in the construction of the intermediate level radioactive waste disposal containers. The study is carried out evaluating the incidence of chloride and sulfate ions, as well as, concrete carbonation in the rebar corrosion process. The electrochemical parameters that characterize the corrosion process (corrosion potential [E corr ], polarisation resistance [Rp] and concrete electrical resistivity [ρ]) were monitored on specially designed reinforced concrete specimens. The results up to date (about 1000 days of exposure) reveal that the concrete under study provides to the steel reinforcement bars of a passive state against corrosion under the test conditions. An increasing tendency as a function of time of ρ is observed that corroborates the continuous curing process of concrete. The chloride and carbonation diffusion coefficients were also determined, and their values are comparable with those of high quality concrete. (author)

Concrete pavement mixture design and analysis (MDA) : assessment of air void system requirements for durable concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-01

Concrete will suffer frost damage when saturated and subjected to freezing temperatures. Frost-durable concrete can be produced if a : specialized surfactant, also known as an air-entraining admixture (AEA), is added during mixing to stabilize micros...

Nanostructured silicate polymer concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Figovskiy Oleg L'vovich

2014-03-01

Full Text Available It has been known that acid-resistant concretes on the liquid glass basis have high porosity (up to 18~20 %, low strength and insufficient water resistance. Significant increasing of silicate matrix strength and density was carried out by incorporation of special liquid organic alkali-soluble silicate additives, which block superficial pores and reduce concrete shrinkage deformation. It was demonstrated that introduction of tetrafurfuryloxisilane additive sharply increases strength, durability and shock resistance of silicate polymer concrete in aggressive media. The experiments showed, that the strength and density of silicate polymer concrete increase in case of decreasing liquid glass content. The authors obtained optimal content of silicate polymer concrete, which possesses increased strength, durability, density and crack-resistance. Diffusive permeability of concrete and its chemical resistance has been investigated in various corroding media.

Effect Of Different Types Of Fibers To Concrete S Mechanical Behaviour

OpenAIRE

Sarı, Mertcan

2013-01-01

As a building material concrete has been used frequently. Because of this too many research has been made for years. 20-30 years before concrete’s maximum compressive strength was about 40 MPa but today high strength and high performance concretes are used in structural applications. High-performance concrete exceeds the properties and constructability of normal concrete. Normal and special materials are used to make these specially designed concretes that must meet a combination of performan...

The potentials of porous concrete for ballistic protection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weerheijm, J.; Roebroeks, G.; Krabbenborg, D.; Agar Ozbek, A.S.

2015-01-01

A special porous concrete has been developed by the Delft University in collaboration with TNO. The concrete has a static compressive strength of 45 MPa. It fragments at impact into small size debris relative to reference concrete. The porous concrete was developed at laboratory scale and tested at

Rigidity of reinforced concrete structures in the presence of different cracks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iakovenko Igor

2017-01-01

Full Text Available It is proposed a method for rigidity calculating of reinforced concrete structures in the presence of cracks, suitable for rod and flat-strained concrete composite structures. It is based on the operating conditions and includes a new, more complete classification of the various cracks, models of a special crack, the calculation of the two-console model; a special cantilever model to determine the parameters of the joint between the concrete; calculation model of the block with the working section at the beginning and end of the crack to determine the horizontal (vertical projections of various cracks with the involvement of analytical relationships. They are based on the extremum of a function of many variables and Lagrange multipliers, as well as attracting level model of multi-level development of the various cracks, which allow to find the distance between the cracks and width of their disclosure, with considering the effect of discontinuities. This effect can greatly simplify the process of determining the rigidity of reinforced concrete structures (including composite ones, despite the complexity and diversity of the crack pattern.

Microwave processing of cement and concrete materials – towards an industrial reality?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buttress, Adam; Jones, Aled; Kingman, Sam

2015-01-01

Each year a substantial body of literature is published on the use of microwave to process cement and concrete materials. Yet to date, very few if any have lead the realisation of a commercial scale industrial system and is the context under which this review has been undertaken. The state-of the–art is evaluated for opportunities, and the key barriers to the development of new microwave-based processing techniques to enhance production, processing and recycling of cement and concrete materials. Applications reviewed include pyro-processing of cement clinker; accelerated curing, non-destructive testing and evaluation (NDT&E), and end-of-life processing including radionuclide decontamination

Monitoring corrosion in reinforced concrete structures

Science.gov (United States)

Kung, Peter; Comanici, Maria I.

2014-06-01

Many defects can cause deterioration and cracks in concrete; these are results of poor concrete mix, poor workmanship, inadequate design, shrinkage, chemical and environmental attack, physical or mechanical damage, and corrosion of reinforcing steel (RS). We want to develop a suite of sensors and systems that can detect that corrosion is taking place in RS and inform owners how serious the problem is. By understanding the stages of the corrosion process, we can develop special a sensor that detects each transition. First, moisture ingress can be monitored by a fiber optics humidity sensor, then ingress of Chloride, which acts as a catalyst and accelerates the corrosion process by converting iron into ferrous compounds. We need a fiber optics sensor which can quantify Chloride ingress over time. Converting ferric to ferrous causes large volume expansion and cracks. Such pressure build-up can be detected by a fiber optic pressure sensor. Finally, cracks emit acoustic waves, which can be detected by a high frequency sensor made with phase-shifted gratings. This paper will discuss the progress in our development of these special sensors and also our plan for a field test by the end of 2014. We recommend that we deploy these sensors by visually inspecting the affected area and by identifying locations of corrosion; then, work with the designers to identify spots that would compromise the integrity of the structure; finally, drill a small hole in the concrete and insert these sensors. Interrogation can be done at fixed intervals with a portable unit.

Usage of Crushed Concrete Fines in Decorative Concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Pilipenko, Anton; Bazhenova, Sofia

2017-10-01

The article is devoted to the questions of usage of crushed concrete fines from concrete scrap for the production of high-quality decorative composite materials based on mixed binder. The main problem in the application of crushed concrete in the manufacture of decorative concrete products is extremely low decorative properties of crushed concrete fines itself, as well as concrete products based on them. However, crushed concrete fines could have a positive impact on the structure of the concrete matrix and could improve the environmental and economic characteristics of the concrete products. Dust fraction of crushed concrete fines contains non-hydrated cement grains, which can be opened in screening process due to the low strength of the contact zone between the hydrated and non-hydrated cement. In addition, the screening process could increase activity of the crushed concrete fines, so it can be used as a fine aggregate and filler for concrete mixes. Previous studies have shown that the effect of the usage of the crushed concrete fines is small and does not allow to obtain concrete products with high strength. However, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the crushed concrete fines as a filler due to the complex of measures prior to mixing. Such measures may include a preliminary mechanochemical activation of the binder (cement binder, iron oxide pigment, silica fume and crushed concrete fines), as well as the usage of polycarboxylate superplasticizers. The development of specific surface area of activated crushed concrete fines ensures strong adhesion between grains of binder and filler during the formation of cement stone matrix. The particle size distribution of the crushed concrete fines could achieve the densest structure of cement stone matrix and improve its resistance to environmental effects. The authors examined the mechanisms of structure of concrete products with crushed concrete fines as a filler. The results of studies of the properties of

Advances in concrete materials for sewer systems affected by microbial induced concrete corrosion: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Grengg, Cyrill; Mittermayr, Florian; Ukrainczyk, Neven; Koraimann, Günther; Kienesberger, Sabine; Dietzel, Martin

2018-05-01

Microbial induced concrete corrosion (MICC) is recognized as one of the main degradation mechanisms of subsurface infrastructure worldwide, raising the demand for sustainable construction materials in corrosive environments. This review aims to summarize the key research progress acquired during the last decade regarding the understanding of MICC reaction mechanisms and the development of durable materials from an interdisciplinary perspective. Special focus was laid on aspects governing concrete - micoorganisms interaction since being the central process steering biogenic acid corrosion. The insufficient knowledge regarding the latter is proposed as a central reason for insufficient progress in tailored material development for aggressive wastewater systems. To date no cement-based material exists, suitable to withstand the aggressive conditions related to MICC over its entire service life. Research is in particular needed on the impact of physiochemical material parameters on microbial community structure, growth characteristics and limitations within individual concrete speciation. Herein an interdisciplinary approach is presented by combining results from material sciences, microbiology, mineralogy and hydrochemistry to stimulate the development of novel and sustainable materials and mitigation strategies for MICC. For instance, the application of antibacteriostatic agents is introduced as an effective instrument to limit microbial growth on concrete surfaces in aggressive sewer environments. Additionally, geopolymer concretes are introduced as highly resistent in acid environments, thus representing a possible green alternative to conventional cement-based construction materials. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Elastic-plastic constitutive modeling of concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, Y.

1983-03-01

The need to understand concrete behavior under high temperatures in the nuclear industry has become rather accute. For this purpose, a constitutive model of concrete especially developed for this severe environment is indispensable. This report reviews the presently available constitutive models of concrete at standard-temperature conditions and considers their advantages and drawbacks. A rather simple but effective approach is selected to treat concrete behavior at high temperatures. Special emphasis is devoted to the modeling of concrete up to and including failure. The derived constitutive model is checked with biaxial and triaxial benchmark experimental results. Very good agreement is obtained

Improved design of special boundary elements for T-shaped reinforced concrete walls

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Xiaodong; Liu, Dan; Qian, Jiaru

2017-01-01

This study examines the design provisions of the Chinese GB 50011-2010 code for seismic design of buildings for the special boundary elements of T-shaped reinforced concrete walls and proposes an improved design method. Comparison of the design provisions of the GB 50011-2010 code and those of the American code ACI 318-14 indicates a possible deficiency in the T-shaped wall design provisions in GB 50011-2010. A case study of a typical T-shaped wall designed in accordance with GB 50011-2010 also indicates the insufficient extent of the boundary element at the non-flange end and overly conservative design of the flange end boundary element. Improved designs for special boundary elements of T-shaped walls are developed using a displacement-based method. The proposed design formulas produce a longer boundary element at the non-flange end and a shorter boundary element at the flange end, relative to those of the GB 50011-2010 provisions. Extensive numerical analysis indicates that T-shaped walls designed using the proposed formulas develop inelastic drift of 0.01 for both cases of the flange in compression and in tension.

Imagining the truth and the moon: an electrophysiological study of abstract and concrete word processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Gullick, Margaret M; Mitra, Priya; Coch, Donna

2013-05-01

Previous event-related potential studies have indicated that both a widespread N400 and an anterior N700 index differential processing of concrete and abstract words, but the nature of these components in relation to concreteness and imagery has been unclear. Here, we separated the effects of word concreteness and task demands on the N400 and N700 in a single word processing paradigm with a within-subjects, between-tasks design and carefully controlled word stimuli. The N400 was larger to concrete words than to abstract words, and larger in the visualization task condition than in the surface task condition, with no interaction. A marked anterior N700 was elicited only by concrete words in the visualization task condition, suggesting that this component indexes imagery. These findings are consistent with a revised or extended dual coding theory according to which concrete words benefit from greater activation in both verbal and imagistic systems. Copyright © 2013 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Vibration behaviour of foamed concrete floor with polypropylene and rise husk ash fibre

Science.gov (United States)

Azaman, N. A. Mohd; Ghafar, N. H. Abd; Ayub, N.; Ibrahim, M. Z.

2017-11-01

In the history of the construction industry, lightweight concrete or foamed concrete is a special concrete which can very useful in the construction sector because it is very lightweight and it can compact by itself at each angle of foamwork. Foamed concrete is one of lightweight concrete which widely used for floor construction due to its light weight and economic. The significant challenges in the floor design process are considering the vibration that needs improvements for the poor dynamic behaviour insulation. An alternative material to replace sand with certain amount of rice husk ash (RHA) and polypropylene was introduced. Research was determine the dynamic behavior of foam-polypropylene and foam-RHA concrete by using impact hammer test. The natural frequency for normal foamed concrete, 0.5 % of Polypropylene and 15% of RHA is 29.8 Hz, 29.3 Hz and 29.5 Hz respectively.

A new concept for the targeted cutting of concrete structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reinhardt, Steffen; Gentes, Sascha; Weidemann, Roman; Geimer, Marcus

2011-01-01

The decontamination and crushing of reinforced concrete is a main part during deconstruction of nuclear facilities. The selective treatment of contaminated or activated material is of special interest, since the non-contaminated material can be transferred into the normal reprocessing cycle. In the frame of a project concerning the innovative cutting of massive reinforced concrete structures an all-purpose system for spatially restricted and defined cutting of strongly reinforced concrete including packaging suitable for final disposal was developed. Due to the remote handling of the machine the dose rate for personnel can be reduced significantly. Main part of the system is the tool that can cut highly reinforced concrete without system or component replacement. The authors describe preliminary tests of these tools, further experiments and process optimization are necessary before the tools can be integrated into the new system.

Effect of Mixing Process on Polypropylene Modified Bituminous Concrete Mix Properties

OpenAIRE

Noor Zainab Habib; Ibrahim Kamaruddin; Madzalan Napiah; Isa Mohd Tan

2011-01-01

This paper presents a research conducted to investigate the effect of mixing process on polypropylene (PP) modified bitumen mixed with well graded aggregate to form modified bituminous concrete mix. Two mode of mixing, namely dry and wet with different concentration of polymer polypropylene was used with 80/100 pen bitumen, to evaluate the bituminous concrete mix properties. Three percentages of polymer varying from 1-3% by the weight of bitumen was used in this study. Three mixes namely cont...

Analytical capability for predicting structural response of NPP concrete containments to severe loads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Planas, J.; Guinea, G.; Trbojevic, V.M.; Marti, J.; Martinez, F.; Cortes, P.

1989-12-01

A survey has been conducted on the state-of-the-art of analytical techniques for predicting the structural response of concrete containment buildings under severe accident conditions. The validity of inelastic analysis is often limited by the inadequacy of the material models adopted. This is specially true in the case of materials which undergo localization phenomena in the course of the deformation process. Because of this, the Joint Research Centre at Ispra has given a high priority to the review of existing constitutive models for concrete. Such models must be able to describe concrete behaviour with and without steel reinforcement across the complete stress range, from initial elastic behaviour to and beyond the point of failure. For reinforced and prestressed concrete, segregated models (where concrete and steel are independently simulated) are preferred. A review of existing constitutive models for mass concrete has been conducted. The review focused on necessary features for describing the near-peak and post-peak stages of deformation. Special attention was dedicated to the localization of strains in tension and the post-peak softening behaviour. Existing models for representing the concrete steel bond were also reviewed. These models are still relatively simplistic and incorporate seldom a number of effects of considerable importance: sustained, dynamic and cyclic loading, environmental effects, etc. Finally, the computational procedures currently available for modelling problems involving the ultimate capacity of concrete containments have also been reviewed. This includes methodologies for modelling amongst other mass concrete, cracking procedures, bond behaviour, in existing computer codes

Concreteness in Word Processing: ERP and Behavioral Effects in a Lexical Decision Task

Science.gov (United States)

Barber, Horacio A.; Otten, Leun J.; Kousta, Stavroula-Thaleia; Vigliocco, Gabriella

2013-01-01

Relative to abstract words, concrete words typically elicit faster response times and larger N400 and N700 event-related potential (ERP) brain responses. These effects have been interpreted as reflecting the denser links to associated semantic information of concrete words and their recruitment of visual imagery processes. Here, we examined…

Concrete radiation shielding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaplan, M.F.

1989-01-01

The increased use of nuclear energy has given rise to a growth in the amount of artificially produced radiation and radioactive materials. The design and construction of shielding to protect people, equipment and structures from the effects of radiation has never been more important. Experience has shown that concrete is an effective, versatile and economical material for the construction of radiation shielding. This book provides information on the principles governing the interaction of radiation with matter and on relevant nuclear physics to give the engineer an understanding of the design and construction of concrete shielding. It covers the physical, mechanical and nuclear properties of concrete; the effects of elevated temperatures and possible damage to concrete due to radiation; basic procedures for the design of concrete radiation shields and finally the special problems associated with their construction and cost. Although written primarily for engineers concerned with the design and construction of concrete shielding, the book also reviews the widely scattered data and information available on this subject and should therefore be of interest to students and those wishing to research further in this field. (author)

How Concrete is Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koeno Gravemeijer

2010-07-01

Full Text Available If we want to make something concrete in mathematics education, we are inclined introduce, what we call, ‘manipulatives’, in the form of tactile objects or visual representations. If we want to make something concrete in a everyday-life conversation, we look for an example. In the former, we try to make a concrete model of our own, abstract, knowledge; in the latter, we try to find an example that the others will be familiar with. This article first looks at the tension between these two different ways of making things concrete. Next another role of manipulatives, will be discussed, namely that of means for scaffolding and communication. In this role, manipulatives may function as means of support in a process that aims at helping students to build on their own thinking while constructing more sophisticated mathematics

In situ processing of concrete surface by impregnation and polymerization of an organic resin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pellecchia, V.; Ursella, P.; Moretto, G.

1990-01-01

The impregnation by resins of concrete structures is widely known as PIC (Polymer Impregnated Concrete). This process is normally used to improve the physical-chemical features of prefabricated items in particular to raise their lifetime under severe environmental conditions. The main target of this research contract was the verification of the possibility of a proper impregnation of existing concrete surfaces, of any dimensions and position, by comparing the obtained characteristics with those of untreated original material to check the improvement of chemical-physical properties and durability. In a nuclear facility, this goal is very important with reference to the long-term integrity of concrete walls during plant operative lifetime and after the final shutdown and decommissioning of the plant, if its dismantling is deferred. The operative steps of the research were the design, manufacturing and implementation of a tailored prototype equipment, the setting-up of the machine, the project and erection of a walling unit made of different density sectors in nuclear grade concrete and optimisation of the PIC process phases (dehydration, degassing, monomer injection, thermal cycles) during the experimental campaign. The data collected from samples gathered from field application gave results very similar to laboratory impregnated samples, thus confirming the satisfactory running of the prototype unit. Particularly the resin penetration, in spite of low porosity of nuclear grade concrete matrix, reached depths well beyond 50 mm with a significant increase of mechanical features, leaching resistance to aggressive agents and an appreciable sealing of concrete porosity

Material law for concrete under multiaxial stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geistefeldt, H.

1977-01-01

In this paper a general triaxial set of finite strain-stress relations is derived, which can include in a step-by-step way nearly all known factors and curves of material response. The finite constitutive equations representing the behavior of concrete are related to the main strain-directions. The elastic part, the functions for uniaxial behavior, those for biaxial response and finally the relation-parts, nonzero only in triaxial stress-state, can be reset separately by suitable functions which have been adjusted to the material response of actual concrete known from special tests. In nonlinear incremental analysis a potential is usually assumed in incremental material behavior to keep incremental stiffness matrices symmetric. If the proposed generalized set of constitutive equations is restricted to special types of functions, the resulting tangent stiffness is symmetric. Special functions for the various parts are presented, the tangent stiffness of which can easily be derived explicitly by partial differentiation of the related strain-stress relations. Thus the application of the proposed constitutive equations in incremental nonlinear analysis is very effective. The free coefficients of one general set of equations are adjusted step by step to the results of Kupfer's biaxial tests under shorttime loading. With a new and very short bixial failure criterion for concrete, which has been stated and compared with test results, the analytic description of the biaxial behavior of Kupfer's concrete is completed. With some additional assumptions the proposed failure criteria and the strain-stress equations for concrete are extended to the biaxial response of uncracked othogonally reinforced concrete response

Concrete Waste as a Cement Replacement Material in Concrete Blocks for Optimization of Thermal and Mechanical Properties

OpenAIRE

Rosman M.S.; Abas N.F.; Othuman Mydin M.A.

2014-01-01

The sustainability of the natural environment and eco-systems is of great importance. Waste generated from construction forces mankind to find new dumping grounds and at the same time, more natural resources are required for use as construction materials. In order to overcome this problem, this study was conducted to investigate the use of concrete waste in concrete blocks with a special focus on the thermal and mechanical properties of the resulting products. Three varieties of concrete mixt...

The behavioural patterns and neural correlates of concrete and abstract verb processing in aphasia: A novel verb semantic battery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reem S.W. Alyahya

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Typically, processing is more accurate and efficient for concrete than abstract concepts in both healthy adults and individuals with aphasia. While, concreteness effects have been thoroughly documented with respect to noun processing, other words classes have received little attention despite tending to be less concrete than nouns. The aim of the current study was to explore concrete-abstract differences in verbs and identify their neural correlates in post-stroke aphasia. Given the dearth of comprehension tests for verbs, a battery of neuropsychological tests was developed in this study to assess the comprehension of concrete and abstract verbs. Specifically, a sensitive verb synonym judgment test was generated that varied both the items' imageability and frequency, and a picture-to-word matching test with numerous concrete verbs. Normative data were then collected and the tests were administered to a cohort of 48 individuals with chronic post-stroke aphasia to explore the behavioural patterns and neural correlates of verb processing. The results revealed significantly better comprehension of concrete than abstract verbs, aligning with the existing aphasiological literature on noun processing. In addition, the patients performed better during verb comprehension than verb production. Lesion-symptom correlational analyses revealed common areas that support processing of concrete and abstract verbs, including the left anterior temporal lobe, posterior supramarginal gyrus and superior lateral occipital cortex. A direct contrast between them revealed additional regions with graded differences. Specifically, the left frontal regions were associated with processing abstract verbs; whereas, the left posterior temporal and occipital regions were associated with processing concrete verbs. Moreover, overlapping and distinct neural correlates were identified in association with the comprehension and production of concrete verbs. These patient findings

The behavioural patterns and neural correlates of concrete and abstract verb processing in aphasia: A novel verb semantic battery.

Science.gov (United States)

Alyahya, Reem S W; Halai, Ajay D; Conroy, Paul; Lambon Ralph, Matthew A

2018-01-01

Typically, processing is more accurate and efficient for concrete than abstract concepts in both healthy adults and individuals with aphasia. While, concreteness effects have been thoroughly documented with respect to noun processing, other words classes have received little attention despite tending to be less concrete than nouns. The aim of the current study was to explore concrete-abstract differences in verbs and identify their neural correlates in post-stroke aphasia. Given the dearth of comprehension tests for verbs, a battery of neuropsychological tests was developed in this study to assess the comprehension of concrete and abstract verbs. Specifically, a sensitive verb synonym judgment test was generated that varied both the items' imageability and frequency, and a picture-to-word matching test with numerous concrete verbs. Normative data were then collected and the tests were administered to a cohort of 48 individuals with chronic post-stroke aphasia to explore the behavioural patterns and neural correlates of verb processing. The results revealed significantly better comprehension of concrete than abstract verbs, aligning with the existing aphasiological literature on noun processing. In addition, the patients performed better during verb comprehension than verb production. Lesion-symptom correlational analyses revealed common areas that support processing of concrete and abstract verbs, including the left anterior temporal lobe, posterior supramarginal gyrus and superior lateral occipital cortex. A direct contrast between them revealed additional regions with graded differences. Specifically, the left frontal regions were associated with processing abstract verbs; whereas, the left posterior temporal and occipital regions were associated with processing concrete verbs. Moreover, overlapping and distinct neural correlates were identified in association with the comprehension and production of concrete verbs. These patient findings align with data from

Innovative Ultrasonic Techniques for Inspection and Monitoring of Large Concrete Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niederleithinger E.

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Ultrasonic echo and transmission techniques are used in civil engineering on a regular basis. New sensors and data processing techniques have lead to many new applications in the structural investigation as well as quality control. But concrete structures in the nuclear sector have special features and parameters, which pose problems for the methods and instrumentation currently available, e.g. extreme thickness, dense reinforcement, steel liners or special materials. Several innovative ultrasonic techniques have been developed to deal with these issues at least partly in lab experiments and pilot studies. Modern imaging techniques as multi-offset SAFT have been used e. g. to map delaminations. Thick concrete walls have successfully been inspected, partly through a steel liner. Embedded ultrasonic sensors have been designed which will be used in monitoring networks of large concrete structures above and below ground. In addition, sensitive mathematical methods as coda wave interferometry have been successfully evaluated to detect subtle changes in material properties. Examples of measurements and data evaluation are presented.

influence of severe conditions on the concrete employed in nuclear technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khalil, W.M.K.S.

2006-01-01

this thesis is mainly concentrating on honing the efficiency of heavy-weight high -performance (HWHP) concrete, developed from local aggregates together with additives that are waste products of other manufacturing processes, for the purpose of producing radiation shields, to attenuate gamma-rays in peaceful active-service facilitations . in other words, the thesis is in attempt to develop a special type of heavy concrete of various advantages that would enhance its performance in severe environment. such advantages may embrace concurrent improvements; such as high specific gravity, workability, high compressive strength, efficient attenuator for gamma radiation, and resistant to elevated temperature along with chemical attack.the named HWHP concrete was mainly prepared using two types of heavy aggregates, ilmenite (iron ore) and barite . in addition usual concrete (dolomite/sand) was also employed in this thesis to compare the obtained HWHP concrete. the practical facet of this thesis accounts for evaluating the influence of severe conditions, concomitantly and consecutively, on mechanical , morphological and attenuation characteristics for the three types of concrete

Prevention of concrete structures from collapsing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cechmanek R.

2018-01-01

Full Text Available At the end of the 20th century requirements on using electrical properties of building materials emerged for application in heating of trafficable surfaces, grounding of electrostatic charges in floors, shielding of electro-magnetic fields and diagnosis of concrete structure state in the course of time. For this reason, it was necessary to design special fibre-cement elements able to transfer any mechanical impulse to an electricallymeasured signal detected as a change in electrical resistance with computer outputs. Regarding previous research studies, it was concluded that special fibre-cement composites are able to conduct electric current under specific conditions. This property is ensured by using of various kinds of carbon materials. Though carbon fibres are less conductive than metal fibres, composites with carbon fibres were evaluated as better current conductors than the composites with metal fibres. By means of various kinds of carbon particles and fibres it is possible to design cement composites with an ability to monitor changes in electrical conductivity of concretes. The designed composites are assembled with conductive wires and connected with a special electronic equipment for monitoring of changes in alternate voltage passing through the tensometer within mechanical loading of a concrete element in which the composite is integrated. The tensometers are placed preferably into parts of the concrete elements subjected to compression, such as simple reinforced columns or upper parts of longitudinal beams. Several tests of repeated loading and simultaneous monitoring of vertical as well as horizontal prefabricated concrete elements were carried out and evaluated.

An integral design concept for ecological self-compacting concrete

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hunger, M.

2010-01-01

This Thesis addresses an alternative design concept for Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC). SCC is a special type of concrete with superior workability, which flows and compacts in all corners of a formwork just by the influence of gravity. Introduced to the concrete world in the late 1980s, SCC has

Analazing the impact behavior of porous concrete

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Agar Ozbek, A.S.; Weerheijm, J.

2014-01-01

Porous concrete is a special type of cementitious material incorporating a high amount of meso-size air pores that makes its characteristics markedly different from normal concrete. Therefore, it is being investigated for various applications, aiming to benefit from the presence of the air voids in

Leaching of concrete : the leaching process : extrapolation of deterioration : effect on the structural stability

OpenAIRE

Fagerlund, Göran

2000-01-01

The leaching process when water attacks concrete, and the effect of leaching on the strength and durability of a concrete structure, is analysed theoretically. Technique for prediction of the future leaching and structural stability is outlined. The analysis is to a certain extent supported by data from literature. The leaching process is divided in five different types: 1: Pure surface leaching 2: Surface leaching involving erosion 3: Homogeneous leaching over the entire structure 4...

Novel techniques for concrete curing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kovler, Konstantin; Jensen, Ole Mejlhede

2005-01-01

It is known that some high-strength/high-performance concretes (HSC/HPC) are prone to cracking at an early age unless special precautions are taken. The paper deals with the methods of curing as one of the main strategies to ensure good performance of concrete. Curing by both external (conventional......) and internal methods is reviewed and analyzed, among other methods of mitigating shrinkage and cracking of concrete. The focus is on the mitigation of autogenous shrinkage of low water to binder ratio (w/b) concrete by means of internal curing. The concepts of internal curing are based on using lightweight...... aggregate, superabsorbent polymers or water-soluble chemicals, which reduce water evaporation (so called "internal sealing"). These concepts have been intensively researched in the 90s, but still are not widespread among contractors and concrete suppliers. The differences between conventional methods...

Concrete

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2015-01-01

Concrete is a component of coherent transition between a concrete base and a wooden construction. The structure is based on a quantity of investigations of the design possibilities that arise when combining digital fabrication tools and material capacities. Through tangible experiments the project...... specific for this to happen. And the knowledge and intention behind the drawing becomes specialised through the understanding of the fabrication processes and their affect on the materials.The structure Concrete is a result of a multi-angled kerf series in ash wood and a concrete base. The ash wood is cut...... using a 5-axis CNC router with a thin saw blade attached. The programming of the machining results in variations of kerfs that lets the ash wood twist into unique shapes.The shapes of the revolving ash ribbons continue into the concrete creating a cohesive shape. The form for the concrete itself is made...

Investigating porous concrete with improved strength: Testing at different scales

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Agar-Ozbek, A.S.; Weerheijm, J.; Schlangen, E.; Breugel, K. van

2013-01-01

Porous concrete incorporates a high percentage of meso-size air voids that makes its mechanical characteristics remarkably different from normal concrete. A research project was undertaken to design a special type of porous concrete, that fractures into small fragments when exposed to impact loading

Corrosion of Steel in Concrete – Thermodynamical Aspects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Küter, Andre; Møller, Per; Geiker, Mette Rica

2004-01-01

The present understanding of selected corrosion phenomena in reinforced concrete is reviewed. Special emphasis is given to chloride induced corrosion. There is a general acceptance of the basic corrosion mechanism for steel in concrete. However different anodic reactions governing the subsequent...

Assessment of hardened characteristics of raw fly ash blended self-compacting concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Mahalingam

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Fly ash is widely used as a supplementary cementitious material in concrete. Due to the implementation of new thermal power plants as a consequence of electricity demand, generation of fly ash is noticeably increased. In addition to pozzolana blended cement production, it is very imperative to use raw fly ash in concrete. Earlier research studies investigated the performance of processed fly ash in blended cement production as well as in concrete. In general, ground fly ash is used in blended cement production. A comprehensive study on the performance evaluation of raw fly ash in self-compacting concrete is not available in the existing literature. Moreover, utilization of raw fly ash in special concrete such as self-compacting concrete is essential to comprehend the performance of raw fly ash blended concrete compared to ordinary Portland concrete. Additionally, it will help to achieve maximum utilization of raw fly ash as a supplementary cementitious material rather than disposal as a waste, which eventually leads to several environmental issues. In the study, raw fly ash was collected and is directly used in development of self-compacting concrete. Two mixes were cast and hardened characteristics of blended concrete were investigated. Results from the study showed comparable performance with control concrete. Furthermore, significant reduction in chloride permeability was observed for raw fly ash blended concrete.

The influence of carbonation process on concrete bridges and durability in Estonian practice

Science.gov (United States)

Liisma, E.; Sein, S.; Järvpõld, M.

2017-10-01

Concrete as one of the most widely used construction material in building industry, has considerable implementing in bridge engineering due to its extensive number of effective technical characteristics. However, according to exploitation environment, there are substantial factors such as aggressive liquids (e.g. deiced salts, sulfates, etc), rapid temperature alterations and the increasing rate of CO2 to take into account predicting actual retained service life of concrete structure and the need of repairmen to increase the lifespan of the bridge. According to several measuring, concentration of atmospheric CO2 is reported linearly increasing and is modeled to appear as exponential increase in the next decade. This environmental influence leads to accelerated carbonation process of concrete and brings up the importance of its potential untimely degradation mechanism. Hence, the main aim of this research is to give an analyzed overview of the carbonation depths of selection of 11 concrete bridges in Estonia built in the period of 1976-2007 and their relation with compressive strength of concrete. In addition to in situ tests, laboratory research was performed to understand natural carbonation rate and compressive strength relations of concrete.

Program specialization

CERN Document Server

Marlet, Renaud

2013-01-01

This book presents the principles and techniques of program specialization - a general method to make programs faster (and possibly smaller) when some inputs can be known in advance. As an illustration, it describes the architecture of Tempo, an offline program specializer for C that can also specialize code at runtime, and provides figures for concrete applications in various domains. Technical details address issues related to program analysis precision, value reification, incomplete program specialization, strategies to exploit specialized program, incremental specialization, and data speci

Investigating the functional neuroanatomy of concrete and abstract word processing through direct electric stimulation (DES) during awake surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Orena, E F; Caldiroli, D; Acerbi, F; Barazzetta, I; Papagno, C

2018-06-05

Neuropsychological, neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies demonstrate that abstract and concrete word processing relies not only on the activity of a common bilateral network but also on dedicated networks. The neuropsychological literature has shown that a selective sparing of abstract relative to concrete words can be documented in lesions of the left anterior temporal regions. We investigated concrete and abstract word processing in 10 patients undergoing direct electrical stimulation (DES) for brain mapping during awake surgery in the left hemisphere. A lexical decision and a concreteness judgment task were added to the neuropsychological assessment during intra-operative monitoring. On the concreteness judgment, DES delivered over the inferior frontal gyrus significantly decreased abstract word accuracy while accuracy for concrete words decreased when the anterior temporal cortex was stimulated. These results are consistent with a lexical-semantic model that distinguishes between concrete and abstract words related to different neural substrates in the left hemisphere.

Concrete in dynamic tension: The fracture process

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vegt, I.

2016-01-01

Concrete is commonly used in protective and civil structures, like tunnels and storage buildings. For the design and reliable safety assessment of such structures it is very important to know the behaviour of concrete under static loading conditions as well as under impulsive loading. To understand

HECLA experiments on interaction between metallic melt and hematite-containing concrete

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sevon, Tuomo, E-mail: tuomo.sevon@vtt.f [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 VTT, Espoo (Finland); Kinnunen, Tuomo; Virta, Jouko; Holmstroem, Stefan; Kekki, Tommi; Lindholm, Ilona [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 VTT, Espoo (Finland)

2010-10-15

In a hypothetical severe accident in a nuclear power plant, molten materials may come into contact with concrete, causing concrete ablation. In five HECLA experiments the interaction between metallic melt and concrete was investigated by pouring molten stainless steel at almost 1800 {sup o}C into cylindrical concrete crucibles. The tests were transient, i.e. no decay heat simulation was used. The main objective was to test the behavior of the FeSi concrete, containing hematite (Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}) and siliceous aggregates. This special concrete type is used as a sacrificial layer in the Olkiluoto 3 EPR reactor pit, and very scarce experimental data is available about its behavior at high temperatures. It is concluded that no clear differences between the ablation of FeSi concrete and ordinary siliceous concrete were observed. The ablation depths were small, 25 mm at maximum. No dramatic effects, such as cracking of large pieces of concrete due to the thermal shock, took place. An important side result of the test series was gaining knowledge of the properties of the special concrete type. Chemical analyses were conducted and mechanical properties were measured.

Concrete Crack Identification Using a UAV Incorporating Hybrid Image Processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hyunjun; Lee, Junhwa; Ahn, Eunjong; Cho, Soojin; Shin, Myoungsu; Sim, Sung-Han

2017-09-07

Crack assessment is an essential process in the maintenance of concrete structures. In general, concrete cracks are inspected by manual visual observation of the surface, which is intrinsically subjective as it depends on the experience of inspectors. Further, it is time-consuming, expensive, and often unsafe when inaccessible structural members are to be assessed. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies combined with digital image processing have recently been applied to crack assessment to overcome the drawbacks of manual visual inspection. However, identification of crack information in terms of width and length has not been fully explored in the UAV-based applications, because of the absence of distance measurement and tailored image processing. This paper presents a crack identification strategy that combines hybrid image processing with UAV technology. Equipped with a camera, an ultrasonic displacement sensor, and a WiFi module, the system provides the image of cracks and the associated working distance from a target structure on demand. The obtained information is subsequently processed by hybrid image binarization to estimate the crack width accurately while minimizing the loss of the crack length information. The proposed system has shown to successfully measure cracks thicker than 0.1 mm with the maximum length estimation error of 7.3%.

Process of cracking in reinforced concrete beams (simulation and experiment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. N. Shardakov

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the results of experimental and theoretical investigations of the mechanisms of crack formation in reinforced concrete beams subjected to quasi-static bending. The boundary-value problem has been formulated in the framework of brittle fracture mechanics and solved using the finite-element method. Numerical simulation of the vibrations of an uncracked beam and a beam with cracks of different size serves to determine the pattern of changes in the spectrum of eigenfrequencies observed during crack evolution. A series of sequential quasi-static 4-point bend tests leading to the formation of cracks in a reinforced concrete beam were performed. At each loading step, the beam was subjected to an impulse load to induce vibrations. Two stages of cracking were detected. During the first stage the nonconservative process of deformation begins to develope, but has not visible signs. The second stage is an active cracking, which is marked by a sharp change in eingenfrequencies. The boundary of a transition from one stage to another is well registered. The vibration behavior was examined for the ordinary concrete beams and the beams strengthened with a carbon-fiber polymer. The obtained results show that the vibrodiagnostic approach is an effective tool for monitoring crack formation and assessing the quality of measures aimed at strengthening concrete structures

The potentials of porous concrete for ballistic protection

OpenAIRE

Weerheijm, J.; Roebroeks, G.; Krabbenborg, D.; Agar Ozbek, A.S.

2015-01-01

A special porous concrete has been developed by the Delft University in collaboration with TNO. The concrete has a static compressive strength of 45 MPa. It fragments at impact into small size debris relative to reference concrete. The porous concrete was developed at laboratory scale and tested at small scale. In collaboration with the Military Science faculty of NLDA a procedure was developed to upscale the production. Panels of 0.5m x 0.5m x 0.10m were produced at slightly lower strength t...

Nanotechnological applied tasks of the increase in the efficiency of the hardening processes of cement concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chernishov Evgeny Mihalovich

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The scientific basis of the solution to the applied tasks of concrete technology through the use of «nano» tools, which provide the organization of the heterogeneous process of cement hydration and hardening, has been characterized. It is shown that the introduction of nanoadditives enables the direct regulation of the processes of structure formation in cement systems at the nanolevel. The effectiveness of the use of «nano» tools has been proposed to evaluate by means of complex criteria characterizing quantitatively the change in the activation energy, the rate of the process and time of its completion τ, the size and power consumption of the technology E while ensuring quality levels specified by R. According to the criteria, the monitoring of the results of the research has been made. Moreover, the most effective nanomodifying admixtures of two types have been identified. Type I is a compound nanoadditive based on nanoparticles SiO2 in combination with a superplasticizer, which mechanism of action is associated and also characterized by the increase in specific strength per unit measure the degree of cement hydration by 1.25–1.35 times. Engineering problems have been formulated. Moreover, the solutions are indicated for increasing the energy efficiency of the factory production of reinforced concrete products and structures. These solutions predetermine the reduction in the value of the maximum temperature for the curing of concrete, the reduction of the duration of the achievement of the required degree of cement hydration while concrete hardens, the reduction of time of cement concrete hardening to reach the regulated values of its strength, the increase in concrete strength per unit of cement consumption per m3 and energy efficiency of concrete hardening process in the preparation of reinforced concrete products. with the catalytic role in the processes of phase formation of nanoparticles of hydrated compounds. Type II is a

Electrokinetic decontamination of concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lomasney, H.L.; SenGupta, A.K.; Yachmenev, V.

1996-01-01

ELECTROSORB Electrokinetic Extraction Technology, developed by ISOTRON Corp., offers a cost-effective approach to treating contaminated concrete. Heavy metals/radionuclides trapped in concrete can be extracted using this process if they are chemically solubilized; solubilizers used are citric acid alone and a mixture of citric and nitric acids. A DC electric field is applied across the contaminated concrete to electrokinetically transport the solubilized contaminants from the concrete pores to a collector on the concrete surface. The collector is an extraction pad laid on the surface. The pad provides confinement for a planar electrode and solubilizer solution; it is operated under a vacuum to hold the pad against the concrete surface. Operation requires little attendance, reducing the workers' health hazards. The process incorporates a mechanism for recycling the solubilizer solution. A field demonstration of the process took place in Building 21 of DOE's Mound facility in Miamisburg, OH, over 12 days in June 1996. The thorium species present in this building's concrete floors included ThO 2 and thorium oxalate. The nitric acid was found to facilitate Th extraction

Biological shielding design and qualification of concreting process for construction of electron beam irradiation facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petwal, V.C.; Kumar, P.; Suresh, N.; Parchani, G.; Dwivedi, J.; Thakurta, A.C.

2011-01-01

A technology demonstration facility for irradiation of food and agricultural products is being set-up by RRCAT at Indore. The facility design is based on linear electron accelerator with maximum beam power of 10 kW and can be operated either in electron mode at 10 MeV or photon modes at 5/7.5 MeV. Biological shielding has been designed in accordance with NCRP 51 to achieve dose rate at all accessible points outside the irradiation vault less than the permissible limit of 0.1 mR/hr. In addition to radiation attenuation property, concrete must have satisfactory mechanical properties to meet the structural requirements. There are number of site specific variables which affect the structural, thermal and radiological properties of concrete, leading to considerable difference in actual values and design values. Hence it is essential to establish a suitable site and environmental specific process to cast the concrete and qualify the process by experimental measurement. For process qualification we have cast concrete test blocks of different thicknesses up to 3.25 m and evaluated the radiological and mechanical properties by radiometry, ultrasonic and mechanical tests. In this paper we describe the biological shielding design of the facility and analyse the results of tests carried out for qualification of the process. (author)

Articularities of Analysis and Behaviour of Concrete Beams Reinforced with Fibrous Polymer Composite Bars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Ţăranu

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Traditional steel based reinforcement systems for concrete elements are facing with serious problems mainly caused by corrosion due to chemically aggressive environments and salts used in deicing procedures, especially in case of bridge steel reinforced concrete girders. Also in some cases special applications require structural members with magnetic transparency. An alternative to this major problem has recently become the use of fiber reinforced polymer (FPR composite bars as internal reinforcement for concrete beams. The particularities of their mechanical properties are making the design process a difficult task for engineers, numerous research centers being involved in correcting this situation. The general aspects concerning the conceiving of FR.P reinforced concrete beams are firstly analyzed, compared to those reinforced with steel bars. Some results of a Finite Element Analysis, as part of a complex program which also implies full scale testing of FRP reinforced beams subjected to bending, are given and discussed in the paper. The low elasticity modulus presented by glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP bars does not justify its use from structural point of view when deflection is the limiting condition but for corrosive resistance reasons and special electromagnetic properties this system can be promoted.

History of service life design of concrete structures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Siemes, A.J.M.

1999-01-01

After the introduction of reinforced concrete it was believed that the material was extremely durable. Soon it was found that reinforced concrete could have serious durability problems and that special care should be taken to avoid them. Durability became a design issue. Based on experience from

How Concrete is Concrete?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koeno Gravemeijer

2011-01-01

Full Text Available If we want to make something concrete in mathematics education, we are inclined introduce, what we call, ‘manipulatives’, in the form of tactile objects or visual representations. If we want to make something concrete in a everyday-life conversation, we look for an example. In the former, we try to make a concrete model of our own, abstract, knowledge; in the latter, we try to find an example that the others will be familiar with. This article first looks at the tension between these two different ways of making things concrete. Next another role of manipulatives, will be discussed, namely that of means for scaffolding and communication. In this role, manipulatives may function as means of support in a process that aims at helping students to build on their own thinking while constructing more sophisticated mathematics.Key words:  Conceret Learning Materials, School Math, Common Sense, Scaffolding, Communication DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22342/jme.2.1.780.1-14

Long-term heat storage in calcium sulfoaluminate cement (CSA) based concrete

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaufmann, Josef P.; Winnefeld, Frank [Empa Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Duebendorf (Switzerland). Lab. for Concrete and Construction Chemistry

2011-07-01

In general, the selection of materials proposed for solar heat storage is based on one of two principal processes: sensible heat storage or latent heat storage. Sensible heat storage utilizes the specific heat capacity of a material, while latent heat storage is based on the change in enthalpy (heat content) associated with a phase change of the material. Long time sensible heat storage requires excellent thermal insulation whereas latent heat storage allows permanent (seasonal) storage without significant energy losses and any special insulation. Ettringite, one of the cement hydration products, exhibits a high dehydration enthalpy. Calcium sulfoaluminate cement based concrete containing a high amount of ettringite is henceproposed as an efficient latent heat storage material. Compared to conventional heat storage materials this innovative concrete mixture has a high loss-free storage energy density (> 100-150 kWh/m{sup 3}) which is much higher than the one of paraffin or the (loss-sensitive) sensible heat of water. Like common concrete the CSA-concrete is stable and even may carry loads. The dehydration of the CSA-concrete is achieved at temperatures below 100 C. The rehydration process occurs as soon as water (liquid or vapor) is added. In contrast to paraffin, the phase change temperature is not fixed and the latent heat may be recovered at any desired temperature. Furthermore the heat conductivity of this material is high, so that the energy transfer from/to an exchange medium is easy. Additionally CSA-concrete is not flammable and absolutely safe regarding any health aspects. The cost of such CSA-concrete isin the order of normal concrete. The main application is seen in house heating systems. Solar heat, mostly generated during the summer period by means of roof collectors, can be stored in CSA-concrete until the winter. A part or even the whole annual heatingenergy may be produced and saved locally by the householder himself. Additional applications may be

Properties of concretes produced with waste concrete aggregate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Topcu, Ilker Bekir; Sengel, Selim

2004-01-01

An environmentally friendly approach to the disposal of waste materials, a difficult issue to cope with in today's world, would only be possible through a useful recycling process. For this reason, we suggest that clearing the debris from destroyed buildings in such a way as to obtain waste concrete aggregates (WCA) to be reused in concrete production could well be a partial solution to environmental pollution. For this study, the physical and mechanical properties along with their freeze-thaw durability of concrete produced with WCAs were investigated and test results presented. While experimenting with fresh and hardened concrete, mixtures containing recycled concrete aggregates in amounts of 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100% were prepared. Afterward, these mixtures underwent freeze-thaw cycles. As a result, we found out that C16-quality concrete could be produced using less then 30% C14-quality WCA. Moreover, it was observed that the unit weight, workability, and durability of the concretes produced through WCA decreased in inverse proportion to their endurance for freeze-thaw cycle

How can we make good concrete even better?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kovler, Konstantin; Jensen, Ole Mejlhede; Falikman, Vyacheslav

2005-01-01

It is known that some high-strength/high-performance concretes are prone to cracking at an early age unless special precautions are used. The paper deals with the methods of curing as one of the main strategies to provide both strength and performance. Curing by both external (conventional) and i...... of professionals who work for them. The differences between conventional methods of external curing and novel methods of internal curing are described. It is concluded that proper curing is a key factor to achieve durable concrete......It is known that some high-strength/high-performance concretes are prone to cracking at an early age unless special precautions are used. The paper deals with the methods of curing as one of the main strategies to provide both strength and performance. Curing by both external (conventional...

Suitability of geopolymeric concretes for nuclear waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ipatti, A.; Kallio, L.

1991-12-01

Concrete barriers are in essential role in most of the disposal concepts for nuclear waste. As to the binders, the used high-quality, strong and dense concretes may be based both on the present types of cements and on new types of special cements. One feasible special cement discussed in this literature report is the geopolymeric cement, which is, at its cleanest, a completely lime-free binder composed mainly of aluminium silicates. However, in 1990 the lime-free aluminium silicate cement had not yet reached the stage of development required of a widely marketed factory product. On the other hand, as an applicable product the development work started as early as in the 70s in France and in the USA has reached a blended cement consisting both of geopolymeric and Portland cements. The main advantages of the geopolymeric concrete compared to the ordinary Portland cement concrete are based on richer and stronger chemical bonds of the cement stone. The strong three-dimensional networks of bonds make the geopolymeric concrete stronger, denser and, above all, more ductile. The geopolymeric concrete is particularly suitable for hazardous waste applications, since hazardous materials have been found to be locked inside the geopolymeric networks. The properties of the geopolymeric cements and concretes and the implemented applications seem to be highly promising, but as to the nuclear waste applications there is not sufficient amount of reliable experimental information available yet. The domestic cement and concrete industry will be in key position in accumulation of information and operating experiences. (orig.)

Influence of chemical bonding of chlorides with aluminates in cement hidratation process on corrosion steel bars in concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bikić Farzet H.

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The presence of chlorides in concrete is a permanent subject of research because they cause corrosion of steel bars. Chlorides added to the concrete during preparation, as accelerators of the bonding of cement minerals process, enter into reaction with aluminates, creating a phase known as chloroaluminate hydrates. In everyday conditions the product of chemical bonding between chlorides and aluminates is usually monochloridealuminate C3A·CaCl2·Hx, better known as Friedel's salt. In this paper, the influence of chemical bonding of chlorides with aluminates during the process of cement hydration on corrosion of steel bars in concrete was investigated. The process of chlorides bonding with aluminates yielding monochloride aluminate is monitored by XRD analyses. It was found that the amount of chlorides bonding with aluminates increases with an increase of temperature, and as a result, reduces the amount of 'free' chlorides in concrete. Potentiodynamic measurements have shown that increase in temperature of the heat treatment of working electrodes by chlorides leads to a reduction of steel bars corrosion as a result of either the increase of the monochloride-aluminate content or the decrease of free chlorides amount. Chlorides bound in chloroaluminate hydrates do not cause activation of steel bars corrosion in concrete. It was also proven that the increase of free chlorides concentration in the concrete leads to intensification of steel bars corrosion. This additionally approves that free chlorides are only the activators of process of steel bars corrosion in the concrete.

Design of Normal Concrete Mixtures Using Workability-Dispersion-Cohesion Method

OpenAIRE

Qasrawi, Hisham

2016-01-01

The workability-dispersion-cohesion method is a new proposed method for the design of normal concrete mixes. The method uses special coefficients called workability-dispersion and workability-cohesion factors. These coefficients relate workability to mobility and stability of the concrete mix. The coefficients are obtained from special charts depending on mix requirements and aggregate properties. The method is practical because it covers various types of aggregates that may not be within sta...

MOBILE MORTAR CONCRETE PLANTS FOR BUILDING COMPLEX OF BELARUS: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. N. Leonovich

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The paper considers main advantages and disadvantages of mobile mortar concrete plants in comparison with stationary concrete mixing units. The main idea of the mobility is to provide quick movement. In its turn, this approach imposes some restrictions on dimensions and weights of concrete mixing equipment. However in the context of the concrete mixing equipment and construction site as whole the mobility concept is considered in the form of three components: minimum expenses on site preparation for assembly of a mortar concrete plant, transportability, reduction in installation and startand-adjustment periods. In this regard processing chain for production of concrete and mortar mixes is divided in separate complete operations. Then it is necessary to develop modules which are performing the required operations. Every module is developed in accordance with the size of a shipping container in order to make transportation convenient. Detachable connections are stipulated in the place of module linkages, electrical wiring, pipelines for supply water and chemical admixtures, pneumatics. Henceforth, these connections make it possible to reduce time for on-site assembly and disassembly of the equipment.The paper presents a mobile mortar concrete unit of block-module arrangement which has been developed within the framework of the State Scientific Research Programme at the BNTU. The unit has been manufactured using production capacities of JSC “Viprotekh” and it has been successfully introduced in production process. One of the promising directions is to use the mobile mortar concrete plants which are located and which are operating directly on construction sites. Their economic efficiency becomes higher with an increase of distance to the nearest stationary mortar concrete unit and scope of concreting works. Mobile mortar concrete plants are mainly intended for construction organizations which are realizing construction projects away from urban

Modeling and Simulation of Electromutagenic Processes for Multiscale Modification of Concrete

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Daniela S. Mainardi

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Concrete contains numerous pores that allow degradation when chloride ions migrate through these paths and make contact with the steel reinforcement in a structure. Chlorides come mainly from the sea or de-icing salts. To keep the reinforcement from being exposed to chlorides, it is possible to electrokinetically force nanoparticles into the pores, blocking access. This procedure is called electrokinetic nanoparticle treatment. When the particles used are reactive in nature, the process becomes both structural and chemical in nature. We use the term electromutagenic processing to describe such extensive electrochemical remodeling. Filling the pores in a block of concrete with solid materials or nanoparticles tends to improve the strength significantly. In this paper, results obtained from modeling and simulation were aimed at multi-scale porosity reduction of concrete. Since nanoparticles and pores were modeled with spheres and cylinders having different sizes, the results were compared with traditional sphere packing problems in mathematics. There were significant differences observed related to the sizes of spheres and allowable boundary conditions. From traditional sphere packing analysis the highest porosity reduction anticipated was 74%. In contrast, the highest pore reduction obtained in this work was approximately 50%, which matched results from actual electrokinetic nanoparticle treatments. This work also compared the analytical and simulation methods used for several sizes of nanoparticles and pores.

Prestressed and reinforced concrete containments. Analysis - design - construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schnellenbach, G.

1975-01-01

Nuclear reactors performing in the German Federal Republic to date were supplied with steel containments. The first reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete containments, respectively, are going to be used for the nuclear power plants Kalkar and Gundremmingen (KRB II) as well as for the HTR plant. Because of their function and nature of loading these structures, similarly to the prestressed concrete reactor pressure vessels, belong to the special structures of civil engineering. Yet, they are substantially different from the prestressed concrete reactor pressure vessels. The problems connected with analysis, design, and construction of these structures are new as well. (orig.) [de

Beneficial Use of Carbon Dioxide in Precast Concrete Production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shao, Yixin [McGill Univ., Montreal, QC (Canada)

2014-06-26

The feasibility of using carbon dioxide as feedstock in precast concrete production is studied. Carbon dioxide reacts with calcium compounds in concrete, producing solid calcium carbonates in binding matrix. Two typical precast products are examined for their capacity to store carbon dioxide during the production. They are concrete blocks and fiber-cement panels. The two products are currently mass produced and cured by steam. Carbon dioxide can be used to replace steam in curing process to accelerate early strength, improve the long-term durability and reduce energy and emission. For a reaction within a 24-hour process window, the theoretical maximum possible carbon uptake in concrete is found to be 29% based on cement mass in the product. To reach the maximum uptake, a special process is developed to promote the reaction efficiency to 60-80% in 4-hour carbon dioxide curing and improve the resistance to freeze-thaw cycling and sulfate ion attack. The process is also optimized to meet the project target of $10/tCO₂ in carbon utilization. By the use of self-concentrating absorption technology, high purity CO₂ can be produced at a price below $40/t. With low cost CO₂ capture and utilization technologies, it is feasible to establish a network for carbon capture and utilization at the vicinity of carbon sources. If all block produces and panel producers in United States could adopt carbon dioxide process in their production in place of steam, carbon utilization in these two markets alone could consume more than 2 Mt CO₂/year. This capture and utilization process can be extended to more precast products and will continue for years to come.

Concrete waste reduction of 50%

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vos, R.M. de; Van der Wagt, K.M.; Van der Kruk, E.; Meeussen, H.W.

2016-01-01

During decommissioning quite a volume of concrete waste is produced. The degree of activation of the waste can range from clearly activated material to slightly activated or contaminated concrete. The degree of activation influences the applicable waste management processes that can be applied. The subsequent waste management processes can be identified for concrete waste are; disposal, segregation, re-use, conditional release and release. With each of these steps, the footprint of radioactive decommissioning waste is reduced. Future developments for concrete waste reduction can be achieved by applying smart materials in new build facilities (i.e. fast decaying materials). NRG (Nuclear Research and consultancy Group) has investigated distinctive waste management processes to reduce the foot-print of concrete waste streams resulting from decommissioning. We have investigated which processes can be applied in the Netherlands, both under current legislation and with small changes in legislation. We have also investigated the separation process in more detail. Pilot tests with a newly patented process have been started in 2015. We expect that our separation methods will reduce the footprint reduction of concrete waste by approximately 50% due to release or re-use in the nuclear sector or in the conventional industry. (authors)

Mathematical modeling of vibration processes in reinforced concrete structures for setting up crack initiation monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Bykov, A. A.; Matveenko, B. P.; Serovaev, G. S.; Shardakov, I. N.; Shestakov, A. P.

2015-03-01

The contemporary construction industry is based on the use of reinforced concrete structures, but emergency situations resulting in fracture can arise in their exploitation. In a majority of cases, reinforced concrete fracture is realized as the process of crack formation and development. As a rule, the appearance of the first cracks does not lead to the complete loss of the carrying capacity but is a fracture precursor. One method for ensuring the safe operation of building structures is based on crack initiation monitoring. A vibration method for the monitoring of reinforced concrete structures is justified in this paper. An example of a reinforced concrete beam is used to consider all stages related to the analysis of the behavior of natural frequencies in the development of a crack-shaped defect and the use of the obtained numerical results for the vibration test method. The efficiency of the method is illustrated by the results of modeling of the physical part of the method related to the analysis of the natural frequency evolution as a response to the impact action in the crack development process.

Concrete decontamination: two innovative processes in response to surface or deep contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

CUER, F.; Nadai, A. de; Faure, S.

2008-01-01

To meet the future needs in the nuclear industry as regards dismantling and decommissioning, the LPAD (Laboratoire des Procedes Avances de Decontamination) develops new specific techniques to decontaminate concretes: the drying gel process adapted to surface contamination and the electrokinetics process to treat deep contamination. Indeed, because the concrete constitute a porous medium, two types of contamination can be met according to the environment to which is subjected the material. In the case of an accidental or dry contamination, radio elements do not penetrate beyond the first millimeters of the material. The contamination is then considered as surface. On the contrary, the contamination is considered as 'deep' when radioactive ions have diffused deeply under the effects of the natural diffusion. This is the case in fuel storage pond or other many nuclear infrastructures. (authors)

Sodium-concrete reactions experiments and code development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casselman, C.; Malet, J.C.; Dufresne, J.; Bolvin, M.

1988-01-01

Hypothesis of hot sodium leak in a fast breeder reactor implies, for the safety organism to consider spillage of sodium on concrete. This safety analysis involves the understanding of sodium-concrete reactions, the knowledge of their consequences and to test the choiced preventive solutions. In association with EDF, the nuclear safety department had carried out an extensive experimental program, the different parts of which are connected with each aspect of this problem: - firstly, interaction between sodium and bare surface of usual concrete; - secondly, the case of a sodium spillage on a concrete surface covered with a defected liner; - thirdly, special concrete tests for a comparison with usual concrete behavior, in direct contact with hot sodium; - at last, a test which concerns a new design with a layer of the selected concrete protected with a defected liner. On the same time, theoretical work leads to elaborate a physical model to describe temporal evolution of thermal and chemical decomposition of a concrete slab under hot sodium action. SORBET-REBUS system will use quoted above test results to its validation

Processing disaster debris liberating aggregates for structural concrete

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Wouw, P.M.F.; Florea, M.V.A.; Brouwers, H.J.H.; Schmidt, W.; Msinjili, N.S.

2016-01-01

Worldwide, the removal of debris and reconstruction is requested when natural disasters and conflicts cause damaged or collapsed buildings. The on-site recycling of concrete waste into new structural concrete decreases transport and production energy costs, reduces the utilization of raw materials,

Environmental importance, composition and properties of pervious concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Topličić-Ćurčić Gordana

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Porous or pervious concrete was in use since the 60's of the previous century. It was first used in the USA and afterwards in Europe. The environmental importance of pervious concrete can be seen through fast collection of stormwater from the pavements, parking lots and other impervious surfaces. . Special purification systems remove the detrimental matter from the collected strormwater. As such, it can be used for other purposes. The pervious concrete has little or almost no fine aggregates. Its porosity is high, and ranges between 15 and 30 % in comparison to the concrete volume. Prior to massive usage of pervious concrete, it was necessary to prove, i.e. to examine its properties in service conditions. The paper elucidates the environmental character of pervious concrete, provides its usual composition and its properties.

Self-healing of polymer modified concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abd_Elmoaty M. Abd_Elmoaty

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Self healing phenomenon of concrete has been observed in traditional, fibrous, self compacting concrete. This phenomenon occurred mainly due to the presence of unhydrated cement particles in the presence of water. Mechanism of polymer in concrete depends on creating a layer and net of polymer around cement particles which enhances the properties of polymer modified concrete. This mechanism may affect the self healing of this type of concrete. This work aims to study the presence of the self healing phenomenon in polymer modified concrete and the related parameters. An experimental investigation on self healing of polymer modified concrete was undertaken. In this research work, effect of polymer type, polymer dose, cement content, cement type, w/cm ratio and age of damage were studied. The healing process extended up to 60 days. Ultrasonic pulse velocity measurements were used to evaluate the healing process. Results indicated that, the self healing phenomenon existed in polymer modified concrete as in traditional concrete. The increase of polymer dose increases the healing degree at the same healing time. This increase depends on polymer type. Also, the decrease of w/cm ratio reduces the self healing degree while the use of Type V Portland cement improves the self healing process compared with Type I Portland cement. Cement content has an insignificant effect on healing process for both concrete with and without polymer. In addition, the increase of damage age decreases the efficiency of self healing process.

The analysis of thermoplastic characteristics of special polymer sulfur composite

Science.gov (United States)

Książek, Mariusz

2017-01-01

Specific chemical environments step out in the industry objects. Portland cement composites (concrete and mortar) were impregnated by using the special polymerized sulfur and technical soot as a filler (polymer sulfur composite). Sulfur and technical soot was applied as the industrial waste. Portland cement composites were made of the same aggregate, cement and water. The process of special polymer sulfur composite applied as the industrial waste is a thermal treatment process in the temperature of about 150-155°C. The result of such treatment is special polymer sulfur composite in a liquid state. This paper presents the plastic constants and coefficients of thermal expansion of special polymer sulfur composites, with isotropic porous matrix, reinforced by disoriented ellipsoidal inclusions with orthotropic symmetry of the thermoplastic properties. The investigations are based on the stochastic differential equations of solid mechanics. A model and algorithm for calculating the effective characteristics of special polymer sulfur composites are suggested. The effective thermoplastic characteristics of special polymer sulfur composites, with disoriented ellipsoidal inclusions, are calculated in two stages: First, the properties of materials with oriented inclusions are determined, and then effective constants of a composite with disoriented inclusions are determined on the basis of the Voigt or Rice scheme. A brief summary of new products related to special polymer sulfur composites is given as follows: Impregnation, repair, overlays and precast polymer concrete will be presented. Special polymer sulfur as polymer coating impregnation, which has received little attention in recent years, currently has some very interesting applications.

A Mesoscopic Simulation for the Early-Age Shrinkage Cracking Process of High Performance Concrete in Bridge Engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guodong Li

2017-01-01

Full Text Available On a mesoscopic level, high performance concrete (HPC was assumed to be a heterogeneous composite material consisting of aggregates, mortar, and pores. The concrete mesoscopic structure model had been established based on CT image reconstruction. By combining this model with continuum mechanics, damage mechanics, and fracture mechanics, a relatively complete system for concrete mesoscopic mechanics analysis was established to simulate the process of early-age shrinkage cracking in HPC. This process was based on the dispersion crack model. The results indicated that the interface between the aggregate and mortar was the crack point caused by shrinkage cracks in HPC. The locations of early-age shrinkage cracks in HPC were associated with the spacing and the size of the aggregate particle. However, the shrinkage deformation size of the mortar was related to the scope of concrete cracking and was independent of the crack position. Whereas lower water to cement ratios can improve the early strength of concrete, this ratio cannot control early-age shrinkage cracks in HPC.

The Mechanical Properties of Foamed Concrete containing Un-processed Blast Furnace Slag

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Awang H.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available For many years, supplementary cementation materials have been utilized as cement or filler replacements to heighten the properties of concrete. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the effects of un-processed blast furnace slag (RS on the compressive, splitting tensile and flexural strengths of foam concrete over periods of 7, 14 and 28 days. The introduction of slag to the cement begins at 30% and rises to 70% of the total content. Six mixes, which include the control mix with a similar mix ratio (1:2:0.45 and a dry density of 1300 kg/m3 is generated. Taking into consideration, from the total weight of the cementation material, 1% of super- plasticizer (PS-1 is added to the mixes with slag content. Test results revealed that the most favourable (optimum replacement level of un-processed slag in foam concrete is 30%. This represents a commercial advantage as the cement requirement is reduced from 414 Kg/m3 to 290 Kg/m3. On the 28th day, the optimum mix showed higher values than the control mix by 32% for compressive strength, 46.5% for splitting tensile strength and 61% for flexural strength.

Using natural local materials for developing special radiation shielding concretes, and deduction of its shielding characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kharita, M. H.; Takeyeddin, M.; Al-Nassar, M.; Yousef, S.

2006-06-01

Concrete is considered as the most important material to be used for radiation shielding in facilities contain radioactive sources and radiation generating machines. The concrete shielding properties may vary depending on the construction of the concrete, which is highly relative to the composing aggregates i.e. aggregates consist about 70 - 80% of the total weight of normal concrete. In this project tow types of concrete used in Syria (in Damascus and Aleppo) had been studied and their shielding properties were defined for gamma ray from Cs-137 and Co-60 sources, and for neutrons from Am-Be source. About 10% reduction in HVL was found in the comparison between the tow concrete types for both neutrons and gammas. Some other types of concrete were studied using aggregates from different regions in Syria, to improve the shielding properties of concrete, and another 10% of reduction was achieved in comparison with Damascene concrete (20% in comparison with the concrete from Aleppo) for both neutrons and gamma rays. (author)

Research on the Properties of the Waste Glass Concrete Composite Foundation

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Shilong; Chen, Kaihui; Chen, Zhongliang

2018-02-01

The composite foundation of glass concrete can not only reuse the large number of waste glass, but also improve the bearing capacity of weak foundation and soil with special properties. In this paper, the engineering properties of glass concrete composite foundation are studied based on the development situation of glass concrete and the technology of composite foundation.

Material law for concrete under multiaxial stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geistefeldt, H.

1977-01-01

In this paper a general triaxial set of finite strain-stress relations is derived, which can include a step-by-step way nearly all known factors and curves of material response. The finite constitutive equations representing the behaviour of concrete are related to the main strain-directions. The elastic part, the functions for uniaxial behaviour, those for biaxial response and finally the relation-parts, nonzero only in triaxial stress-state, can be reset separately by suitable functions which have been adjusted to the material response of actual concrete known from special tests. With a new and very short biaxial failure criterion for concrete, which has been stated and compared with test results, the analytic description of the biaxial behaviour of Kupfer's concrete is completed. With some additional assumptions the proposed failure criteria and the strain-stress equations for concrete are extended to the biaxial response of uncracked orthogonally reinforced concrete response. (Auth.)

Application of microorganisms in concrete: a promising sustainable strategy to improve concrete durability.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jianyun; Ersan, Yusuf Cagatay; Boon, Nico; De Belie, Nele

2016-04-01

The beneficial effect of microbially induced carbonate precipitation on building materials has been gradually disclosed in the last decade. After the first applications of on historical stones, promising results were obtained with the respect of improved durability. An extensive study then followed on the application of this environmentally friendly and compatible material on a currently widely used construction material, concrete. This review is focused on the discussion of the impact of the two main applications, bacterial surface treatment and bacteria based crack repair, on concrete durability. Special attention was paid to the choice of suitable bacteria and the metabolic pathway aiming at their functionality in concrete environment. Interactions between bacterial cells and cementitious matrix were also elaborated. Furthermore, recommendations to improve the effectiveness of bacterial treatment are provided. Limitations of current studies, updated applications and future application perspectives are shortly outlined.

Specialization Patterns

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schultz, Ulrik Pagh; Lawall, Julia Laetitia; Consel, Charles

2000-01-01

Design patterns offer many advantages for software development, but can introduce inefficiency into the final program. Program specialization can eliminate such overheads, but is most effective when targeted by the user to specific bottlenecks. Consequently, we propose that these concepts...... are complementary. Program specialization can optimize programs written using design patterns, and design patterns provide information about the program structure that can guide specialization. Concretely, we propose specialization patterns, which describe how to apply program specialization to optimize uses...... of design patterns. In this paper, we analyze the specialization opportunities provided by specific uses of design patterns. Based on the analysis of each design pattern, we define the associated specialization pattern. These specialization opportunities can be declared using the specialization classes...

ANALYSIS AND APPLICATION PROSPECTS OF EFFECTIVE RESOURCES-SAVING TECHNOLOGIES IN CONCRETE MANUFACTURE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. P. Ivanova

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose. Prospectivity assessments of the nano-materials usage in construction technologies at the same time meeting the requirements of environmental safety and rational use of the natural resources. Methodology. During the study the building composites, in particular concretes, which are obtained on the base of the raw materials, which are introduced in the array of micro- and nanolevels were researched and analyzed. The deformation and deterioration processes of nanostructured concrete depending on their composition and manufacture parameters were simulated. Findings. Concrete manufacture is in the direct dependence on its components. Due to the extraction and processing of these components land degradation occurs because of soil destruction with oversize pits, which threatens the ecology of the environment. In this connection there is a need for another concept of building materials receiving for concrete manufacture. The new branch of science based on nanotechnologies, nanomaterials and nanostructuring is a key to its foundation. The special features of nanostructured concretes are the nanoagents in their composition (carbon nanotubes, mechanoactivated slags of blast furnace production. The study of deformation patterns and concrete deterioration based on the mechanoactivated material will purposefully affect the structure, physical and chemical properties, as well as the mechanical and deformational ones. Originality. The researches have shown that nano-structured concrete had high fluidity. The strength of such compositions is enhanced up to 13 % without reduction of concrete consumption and up to 8.8% at 10% reduced concrete consumption. Practical value. The application of the structured concretes based on the mechanoactivated material will increase the efficiency of the industrial wastes recycling and improve the physical, mechanical and technological properties of the produced composites. From the standpoint of the economic benefits

Concrete portable handbook

CERN Document Server

Woodson, R Dodge

2011-01-01

Whether or not, you are on the job site or back in the office, this book will help you to avoid mistakes, code violations, and wasted time and money. The book's four part treatment begins with constituent materials followed by self contained parts on Concrete Properties, Processes, and Concrete Repair and Rehabilitation. Designed to be an ""all in one"" reference, the author includes a wealth information for the most popular types of testing. This includes: Analysis of Fresh Concrete; Testing Machines; Accelerated Testing Methods; Analysis of Hardened Concrete and Mortar; Core Sampl

Availability of special local rock materials for using in radiation shielding concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rammah, S.; Al-Hent, R.; Aissa, M.; Yousef, S.

2003-11-01

Concrete is an excellent and versatile material for using in radiation shielding of nuclear power plants, hot cells and medical facilities that deal with ionizing radiations, Because it is easy controlled with composition and density by using aggregates with high specific gravity such as Barite, Hematite, Magnetite, or minerals with high hydrogen content such as Serpentine. This research offered the essential information about local resources rocks and minerals can be used in this inclination, as aggregates for heavy/high hydrion concrete. The present work indicates that iron ores, which located in RAJO-EFREEN is better than other locations like ANTI-LEBANON or AL-KADMOUS. While the heavy beach sands in AL-BASSIT are the best compared with other locations on the Syrian seaside, because it has acceptable percentage of heavy mineral. Barite concretions were found in KALAMON, HOMS and other sites, which its percentages approach 50%, but however in small quantities. Finally, high hydrion concrete can be used by Serpentinite were found with high Serpentine percentage in BAYER and BASSIT blocks. (author)

7 CFR 1900.156 - Special handling-processing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 12 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Special handling-processing. 1900.156 Section 1900... BUSINESS-COOPERATIVE SERVICE, RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE, AND FARM SERVICE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE... Assistance to Employees, Relatives, and Associates § 1900.156 Special handling—processing. (a) [Reserved] (b...

Relating Fresh Concrete Viscosity Measurements from Different Rheometers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferraris, Chiara F; Martys, Nicos S

2003-01-01

Concrete rheological properties need to be properly measured and predicted in order to characterize the workability of fresh concrete, including special concretes such as self-consolidating concrete (SCC). It was shown by a round-robin test held in 2000 [1,2] that different rheometer designs gave different values of viscosity for the same concrete. While empirical correlation between different rheometers was possible, for a procedure that is supposed to "scientifically" improve on the empirical slump tests, this situation is unsatisfactory. To remedy this situation, a new interpretation of the data was developed. In this paper, it is shown that all instruments tested could be directly and quantitatively compared in terms of relative plastic viscosity instead of the plastic viscosity alone. This should eventually allow the measurements from various rheometer designs to be directly calibrated against known standards of plastic viscosity, putting concrete rheometry and concrete workability on a sounder materials science basis.

Serpentine concrete in the experiment and application of Tianwan nuclear power station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Kaihua; Qian Fuhua

2015-01-01

The choice of the configuration of the serpentine concrete aggregate is very important. From selection of serpentine concrete raw materials, and test and adjustment of mixture ratio, the paper elaborates in detail the special physical properties and engineering application, and provides detailed information for the promotion and application of the serpentine concrete. (authors)

CONCRETE MIX DESIGN FOR STRUCTURES SUBJECTED TO EXPOSURE CLASS XC1 DEPENDING ON CONCRETE COVER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Yu. Cherniakevich

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The reinforced steel corrosion which is the most important problem of reinforced concrete structures durability is generally stipulated for carbonization of concrete surrounding it. Concrete cover calculation at the design stage is predicated one because of the differences in manufacturing conditions and use of constructions. The applying of the probabilistic approaches to the carbonation process modeling allows to get predicated grade of the depth of carbonization of concrete and, thus, to settle minimum concrete cover thickness for a given projected service life of a construction. The procedures for concrete mix design for different strength classes of concrete are described in the article. Current recommendations on assignment of concrete strength class as well as concrete cover are presented. The European Standard EN 206:2013 defines the content requirements for the concrete structures operated in the exposure class XC1, including the minimum values of water-cement ratio, minimum cement content, and minimum strength class of concrete. Since the standard does not include any basis or explanations of the requirements, we made an effort to develop a scientific justification for the mentioned requirements. We developed the probabilistic models for the process of carbonation of concrete based on the concrete mix which was designed using the software VTK-Korroziya. The reinforced concrete structures with concrete cover 20–35 mm operated in the most unfavorable conditions within the exposure class XC1 were analyzed. The corresponding probabilistic calculations of the depth of carbonated concrete are described in the article. 

Effect of Fly Ash Fortification in the Manufacture Process of Making Concrete towards Characteristics of Concrete in Sulfuric Acid Solution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asep Handaya Saputra

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Fly ash is a silica or alumino silica material that can be used as a constituent of cement in the concrete manufacturing process. Utilization of fly ash aims to improve durability and minimize the reduction of concrete’s compressive strength exposed to an acidic environment, which can be achieved through the pozzolanic reaction of fly ash with Ca(OH within concrete. The reduced content of Ca(OH through pozzolanic reaction will minimize the tendency of ettringite formation (compounds that cause deterioration and decrease the compressive strength of concrete. In order to determine the relation between fly ash replenishment into concrete with concrete’s characteristics (compressive strength and durability under acidic environment, the research is conducted by varying the fly ash composition ranging from 0%, 5%, 25%, 50%, up to 75%, and the concentration of H22SO solution as an immersion medium ranging from 0%, 5%, 10%, up to 15% (v/v. The research is carried out by immersing the concrete samples for 4 days in H4 solution with various concentrations. Characterization of concrete’s durability and compressive strength is reviewed from the concrete’s weight loss percentage and reduction of concrete’s compressive strength percentage after immersion. Based on the research results, for each variation of H2SO concentration used, the minimum concrete’s weight loss percentage (maximum durability and the minimum reduction of concrete’s compressive strength percentage is found in the use of fly ash by 75%. For each concentration variations of H42SO solution as an immersion medium ranging from 5%, 10%, up to 15% (v/v, the minimum concrete’s weight loss percentage was 0.47%, 0.87%, 1.28% (respectively, whilst the minimum reduction of concrete’s compressive strength percentage was 5.71%, 14.29%, 17.14% (respectively. It was concluded that the use of fly ash can improve the durability and minimize the reduction of compressive strength of concrete

STRESSES IN CEMENT-CONCRETE PAVEMENT SURFACING CAUSED BY THERMAL SHOCK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. K. Pshembaev

2016-01-01

Full Text Available It is necessary to mention specially so-called thermal shock among various impacts on highway surface. Ice layer is formed on a concrete surface during the winter period of pavement surfacing operation. Sodium chloride which lowers temperature of water-ice transition temperature and causes ice thawing at negative temperature is usually used to remove ice from the pavement surface. Consequently, temperature in the concrete laying immediately under a thawing ice layer is coming down with a run that leads to significant stresses. Such phenomenon is known as a thermal shock with a meaning of local significant change in temperature. This process is under investigation, it has practical importance for an estimation of strength and longevity of a cement-concrete pavement surfacing and consequently it is considered as rather topical issue. The purpose of investigations is to develop a mathematical model and determination of shock blow permissible gradients for a cementconcrete road covering. Finite difference method has been used in order to determine stressed and deformed condition of the cement-concrete pavement surfacing of highways. A computer program has been compiled and it permits to carry out calculation of a road covering at various laws of temperature distribution in its depth. Regularities in distribution of deformation and stresses in the cement-concrete pavement surfacing of highways at thermal shock have been obtained in the paper. A permissible parameter of temperature distribution in pavement surfacing thickness has been determined in the paper. A strength criterion based on the process of micro-crack formation and development in concrete has been used for making calculations. It has been established that the thermal shock causes significant temperature gradients on the cement-concrete surfacing that lead to rather large normal stresses in the concrete surface layer. The possibility of micro-crack formation in a road covering is

Let’s Get Concrete!

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jones, Candace; Boxenbaum, Eva

whereas in the United States market and professional logics interacted: manufacturers cooperated to create standards for concrete and appealed to architects as consumers. Our findings also illuminate that concrete was legitimated initially by imitation of stone, but this strategy soon de......-legitimated not only concrete but also stone. Concrete was perceived as merely imitative and thus inauthentic. For concrete to become a legitimate and widely adopted material, architects had to theorize concrete as unique material with distinctive aesthetic possibilities, which led to new kinds of buildings and new...... architectural styles. Our study illuminates the key role that materials and aesthetics played within architects’ professional logic and shaped processes of institutional change....

Self-compacting geopolymer concrete-a review

Science.gov (United States)

Ukesh Praveen, P.; Srinivasan, K.

2017-11-01

In this construction world, Geopolymer concrete is a special concrete which doesn’t requires the Ordinary Portland Cement and also reduces the emission of carbon-dioxide. The Geopolymer Concrete is made up of industrial by-products (which contains more Silica and Alumina) and activated with the help of Alkaline solution (combination of sodium hydroxide & sodium silicate or potassium hydroxide & potassium silicate). The high viscosity nature of Geopolymer Concrete had the ability to fail due to lack of compaction. In improvising the issue, Self Compacting Geopolymer Concrete has been introduced. The SCGC doesn’t require any additional compaction it will flow and compacted by its own weight. This concrete is made up of industrial by-products like Fly ash, GGBFS and Silica Fume and activated with alkaline solution. The earlier research was mostly on Fly ash based SCGC. In few research works Fly ash was partially replaced with GGBS and Silica Fume. They evaluated the compressive strength of concrete with varying molarities of NaOH; curing time and curing temperature. The flexural behaviour of the concrete also examined. The Fly ash based SCGC was got high compressive strength in heat curing as well as low compressive strength in ambient curing. The presence of GGBS improves the strength in ambient curing. For aiming the high strength in ambient curing Fly ash will be completely replace and examine with different mineral admixtures.

Numerical modeling of hydration process and temperature evolution in early age concrete

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Caggiano, A.; Pepe, M.; Koenders, E.A.B.; Martinelli, E.; Etse, G.J.

2012-01-01

Heat production induced by the hydration reaction and the resulting temperature evolution in the early phases of setting and hardening processes are critical phenomena, often leading to premature cracking of concrete members. However, the interest for simulating such phenomena is also related to the

A process for separating aggregate from concrete waste during the dismantlement of nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koga, Yasuo; Inoue, Toshikatsu; Tateyashiki, Hisashi; Sukekiyo, Mitsuaki; Okamoto, Masamichi; Asano, Touichi.

1997-01-01

The decommissioning and dismantling of nuclear power plants will produce a large quantity of non-active waste concrete. From the viewpoint of recycling of this waste concrete the recovery of aggregate contained in concrete at 80% and reuse of it into a new plant construction are envisioned. For these purposes we have studied the recovery process of aggregate from concrete composed of a heating step followed by a milling step onto waste concrete blocks. We have found that higher operation temperature brings a better effect for the separation of aggregate from a concrete body, however too high temperature may reversely degrade a quality of recovered aggregate itself. The most effective heating temperature which is considered not to give the damage to a quality of aggregate stays between 200-500degC. The effect of a duration at such temperature zone is relatively small. As a conclusion we have found that 300degC of heating temperature and 30-120 minutes of a duration in a rod mill with high efficiency of rubbing work for getting coarse aggregate and an agitate mill for fine aggregate might be proper operating conditions under which we can recover both coarse and fine aggregate with the quality within JASS 5N standard. (author)

Evolution of sorption properties in large-scale concrete structures accounting for long-term physical-chemical concrete degradation - 59297

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perko, Janez; Jacques, Diederik; Mallants, Dirk; Seetharam, Suresh

2012-01-01

Long-term safety of radioactive waste disposal facilities relies on the longevity of natural or engineered barriers designed to minimize the migration of contaminants from the facility into the environment. Especially near surface disposal facilities, such as planned by ONDRAF/NIRAS for the Dessel site in Belgium, long-term safety relies almost exclusively on the containment ability of the engineered barriers (EB) with concrete being the most important EB material used. Concrete is preferred over other materials mainly due to its favourable chemical properties resulting in a high chemical retention capacity, and owing to its good hydraulic isolation properties. However, due to the long time frames typically involved in safety assessment, the chemical, physical and mechanical properties of concrete evolve in time. The alterations in concrete mineralogy also cause changes in pH and sorption behaviour for many radionuclides during chemical degradation processes. Application of dynamic sorption of concrete requires an adequate knowledge of long-term concrete degradation processes, knowledge of the effect of changing mineralogy to sorption of radionuclides and knowledge of large-scale system behaviour over time. Moreover, when applied to safety assessment models, special attention is required to assure robustness and transparency of the implementation. The discussion in this paper focuses on the sorption properties of concrete; selection of data, rescaling issues and on the hypotheses used to build a robust and yet transparent dynamic model for large-scale concrete structures for assessing the long-term performance. In this paper we summarize the steps required for the appropriate use of sorption values for large-scale cementitious components accounting for long-term concrete degradation in safety assessment studies. Four steps were recognized through the safety assessment in the framework of the license application for the near-surface disposal facility in Dessel

Concrete Waste as a Cement Replacement Material in Concrete Blocks for Optimization of Thermal and Mechanical Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosman M.S.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The sustainability of the natural environment and eco-systems is of great importance. Waste generated from construction forces mankind to find new dumping grounds and at the same time, more natural resources are required for use as construction materials. In order to overcome this problem, this study was conducted to investigate the use of concrete waste in concrete blocks with a special focus on the thermal and mechanical properties of the resulting products. Three varieties of concrete mixtures were prepared, whereby they each contained different amounts of concrete waste of 0%, 5% and 15%, respectively. These mixtures were formed into cube specimens and were then analysed for data on their compressive strength, density and ultrasonic pulse. Thermal investigations were carried out on each admixture as well as on a control concrete block of model design. The thermal data results indicated that the 15% concrete waste mixture had the lowest temperature in comparison to the surrounding air. For density and compressive strength, the highest readings came from the control mixture at 2390 kg/m3 and 40.69 N/mm2, respectively, at 28 days. In terms of pulse velocity, the 5% concrete waste mixture indicated medium quality results of 4016 m/s.

Overview of the development of service life design for concrete structures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Siemes, A.J.M.

2002-01-01

After the introduction of reinforced concrete it was believed that the material was extremely durable. Soon it was found that reinforced concrete could have serious durability problems and that special care should be taken to avoid them. Durability became a design issue.

Monitoring the corrosion process of reinforced concrete using BOTDA and FBG sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Jianghong; Chen, Jiayun; Cui, Lei; Jin, Weiliang; Xu, Chen; He, Yong

2015-04-15

Expansion and cracking induced by the corrosion of reinforcement concrete is the major factor in the failure of concrete durability. Therefore, monitoring of concrete cracking is critical for evaluating the safety of concrete structures. In this paper, we introduce a novel monitoring method combining Brillouin optical time domain analysis (BOTDA) and fiber Bragg grating (FBG), based on mechanical principles of concrete expansion cracking. BOTDA monitors concrete expansion and crack width, while FBG identifies the time and position of cracking. A water-pressure loading simulation test was carried out to determine the relationship between fiber strain, concrete expansion and crack width. An electrical accelerated corrosion test was also conducted to evaluate the ability of this novel sensor to monitor concrete cracking under practical conditions.

Self-Compacting Concrete in Precast Elements Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Corneliu Bob

2005-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper the authors present information about the Self-Compacting Concrete and experimental results regarding the use of them into precast element industry. This type of concrete does not require vibration for placing and compaction; it is able to flow under its own weight, completely filling formwork and achieving full compaction, even in the presence of congested reinforcement. The experimental programme has take into account two prestressed beams which were prefabricated and tested on a special stands. The beams of Self-Compacting Concrete with the length of 24 m were prepared at „Beton-Star” Kft, Kecsekenet, Hungary, and used at the CASCO, Satu-Mare.

Influence of metakaolin on chemical resistance of concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mlinárik, L; Kopecskó, K

2013-01-01

Nowadays the most suitable and widely used construction material is concrete. We could develop concrete for every request in connection with the properties of fresh concrete and the quality of hardened concrete, too. The demand is rising in application of special concretes, like high performance and ultra high performance concretes (HPC, UHPC). These are usable in extreme natural circumstances or in very corrosive surroundings (for example: sewage farm, sewer, cooling tower, biogas factories). The pH value of the commercial sewage is between 7–8, but this value is often around 4 or less. The concrete pipes, which transport the sewage, are under corrosion, because above the liquid level sulphuric acid occurs due to microbes. Acidic surroundings could start the corrosion of concrete. When the pH value reduces, the influence of the acids will increase. The most significant influence has the sulphuric acid. The pH value of sulphuric acid is about 1, or less. Earlier in the cooling towers of coal thermal power stations used special coating on the concrete wall. Recently application of high performance concrete without polymeric coating is more general. Cementitious supplementary materials are widely used to protect the concrete from these corrosive surroundings. Usually used cementitious supplementary materials are ground granulated blastfurnace slag (GGBS), flying ash (FA) or silica fume (SF). In the last years there has been a growing interest in the application of metakaolin. Metakaolin is made by heat treatment, calcinations of a natural clay mineral, kaolinite. In our present research the chemical resistance of mortars in different corrosive surroundings (pH=1 sulphuric acid; pH=3 acetic acid) and the chloride ion migration were studied on series of mortar samples using rapid chloride migration test. Cement paste and mortar samples were made with 17% metakaolin replacement or without metakaolin. The following cements were used: CEM II/A-S 42.5 N, CEM I 42.5 N

Survey of Experience Using Reinforced Concrete in Floating Marine Structures.

Science.gov (United States)

1983-01-01

analyzed in several steps. The load history can be simulated by .. using load increments and independent load vectors . 4.31 NTH is not only active in...NILSEN, N., " FEILD TEST OF REINFORCEMENT CORROSION IN CONCRETE", PERFORMANCE OF CONCRETE IN MARINE ENVIRONMENT, ACI SPECIAL PUBLICATION SP-65, 1980. 136

DETERMINATION OF ADHESIVE STRENGTH LAYER’S ROLLER COMPACTED CONCRETE THE METHOD AXIAL EXTENSION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tang Van Lam

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Roller compacted concrete for the construction of hydraulic and hydroelectric buildings is a composite material, which consists of a binder, fine aggregate (sand, coarse aggregate (gravel or crushed stone, water and special additives that provide the desired concrete workability and impart the required concrete performance properties. Concrete mixture is prepared at from concrete mixing plants strictly metered quantities of cement, water, additives and graded aggregates, whereupon they are delivered to the site laying Mixer Truck and sealing layers with each stack layer. The advantages of roller compaction technology should include the reduction of construction time, which allows fast commissioning construction projects, as well as reduce the amount of investment required. One of the main problems encountered in the process of roller compaction of the concrete mix is the need to provide the required adhesion strength between layers of concrete. This paper presents a method for determining the strength of adhesion between the concrete layers of different ages roller compacted concrete using axial tension. This method makes it possible to obtain objective and accurate results with a total thickness of layers of compacted concrete of up to 300…400 mm. Results from this method, studies have shown that the value of strength between the concrete layers in addition to the composition of the concrete and adhesion depends on the quality and the parallel end surfaces of the cylinder-models, which are mounted steel plates for axial tension, as well as the state of the contact surfaces of the concrete layer. The method can be used to determine the strength of interlayer adhesion in roller compacted concrete, which are used in the construction of dams and other hydraulic structures.

RESEARCH OF THE STRESS STATE OF A MODIFIED IN-SITU CONCRETE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. V. Rudenko

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The article focuses on investigation of the stress state of a modified in-situ concrete of natural hardening. Methodology. To achieve the aim, the research of the microstructure of the modified cement matrix of concrete, as well as the mechanism of structure formation of modified concrete with natural hardening was conducted; the methods for reliable evaluation of concrete strength were defined. Findings. The development of internal stresses affects the properties of concretedifferently. With an increase in temperature-shrinkage deformations in time and, thus, with increasing structural stresses in the cement sheath around the grains of the filler two opposite processes may develop: zone of plastic flow or cracking. Originality. It was established that the structural features complex of the modified concrete when the load transfer leads to the formation of extensive zones of prefracture which is able to absorb a significant amount of elastic strain energy that provides the design deformation properties of the concrete for special purposes. Ideas about the definition of the criteria of cracking modified concrete, hardening under natural conditions had further development. Practical value. The resulting equations allow to solve the problem about the minimum level of structural stress in monolithic concrete in a saturated large placeholder, as well as to assess the influence of structural stresses on the properties of concrete. In normal concrete with a relatively thin cement sheath at temperature-shrinkage deformations, high tangential and low radial tension occur. In vivo, this stress is higher as a result of higher values of Δε(τ, which is not observed in the modified concrete. In the modified concretes only tangential stresses are the greatest danger to structures. The change of shrinkage stress with time is straightforward. The total temperature-shrinkage deformations have a sawtooth graph. For modified concrete the amplitude is 48

Concrete works for Hamaoka No. 1 nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horiuchi, Minoru; Sugihara, Kazuo; Iwasawa, Jiro.

1975-01-01

Various aspects of concrete works performed for the reactor building of Hamaoka No.1 plant are reviewed. Control building and waste disposal building were all together combined with the reactor building in order to improve safety against earthquakes. Special consideration was given for the quality control of concrete works by establishing quality control committee, making quality control manual and by performing daily examination and monthly report. The quality and various materials of concrete used are described. The composition of concrete used for various parts of the building is also listed. Detailed description is made regarding the concrete placing for foundation mat, under a containment vessel, and the construction of air gaps and the placing of shielding concrete around the containment vessel. Curves representing the temperature history of concrete at various points are presented. As for testing, the items of test, methods of measurement, and the results of these test and measurement are presented in detail. (Aoki, K.)

Reduced labor and condensed schedules with cellular concrete solutions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lavis, D. [CEMATRIX Inc., Calgary, AB (Canada)

2008-07-01

This paper discussed the use of cellular concrete materials in oil sands tank base foundation systems, shallow buried utility insulation systems, roadways, slabs, and buried modules. The concrete is formed from Portland cement, water, specialized pre-formed foaming agents, and air mixed in controlled proportions. Fly ash and polypropylene or glass fibers can also be used as additions. Cellular concrete can often be used to speed up construction and minimize labour requirements. Cellular concrete can be cast-in-place, and has soil-stabilizing and self-compacting features. The concrete can be produced and placed on-site at rates exceeding 120 cubic meters per hour. Cellular concrete can be pumped into place over long distances through flexible hoses. A case study comparing the cellular concrete to traditional plastic foam insulation was used to demonstrate the equivalency and adequacy of insulation, structural properties and installation costs. The study showed that although the cellular concrete had a high installation cost, greater compressive strength was gained. The concrete was self-levelling and did not require compaction or vibration. The use of the cellular concrete resulted in an accelerated construction schedule. 6 refs., 2 tabs., 6 figs.

Steel-concrete bond model for the simulation of reinforced concrete structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mang, Chetra

2015-01-01

Reinforced concrete structure behavior can be extremely complex in the case of exceeding the cracking threshold. The composite characteristics of reinforced concrete structure should be finely presented especially in the distribution stress zone between steel-concrete at their interface. In order to compute the industrial structures, a perfect relation hypothesis between steel and concrete is supposed in which the complex phenomenon of the two-material relation is not taken into account. On the other hand, this perfect relation is unable to predict the significant disorders, the repartition, and the distribution of the cracks, which is directly linked to the steel. In literature, several numerical methods are proposed in order to finely study the concrete-steel bond behavior, but these methods give many difficulties in computing complex structures in 3D. With the results obtained in the thesis framework of Torre-Casanova (2012), the new concrete-steel bond model has been developed to improve performances (iteration numbers and computational time) and the representation (cyclic behavior) of the initial one. The new model has been verified with analytical solution of steel-concrete tie and validated with the experimental results. The new model is equally tested with the structural scale to compute the shear wall behavior in the French national project (CEOS.fr) under monotonic load. Because of the numerical difficulty in post-processing the crack opening in the complex crack formation, a new crack opening method is also developed. This method consists of using the discontinuity of relative displacement to detect the crack position or using the slip sign change between concrete-steel. The simulation-experiment comparison gives validation of not only the new concrete-steel bond model but also the new crack post-processing method. Finally, the cyclic behavior of the bond law with the non-reduced envelope is adopted and integrated in the new bond model in order to take

The Effect Of Water/powder Material Ratio And Fiber Strength On The Mechanical Properties Of Fiber Reinforced Self-compacting Concrete

OpenAIRE

Dinç, Alihan

2007-01-01

Apart from the normal concrete to fulfill the necessities, specially designed high performance concrete has started to find a place for use towards special application purposes. Performance does not only mean increase in strength rather it also encompasses the quality of preserving the strength and other functions under external effects during the service life of the structure. High performance concrete can be defined as a concrete with high workability, durability and strength along with pre...

Historic Concrete : From Concrete Repair to Concrete Conservation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heinemann, H.A.

2013-01-01

Concrete like materials were already applied during the Roman Empire. After the decline of the Roman Empire, a wide scale application of concrete only reappeared in the 19th century. Here lies also the origin of modern (reinforced) concrete. Since then, both concrete application and composition have

Long-term analysis of slender concrete structures with cracking

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chern, J.C.; Marchertas, A.H.

1985-01-01

A special form of the finite element program, which is based on the equilibrium of forces in various cross sections of the beam together with the principle of virtual work, is presented for solving concrete beam problems. This analytical method uses the newly developed rheological element and exponential algorithm for computing time-dependent deformation and stress distribution in cracked concrete members subjected to sustained loads, temperature, or drying. Temperature and moisture effects on hydration (aging) and creep rate are included. The rate effects of temperature and moisture on the deformation of concrete are also taken into account in the formulation. Numerical examples are used to illustrate the validity of the analysis on concrete beams. Plain and reinforced concrete beams subjected to bending, heating or drying are analyzed and checked against experimental data

Cylindrical prestressed concrete pressure vessel for a nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horner, M.; Hodzic, A.; Haferkamp, D.

1976-01-01

A prestressed concrete pressure vessel for a HTGR is proposed which encloses, in addition to the reactor core, not only the heat-exchanging facilities but also the turbine unit. The reinforcement of the cylindrical concrete body is to be carried out with special care, it is provided for horizontal tendons, the prestressed concrete pressure vessel has a wire-winding device, while the longitudinal reinforcement is achieved by tendous guided in parallel to the vesses axes through the interspaces between the pods. (UWI) [de

Processing of visual semantic information to concrete words: temporal dynamics and neural mechanisms indicated by event-related brain potentials( ).

Science.gov (United States)

van Schie, Hein T; Wijers, Albertus A; Mars, Rogier B; Benjamins, Jeroen S; Stowe, Laurie A

2005-05-01

Event-related brain potentials were used to study the retrieval of visual semantic information to concrete words, and to investigate possible structural overlap between visual object working memory and concreteness effects in word processing. Subjects performed an object working memory task that involved 5 s retention of simple 4-angled polygons (load 1), complex 10-angled polygons (load 2), and a no-load baseline condition. During the polygon retention interval subjects were presented with a lexical decision task to auditory presented concrete (imageable) and abstract (nonimageable) words, and pseudowords. ERP results are consistent with the use of object working memory for the visualisation of concrete words. Our data indicate a two-step processing model of visual semantics in which visual descriptive information of concrete words is first encoded in semantic memory (indicated by an anterior N400 and posterior occipital positivity), and is subsequently visualised via the network for object working memory (reflected by a left frontal positive slow wave and a bilateral occipital slow wave negativity). Results are discussed in the light of contemporary models of semantic memory.

Vocal reaction times to unilaterally presented concrete and abstract words: towards a theory of differential right hemispheric semantic processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Rastatter, M; Dell, C W; McGuire, R A; Loren, C

1987-03-01

Previous studies investigating hemispheric organization for processing concrete and abstract nouns have provided conflicting results. Using manual reaction time tasks some studies have shown that the right hemisphere is capable of analyzing concrete words but not abstract. Others, however, have inferred that the left hemisphere is the sole analyzer of both types of lexicon. The present study tested these issues further by measuring vocal reaction times of normal subjects to unilaterally presented concrete and abstract items. Results were consistent with a model of functional localization which suggests that the minor hemisphere is capable of differentially processing both types of lexicon in the presence of a dominant left hemisphere.

Stainless steel reinforcement for durability in concrete structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cochrane, D.J.

1998-01-01

Stainless steels and concrete are materials which the nuclear industry, more than any other, has given special attention to over the years. It is the intention of this paper to inform congress about developments outside the nuclear industry, in the use of stainless steel as reinforcement (rebar) in concrete structures. It is left to individual engineers within the industry to assess the implications of this information to applications with which they will be familiar. (author)

Evaluation of nuclear power plant concrete to maintain continued service

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McColm, E.J.; Mukherjee, P.K.; Sato, J.A.

1997-01-01

Nuclear power plant concrete structures in addition to satisfying structural requirements are a major part of the safety and containment systems. As a result, the structures are required to operate satisfactorily for the life of the plant and until well after decommissioning. Successful life management requires an understanding of potential degradation mechanisms that can impact on the performance of these structures, regular well planned inspection programs and the use of specialized repair and maintenance programs. These aspects of nuclear life management are discussed with an example of inspection and repair conducted at one of Ontario Hydro's nuclear generating stations. The example is discussed in terms of the performance requirements of the containment concrete. The plant referred to has been in operation for over 20 years, making it currently the oldest operating commercial nuclear power plant in Ontario, Canada. The information on the concrete containment structures included baseline construction data on the concrete material properties and the results of periodic scheduled and other interim specialized inspections. Also available were the results of laboratory testing of concrete cores obtained from the structures. The data from these inspections and laboratory testing were used to monitor the aging characteristics of the structures and to plan appropriate repair activities. (author)

Mechanical properties of concrete containing recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) and ceramic waste as coarse aggregate replacement

Science.gov (United States)

Khalid, Faisal Sheikh; Azmi, Nurul Bazilah; Sumandi, Khairul Azwa Syafiq Mohd; Mazenan, Puteri Natasya

2017-10-01

Many construction and development activities today consume large amounts of concrete. The amount of construction waste is also increasing because of the demolition process. Much of this waste can be recycled to produce new products and increase the sustainability of construction projects. As recyclable construction wastes, concrete and ceramic can replace the natural aggregate in concrete because of their hard and strong physical properties. This research used 25%, 35%, and 45% recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) and ceramic waste as coarse aggregate in producing concrete. Several tests, such as concrete cube compression and splitting tensile tests, were also performed to determine and compare the mechanical properties of the recycled concrete with those of the normal concrete that contains 100% natural aggregate. The concrete containing 35% RCA and 35% ceramic waste showed the best properties compared with the normal concrete.

Transport processes in partially saturate concrete: Testing and liquid properties

Science.gov (United States)

Villani, Chiara

The measurement of transport properties of concrete is considered by many to have the potential to serve as a performance criterion that can be related to concrete durability. However, the sensitivity of transport tests to several parameters combined with the low permeability of concrete complicates the testing. Gas permeability and diffusivity test methods are attractive due to the ease of testing, their non-destructive nature and their potential to correlate to in-field carbonation of reinforced concrete structures. This work was aimed at investigating the potential of existing gas transport tests as a way to reliably quantify transport properties in concrete. In this study gas permeability and diffusivity test methods were analyzed comparing their performance in terms of repeatability and variability. The influence of several parameters was investigated such as moisture content, mixture proportions and gas flow. A closer look to the influence of pressure revealed an anomalous trend of permeability with respect to pressure. An alternative calculation is proposed in an effort to move towards the determination of intrinsic material properties that can serve as an input for service life prediction models. The impact of deicing salts exposure was also analyzed with respect to their alteration of the degree of saturation as this may affect gas transport in cementitious materials. Limited information were previously available on liquid properties over a wide range of concentrations. To overcome this limitation, this study quantified surface tension, viscosity in presence of deicing salts in a broad concentration range and at different temperatures. Existing models were applied to predict the change of fluid properties during drying. Vapor desorption isotherms were obtained to investigate the influence of deicing salts presence on the non-linear moisture diffusion coefficient. Semi-empirical models were used to quantify the initiation and the rate of drying using liquid

Processing of visual semantic information to concrete words : temporal dynamics and neural mechanisms indicated by event-related brain potentials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Schie, Hein T.; Wijers, Albertus A.; Mars, Rogier B.; Benjamins, Jeroen S.; Stowe, Laurie A.

2005-01-01

Event-related brain potentials were used to study the retrieval of visual semantic information to concrete words, and to investigate possible structural overlap between visual object working memory and concreteness effects in word processing. Subjects performed an object working memory task that

Processing of visual semantic information to concrete words: temporal dynamics and neural mechanisms indicated by event-related brain potentials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schie, H.T. van; Wijers, A.A.; Mars, R.B.; Benjamins, J.S.; Stowe, L.A.

2005-01-01

Event-related brain potentials were used to study the retrieval of visual semantic information to concrete words, and to investigate possible structural overlap between visual object working memory and concreteness effects in word processing. Subjects performed an object working memory task that

INVESTIGATION OF LAUNCHING PROCESS FOR STEEL REINFORCED CONCRETE FRAMEWORK OF LARGE BRIDGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. A. Grechukhin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Bridges are considered as the most complicated, labour-consuming and expensive components in roadway network of the Republic of Belarus. So their construction and operation are to be carried out at high technological level. One of the modern industrial methods is a cyclic longitudinal launching of large frameworks which provide the possibility to reject usage of expensive auxiliary facilities and reduce a construction period. There are several variants of longitudinal launching according to shipping conditions and span length: without launching girder, with launching girder, with top strut-framed beam in the form of cable-stayed system, with strut-framed beam located under span. While using method for the cyclic longitudinal launching manufacturing process of span is concentrated on the shore. The main task of the investigations is to select economic, quick and technologically simple type of the cyclic longitudinal launching with minimum resource- and labour inputs. Span launching has been comparatively analyzed with temporary supports being specially constructed within the span and according to capital supports with the help of launching girder. Conclusions made on the basis of calculations for constructive elements of span according to bearing ability of element sections during launching and also during the process of reinforced concrete plate grouting and at the stage of operation have shown that span assembly with application of temporary supports does not reduce steel spread in comparison with the variant excluding them. Results of the conducted investigations have been approbated in cooperation with state enterprise “Belgiprodor” while designing a bridge across river Sozh.

Applications of Foamed Lightweight Concrete

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Mohd Sari Kamarul Aini

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Application of foamed concrete is increasing at present due to high demand on foamed concrete structures with good mechanical and physical properties. This paper discusses on the use of basic raw materials, their characteristics, production process, and their application in foamed lightweight concrete with densities between 300 kg/m3 and 1800 kg/m3. It also discusses the factors that influence the strengths and weaknesses of foamed concrete based on studies that were conducted previously.

Two-course bonded concrete bridge deck construction : condition and performance after six years.

Science.gov (United States)

1981-01-01

This report presents the findings from a six-year study of two-course bonded concrete bridge decks constructed in Virginia. Each of three special portland cement concretes was applied as an overlay, or wearing course, on two experimental spans. The o...

Relationship between the Compressive and Tensile Strength of Recycled Concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Dalati, R.; Haddad, S.; Matar, P.; Chehade, F.H

2011-01-01

Concrete recycling consists of crushing the concrete provided by demolishing the old constructions, and of using the resulted small pieces as aggregates in the new concrete compositions. The resulted aggregates are called recycled aggregates and the new mix of concrete containing a percentage of recycled aggregates is called recycled concrete. Our previous researches have indicated the optimal percentages of recycled aggregates to be used for different cases of recycled concrete related to the original aggregates nature. All results have shown that the concrete compressive strength is significantly reduced when using recycled aggregates. In order to obtain realistic values of compressive strength, some tests have been carried out by adding water-reducer plasticizer and a specified additional quantity of cement. The results have shown that for a limited range of plasticizer percentage, and a fixed value of additional cement, the compressive strength has reached reasonable value. This paper treats of the effect of using recycled aggregates on the tensile strength of concrete, where concrete results from the special composition defined by our previous work. The aim is to determine the relationship between the compressive and tensile strength of recycled concrete. (author)

Performance of Microbial Concrete Developed Using Bacillus Subtilus JC3

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, M. V. Seshagiri; Reddy, V. Srinivasa; Sasikala, Ch.

2017-12-01

Concrete is vulnerable to deterioration, corrosion, and cracks, and the consequent damage and loss of strength requires immensely expensive remediation and repair. So need for special concrete that they would respond to crack formation with an autonomous self-healing action lead to research and development of microbial concrete. The microbial concrete works on the principle of calcite mineral precipitation by a specific group of alkali-resistant spore-forming bacteria related to the genus Bacillus called Bacillus subtilis JC3, this phenomenon is called biomineralization or Microbiologically Induced Calcite Crystal Precipitation. Bacillus subtilis JC3, a common soil bacterium, has inherent ability to precipitate calcite crystals continuously which enhances the strength and durability performance of concrete enormously. This microbial concrete can be called as a "Self healing Bacterial Concrete" because it can remediate its cracks by itself without any human intervention and would make the concrete more durable and sustainable. This paper discuss the incorporation of microorganism Bacillus subtilis JC3 (developed at JNTU, India) into concrete and presents the results of experimental investigations carried out to study the improved durability and sustainability characteristics of microbial concrete.

10 CFR 72.158 - Control of special processes.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Control of special processes. 72.158 Section 72.158 Energy... NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE Quality Assurance § 72.158 Control of special processes. The licensee, applicant for a license, certificate holder...

Definition of a concrete bio-decontamination process in nuclear substructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jestin, A.

2005-05-01

The decontamination of sub-structural materials represents a stake of high-importance because of the high volume generated. It is agreed then to propose efficient and effective processes. The process of bio-decontamination of the hydraulic binders leans on the mechanisms of biodegradation of concretes, phenomenon characterized in the 40's by an indirect attack of the material by acids stem from the microbial metabolism: sulphuric acid (produced by Thiobacillus), nitric acid (produced by Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter) and organic acids (produced by fungi). The principle of the bio-decontamination process is to apply those micro-organisms on the surface of the contaminated material, in order to damage its surface and to retrieve the radionuclides. One of the multiple approaches of the process is the use of a bio-gel that makes possible the micro-organisms application. (author)

Processed wastewater sludge for improvement of mechanical properties of concretes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barrera-Diaz, Carlos, E-mail: cbd0044@yahoo.com [Centro Conjunto de Investigacion en Quimica Sustentable, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico - Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UAEM-UNAM), Carretera Toluca-Atlacomulco, km 14.5, Unidad El Rosedal, C.P. 50200, Toluca, Edo. de Mexico (Mexico); Martinez-Barrera, Gonzalo [Laboratorio de Investigacion y Desarrollo de Materiales Avanzados (LIDMA), Facultad de Quimica, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico, Carretera Toluca-Atlacomulco, Km.12, San Cayetano C.P. 50200, Toluca, Edo. de Mexico (Mexico); Gencel, Osman [Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Bartin University, 74100 Bartin (Turkey); Bernal-Martinez, Lina A. [Centro Conjunto de Investigacion en Quimica Sustentable, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico - Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UAEM-UNAM), Carretera Toluca-Atlacomulco, km 14.5, Unidad El Rosedal, C.P. 50200, Toluca, Edo. de Mexico (Mexico); Brostow, Witold [Laboratory of Advanced Polymers and Optimized Materials (LAPOM), Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Center for Advanced Research and Technology (CART), University of North Texas, 1150 Union Circle 305310, Denton, TX 76203-5017 (United States)

2011-08-15

Highlights: {yields} Electrochemical methods produce less amount of residual sludge as compared with chemical procedures. {yields} Wastewater sludge contains a large amount of water. {yields} The residual sludge is used to prepare cylinder specimen concrete. {yields} There are improvements in the elastic modulus of the concrete when is prepared with residual sludge. - Abstract: Two problems are addressed simultaneously. One is the utilisation of sludge from the treatment of wastewater. The other is the modification of the mechanical properties of concrete. The sludge was subjected to two series of treatments. In one series, coagulants were used, including ferrous sulphate, aluminium sulphate or aluminium polyhydroxychloride. In the other series, an electrochemical treatment was applied with several starting values of pH. Then, concretes consisting of a cement matrix, silica sand, marble and one of the sludges were developed. Specimens without sludge were prepared for comparison. Curing times and aggregate concentrations were varied. The compressive strength, compressive strain at yield point, and static and dynamic elastic moduli were determined. Diagrams of the compressive strength and compressive strain at the yield point as a function of time passed through the minima as a function of time for concretes containing sludge; therefore, the presence of sludge has beneficial effects on the long term properties. Some morphological changes caused by the presence of sludge are seen in scanning electron microscopy. A way of utilising sludge is thus provided together with a way to improve the compressive strain at yield point of concrete.

Activation of TRIGA Mark II research reactor concrete shield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zagar, Tomaz; Ravnik, Matjaz; Bozic, Matjaz

2002-01-01

To determine neutron activation inside the TRIGA research reactor concrete body a special sample-holder for irradiation inside horizontal channel was developed and tested. In the sample-holder various samples can be irradiated at different concrete shielding depths. In this paper the description of the sample-holder, experiment conditions and results of long-lived activation measurements are given. Long-lived neutron-induced gamma-ray-emitting radioactive nuclides in the samples were measured with HPGe detector. The most active long-lived radioactive nuclides in ordinary concrete samples were found to be 60 Co and 152 Eu and in barytes concrete samples 60 Co, 152 Eu and 133 Ba. Measured activity density of all nuclides was found to decrease almost linearly with depth in logarithmic scale. (author)

FEATURES OF ASH OF THERMAL POWER PLANTS AS AGGREGATE FOR CONCRETES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. A. Storozhuk

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The scientific work is dedicated to development of scientific-technical bases of production and application of concrete on the basis of ashes of thermal power plants (TPP. Methodology. The properties of TPP ash, as well as the peculiarities of its behavior in a concrete mix as a fine aggregate, have been studied. It is shown that the hydrolysis and hydration of cement occur in the active environment of ash, which has a huge specific surface area. This significantly affects the course of these processes and the quality of the concrete produced. A new technology of application of ash of TPP for preparation of concrete mixes is offered. Vibrated and vibrovacuumized concretes of optimum composition from slag and ash, as well as from granite crushed stone and ash, are tested. The chara-cteristics of ordinary concrete (from granite crushed stone and quartz sand are given to compare. Findings. The results of the tests showed the possibility of obtaining concretes of class C20/25…C25/30 on the basis of slag and ash of TPP at a limited consumption of cement. It is shown that the concrete with traditional aggregates has a lower strength than the concrete, which has ash as fine aggregate. This research results contribute to the increased use of ash in construction that solves the problem of aggregates as well as thermal power plants waste recycling. Originality. New method and technology of application of TPP ashes in concrete are developed. Ash concrete mix has rational flowability, which produces the greatest strength of ash vacuum concrete. This strength is twice or more as large as the strength of vibrated ash concrete mix with flowability S1. Practical value. The physico-chemical properties of TPP ash as aggregate for concrete are presented. Significant difference of ash from ordinary aggregates is shown. Chemical activity of the ash is justified. The special conditions of cement hardening in the case of using ash as aggregate for concrete

A review on carbonation study in concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Venkat Rao, N.; Meena, T.

2017-11-01

In this paper the authors have reviewed the carbonation studies which are a vital durability property of concrete. One of the major causes for deterioration and destruction of concrete is carbonation. The mechanism of carbonation involves the penetration carbon dioxide (CO2) into the concrete porous system to form an environment by reducing the pH around the reinforcement and initiation of the corrosion process. The paper also endeavours to focus and elucidate the gravity of importance, the process and chemistry of carbonate and how the various parameters like water/cement ratio, curing, depth of concrete cones, admixtures, grade of concrete, strength of concrete, porosity and permeability effect carbonation in concrete. The role of Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs) like Ground granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) and Silica Fume (SF) has also been reviewed along with the influence of depth of carbonation.

Mechanical and Physical Properties of Polyester Polymer Concrete Using Recycled Aggregates from Concrete Sleepers

OpenAIRE

Carrión, F.; Montalban Domingo, Maria Laura; Real Herráiz, Julia Irene; Real, T.

2014-01-01

Currently, reuse of solid waste from disused infrastructures is an important environmental issue to study. In this research, polymer concrete was developed by mixing orthophthalic unsaturated polyester resin, artificial microfillers (calcium carbonate) and waste aggregates (basalt and limestone) coming from the recycling process of concrete sleepers. The variation of the mechanical and physical properties of the polymer concrete (compressive strenght, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity,...

Review of concrete properties for prestressed concrete pressure vesssels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nanstad, R.K.

1976-10-01

The desire for increasing power output along with safety requirements has resulted in consideration of the prestressed concrete pressure vessel (PCPV) for most current nuclear reactor systems, as well as for the very-high-temperature reactor for process heat and as primary pressure vessels for coal conversion systems. Results are presented of a literature review to ascertain current knowledge regarding plain concrete properties under conditions imposed by a mass concrete structure such as PCRV. The effects of high temperature on such properties as strength, elasticity, and creep are discussed, as well as changes in thermal properties, multiaxial behavior, and the mechanisms thought to be responsible for the observed behavior. In addition, the effects of radiation and moisture migration are discussed. It is concluded that testing results found in the technical literature show much disagreement as to the effects of temperature on concrete properties. The variations in concrete mixtures, curing and testing procedures, age at loading, and moisture conditions during exposure and testing are some of the reasons for such disagreement. Test results must be limited, in most cases, to the materials and conditions of a given test rather than applied to such a general class of materials such as concrete. It is also concluded that sustained exposure of normal concretes to current PCRV operating conditions will not result in any significant loss of properties. However, lack of knowledge regarding effects of temperatures exceeding 100 0 C (212 0 F), moisture migration, and multiaxial behavior precludes a statement advocating operation beyond current design limits. The report includes recommendations for future research on concrete for PCPVs

Experimental studies of fiber concrete creep

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Korneeva Irina

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The results of two-stage experimental studies of the strength and deformation characteristics of fibrous concrete reinforced with steel fiber. In the experiments we used steel fiber with bent ends, which practically does not form "hedgehogs", which allows to achieve an even distribution of the fiber by volume. At the first stage, the cube and prismatic strength, deformability at central compression, a number of special characteristics are determined: water absorption, frost resistance, abrasion; the optimal percentage of fiber reinforcement and the maximum size of the coarse aggregate fraction were selected. Fiber reinforcement led to an increase in the strength of concrete at compression by 1,35 times and an increase in the tensile strength at bending by 3,4 times. At the second stage, the creep of fibrous concrete and plain concrete of similar composition at different stress levels was researched. Creep curves are plotted. It is shown that the use of fiber reinforcement leads to a decrease in creep strain by 21 to 30 percent, depending on the stress level.

Fracture toughness and failure mechanism of high performance concrete incorporating carbon nanotubes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Khitab

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Cement and concrete composites are inherently brittle and exhibit very less tensile/flexural strength capacity as compared to their compressive strength. Use of thoroughly dispersed carbon nanotubes in the concrete matrix is one of the possible solution for enhancing mechanical properties in tension/flexure. In the present research work, small fractions of multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNTs i.e. 0.05 and 0.10 wt% of cement have been integrated into the cement concrete to study their effect on the mechanical properties of the resultant concrete mixtures. The enhanced performance of the whole mix lies on a single point that MWCNTs must be thoroughly disperse in the mixture. Hence, special arrangement through usage of high energy sonication along with amended acrylic based polymer (performing as a surfactant was made to have a uniform dispersion of MWCNTs in the concrete mix. The testing of concrete samples includes i.e., flexure, splitting tensile and compressive strengths after 3, 7, 28 and 56 days of curing. After having comparison with the control mix cured for 28 days, it was observed that the addition of 0.05 wt% MWCNTs increased the splitting tensile strength by 20.58%, flexural strength by 26.29% and compressive strength by 15.60%. Through above results, which verify the increase in concrete mix strength after adding MWCNTs, these MWCNTs may be incorporated in the treatment of Nano/micro cracks completed through process of connecting, branching and pinning. Similarly, as proved in threepoint bending tests, MWCNTs also enhances the breaking strains as well as the fracture energy of the concrete mixes, besides, imparting increase to the strength. The investigations have shown that incorporating lesser amounts of MWCNTs i.e., 0.05 and 0.10 wt% of cement to the concrete mixes after insuring there complete dispersion, unusually improve their properties like mechanical strengths and fracture behavior

Experimental investigations and modelling of sodium-concrete interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schultheiss, G.F.; Deeg, H.J.

1990-01-01

The use of sodium as a coolant in liquid metal fast breeder reactors, fusion reactors, and solar plants requires special consideration of its chemical reactivity and related safety problems in the case of sodium leckage. On contact between hot sodium and concrete an interaction takes place resulting in energy release and hydrogen generation, which may contribute to containment loading by pressurization in a hypothetical accident situation. For this reason, sodium-concrete interactions were investigated experimentally and theoretically. The experiments revealed important effects of quartzitic material within the concrete and of the sodium temperature on the interaction mechanisms, the energy release and the consequent hydrogen production. The numerical model shows good agreement with the experimental results. (orig.) [de

Measuring autogenous strain of concrete with corrugated moulds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tian, Qian; Jensen, Ole Mejlhede

2008-01-01

A reliable technique to quantify autogenous strain is a prerequisite to numerical modeling in stress calculations for high performance concrete. The introducing of a special kind of corrugated tube mould helps to transforming volume strain measurement into liner strain measurement in horizontal...... direction for fluid concrete, which not only realizes the continuous monitoring of the autogenous shrinkage since casting, but also effectively eliminates the disturbance resulting from gravity, temperature variation and mould restraint on measuring results. Based on this measuring technique, this paper...

High performance of treated and washed MSWI bottom ash granulates as natural aggregate replacement within earth-moist concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

Keulen, A; van Zomeren, A; Harpe, P; Aarnink, W; Simons, H A E; Brouwers, H J H

2016-03-01

Municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash was treated with specially designed dry and wet treatment processes, obtaining high quality bottom ash granulate fractions (BGF) suitable for up to 100% replacement of natural gravel in concrete. The wet treatment (using only water for separating and washing) significantly lowers the leaching of e.g. chloride and sulfate, heavy metals (antimony, molybdenum and copper) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Two potential bottom ash granulate fractions, both in compliance with the standard EN 12620 (aggregates for concrete), were added into earth-moist concrete mixtures. The fresh and hardened concrete physical performances (e.g. workability, strength and freeze-thaw) of high strength concrete mixtures were maintained or improved compared with the reference mixtures, even after replacing up to 100% of the initial natural gravel. Final element leaching of monolithic and crushed granular state BGF containing concretes, showed no differences with the gravel references. Leaching of all mixtures did not exceed the limit values set by the Dutch Soil Quality Degree. In addition, multiple-life-phase emission (pH static test) for the critical elements of input bottom ash, bottom ash granulate (BGF) and crushed BGF containing concrete were assessed. Simulation pH lowering or potential carbonation processes indicated that metal (antimony, barium, chrome and copper) and sulfate element leaching behavior are mainly pH dominated and controlled, although differ in mechanism and related mineral abundance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design of Normal Concrete Mixtures Using Workability-Dispersion-Cohesion Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hisham Qasrawi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The workability-dispersion-cohesion method is a new proposed method for the design of normal concrete mixes. The method uses special coefficients called workability-dispersion and workability-cohesion factors. These coefficients relate workability to mobility and stability of the concrete mix. The coefficients are obtained from special charts depending on mix requirements and aggregate properties. The method is practical because it covers various types of aggregates that may not be within standard specifications, different water to cement ratios, and various degrees of workability. Simple linear relationships were developed for variables encountered in the mix design and were presented in graphical forms. The method can be used in countries where the grading or fineness of the available materials is different from the common international specifications (such as ASTM or BS. Results were compared to the ACI and British methods of mix design. The method can be extended to cover all types of concrete.

The effect of word concreteness on recognition memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Fliessbach, K; Weis, S; Klaver, P; Elger, C E; Weber, B

2006-09-01

Concrete words that are readily imagined are better remembered than abstract words. Theoretical explanations for this effect either claim a dual coding of concrete words in the form of both a verbal and a sensory code (dual-coding theory), or a more accessible semantic network for concrete words than for abstract words (context-availability theory). However, the neural mechanisms of improved memory for concrete versus abstract words are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the processing of concrete and abstract words during encoding and retrieval in a recognition memory task using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). As predicted, memory performance was significantly better for concrete words than for abstract words. Abstract words elicited stronger activations of the left inferior frontal cortex both during encoding and recognition than did concrete words. Stronger activation of this area was also associated with successful encoding for both abstract and concrete words. Concrete words elicited stronger activations bilaterally in the posterior inferior parietal lobe during recognition. The left parietal activation was associated with correct identification of old stimuli. The anterior precuneus, left cerebellar hemisphere and the posterior and anterior cingulate cortex showed activations both for successful recognition of concrete words and for online processing of concrete words during encoding. Additionally, we observed a correlation across subjects between brain activity in the left anterior fusiform gyrus and hippocampus during recognition of learned words and the strength of the concreteness effect. These findings support the idea of specific brain processes for concrete words, which are reactivated during successful recognition.

Optimization of the flexible mould process for the production of double-curved concrete elements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schipper, H.R.; Grunewald, S.; Eigenraam, P.; Raghunath, P.; Kok, M.

2014-01-01

Free-form buildings tend to be expensive. By optimizing the production process, economical and wellperforming concrete structures and elements can be manufactured. In this paper, an innovative method is presented that allows producing highly accurate double curved-elements without the need for

Modeling of porous concrete elements under load

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Demchyna B.H.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available It is known that cell concretes are almost immediately destroyed under load, having reached certain critical stresses. Such kind of destruction is called a “catastrophic failure”. Process of crack formation is one of the main factors, influencing process of concrete destruction. Modern theory of crack formation is mainly based on the Griffith theory of destruction. However, the mentioned theory does not completely correspond to the structure of cell concrete with its cell structure, because the theory is intended for a solid body. The article presents one of the possible variants of modelling of the structure of cell concrete and gives some assumptions concerning the process of crack formation in such hollow, not solid environment.

Modeling of porous concrete elements under load

Science.gov (United States)

Demchyna, B. H.; Famuliak, Yu. Ye.; Demchyna, Kh. B.

2017-12-01

It is known that cell concretes are almost immediately destroyed under load, having reached certain critical stresses. Such kind of destruction is called a "catastrophic failure". Process of crack formation is one of the main factors, influencing process of concrete destruction. Modern theory of crack formation is mainly based on the Griffith theory of destruction. However, the mentioned theory does not completely correspond to the structure of cell concrete with its cell structure, because the theory is intended for a solid body. The article presents one of the possible variants of modelling of the structure of cell concrete and gives some assumptions concerning the process of crack formation in such hollow, not solid environment.

Determination of the apparent porosity level of refractory concrete during a sintering process using an ultrasonic pulse velocity technique and image analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LJUBICA M. PAVLOVIĆ

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Concrete which undergoes a thermal treatment before (pre-casted concrete blocks and during (concrete embedded in-situ its life-service can be applied in plants operating at high temperature and as thermal insulation. Sintering is a process which occurs within a concrete structure in such conditions. Progression of sintering process can be monitored by the change of the porosity parameters determined with a nondestructive test method - ultrasonic pulse velocity and computer program for image analysis. The experiment has been performed on the samples of corundum and bauxite concrete composites. The apparent porosity of the samples thermally treated at 110, 800, 1000, 1300 and 1500 C was primary investigated with a standard laboratory procedure. Sintering parameters were calculated from the creep testing. The loss of strength and material degradation occurred in concrete when it was subjected to the increased temperature and a compressive load. Mechanical properties indicate and monitor changes within microstructure. The level of surface deterioration after the thermal treatment was determined using Image Pro Plus program. Mechanical strength was estimated using ultrasonic pulse velocity testing. Nondestructive ultrasonic mea¬surement was used as a qualitative description of the porosity change in specimens which is the result of the sintering process. The ultrasonic pulse velocity technique and image analysis proved to be reliable methods for monitoring of micro-structural change during the thermal treatment and service life of refractory concrete.

Effects on concrete from borated water and boric compounds cast into the concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fagerlund, Goeran

2010-06-01

A study has been made of the effects on concrete of its exposure to external water containing boric acid, and the effects on concrete of boric compounds cast into the concrete during its manufacture. According to information in literature boric acid is a weak Lewis acid that has no effect on concrete. Reaction between calcium hydroxide existing in concrete and boric acid might occur at the concrete surface. The reaction product formed (calcium-metaboritehexahydrate) has lower solubility than calcium hydroxide itself. Therefore, the reaction is reasonably harmless. Accelerated and non-accelerated test methods exist by which quantitative information on the effect of boric acid can be obtained. The test principles are described. Boron-containing compounds might be mixed into concrete in order to increase its resistance to neutron radiation. Pure boron minerals, as well as boron-containing residual materials from processing of natural boron minerals, might be used. Concrete might be affected with regard to the following properties: - Workability of the fresh concrete; - Stiffening and hardening of the concrete; - Strength (compression, tension); - Deformation (E-modulus, creep); - Durability (chemical, steel corrosion. Information in literature indicates that the hardening process might be severely affected also when rather small amounts of certain boron-containing materials are used. The effect seems to be small, or none, however, if materials with low solubility are used. The effect on workability seems to be marginal. Test methods exist by which it is practical possible to develop acceptable concrete recipes. The effects on mechanical properties are not well clarified by research. However, effects seem to be small when boron materials with low solubility are used. In one study, in which part of the cement was replaced by a boron containing colemanite waste, it was found that the E-modulus was very much reduced. The significance of this result is unclear. The

Nonlinear analysis of prestressed concrete reactor pressure vessels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berg, S.; Loeseth, S.; Holand, I.

1977-01-01

A computational model for circular symmetric reinforced concrete shell problems is described. The model is based on the Finite Element Method. Non-linear stress-strain constitutive relations are used for the concrete, the reinforcement and for the liner. The reinforcement layers may be of different steel qualities. Each layer may be given a specified prestressing. This can be done at the beginning of the computations or the specific reinforcement layer can be considered inactive until a specified level of loading is reached. Thus, the prestressing procedure may also be analyzed in detail. Bond-slip effects are not accounted for. However, no bond may be assumed for prestressing cables by inserting special reinforcement elements. Several models of prestressed concrete reactor pressure vessels which have been tested up to rupture have been analysed. Analytical (numerical) models for reinforced concrete are also discussed on a more general basis. (Auth.)

Study of the Technical Feasibility of Increasing the Amount of Recycled Concrete Waste Used in Ready-Mix Concrete Production.

Science.gov (United States)

Fraile-Garcia, Esteban; Ferreiro-Cabello, Javier; López-Ochoa, Luis M; López-González, Luis M

2017-07-18

The construction industry generates a considerable amount of waste. Faced with this undesirable situation, the ready-mix concrete sector, in particular, has invested energy and resources into reusing its own waste in its production process as it works towards the goal of more sustainable construction. This study examines the feasibility of incorporating two types of concrete waste, which currently end up in landfill, into the production process of ready-mix concrete: the waste generated during the initial production stage (ready-mix concrete waste), and waste created when demolition waste is treated to obtain artificial aggregate. The first phase of the study's methodology corroborates the suitability of the recycled aggregate through characterization tests. After this phase, the impact of incorporating different percentages of recycled coarse aggregate is evaluated by examining the performance of the produced concrete. The replacement rate varied between 15% and 50%. The results indicate that recycled aggregates are, indeed, suitable to be incorporated into ready-mix concrete production. The impact on the final product's performance is different for the two cases examined herein. Incorporating aggregates from generic concrete blocks led to a 20% decrease in the produced concrete's strength performance. On the other hand, using recycled aggregates made from the demolition waste led to a smaller decrease in the concrete's performance: about 8%. The results indicate that with adequate management and prior treatment, the waste from these plants can be re-incorporated into their production processes. If concrete waste is re-used, concrete production, in general, becomes more sustainable for two reasons: less waste ends up as landfill and the consumption of natural aggregates is also reduced.

The Improvement of Foam Concrete Geoecoprotective Properties in Transport Construction

Science.gov (United States)

Svatovskaya, Larisa; Kabanov, Alexander; Sychov, Maxim

2017-10-01

The article analyses 2 kinds of properties of silica sol foam concrete: technical and geoecoprotective ones. Foam concrete stabilized with silica sol foam has lower heat conductivity resulting in fuel saving. Foam concrete obtained according to sol absorption technology has lower water absorption and is good enough for blocking to prevent the environment pollution. Pollution blocking can be achieved by two methods. The first method is saturation of an article affected by oil products with silica sol. The second method is to create a special preventive protection using silica sol screen. The article shows geoecoprotective properties of protein foam soil systems.

Biodecontamination of concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamilton, M.A.; Rogers, R.D.; Benson, J.

1996-01-01

A novel technology for biologically decontaminating concrete is being jointly developed by scientists at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) and British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL). The technology exploits a naturally occurring phenomenon referred to as microbially influenced degradation (MID) in which bacteria produce acids that dissolve the cement matrix of concrete. Most radionuclide contamination of concrete is fixed in the outer few mm of the concrete surface. By capturing and controlling this natural process, a biological method of removing the surface of concrete to depths up to several mm is being developed. Three types of bacteria are known to be important in MID of concrete: nitrifying bacteria that produce nitric acid, sulfur oxidizing bacteria that produce sulfuric acid, and certain heterotrophic bacteria that produce organic acids. An investigation of natural environments demonstrated with scanning electron microscopy the presence of bacteria on concrete surfaces of a variety of structures, such as bridges and dams, where corrosion is evident. Enumeration of sulfur oxidizing and nitrifying bacteria revealed their presence and activity on structures to varying degrees in different environments. Under ideal conditions, Thiobacillus thiooxidans, a sulfur oxidizing bacteria, attached to and colonized the surface of concrete specimens. Over 1mm depth of material from a 10 cm x 10 cm square surface was removed in 68 days in the Thiobacillus treated specimen compared to a sterile control. Laboratory and field demonstrations are currently being conducted using experimental chambers designed to be mounted directly to concrete surfaces where radionuclide contamination exists. Data is being obtained in order to determine actual rates of surface removal and limitations to the system. This information will be used to develop a full scale decontamination technology

Behavior and strength of beams cast with ultra high strength concrete containing different types of fibers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.M. Kamal

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC is a special type of concrete with extraordinary potentials in terms of strength and durability performance. Its production and application implement the most up-to-date knowledge and technology of concrete manufacturing. Sophisticated structural designs in bridges and high-rise buildings, repair works and special structures like nuclear facilities are currently the main fields of applications of UHPC. This paper aimed to evaluate the behavior of ultra-high strength concrete beams. This paper also aimed to determine the effect of adding fibers and explore their effect upon the behavior and strength of the reinforced concrete beams. A total of twelve simple concrete beams with and without shear reinforcements were tested in flexure. The main variables taken into consideration in this research were the type of fibers and the percentage of longitudinal reinforcement as well as the existence or absence of the web reinforcement. Two types of fibers were used including steel and polypropylene fibers. The behavior of the tested beams was investigated with special attention to the deflection under different stages of loading, initial cracking, cracking pattern, and ultimate load. Increased number of cracks was observed at the end of loading due to the use of fibers, which led to the reduced width of cracks. This led to increased stiffness and higher values of maximum loads.

PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL FUNDAMENTALS OF PROTECTION PROCESSES FOR SURFACE LAYER OF CONCRETE ROAD PAVING BY IMPREGNATING COMPOSITIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. K. Pshembayev

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Construction of concrete road paving which was started in the 30-ies of the last century in the United States has proved its perspectiveness from the viewpoint of service life. In addition to that an analysis of road usage has shown that concrete paving is a deformation tendency due to some reasons and the tendency entails some difficulties in their repair after rather long operation. The deformations appear more intensively after 5-10-year road operational period. The following negative effects are practically unavoidable: micro-crack formation, scaling, deformation due to freezing of angular edges in concrete plates, destruction of deformation joints etc. The defects are characterized by rather large scope and they are present practically on all the roads. It is necessary to note the fact that a great number of the above-mentioned defects can be avoided on the condition that measures on strengthening surface layer of concrete paving will be undertaken in time. The measures presuppose application of impregnating method while using compositions that contain hydrophobisator and silicon dioxide sol. Industry-produced potassium methyl siliconate, oligomethyl hydride siliconate, tetraethoxysilane have been used as hydrophobisator and they form not easily soluble film on the surface of concrete pores which prevents penetration of water into concrete. Calcium hydrate being formed in the dissolution and hydrolysis process of cement clinker minerals is bound in hydrosilicates which are contained in the solution impregnated by silicon dioxide sol. These hydrosilicates culmatate concrete pores and strengthen its surface layer due to additional hard phase and according to chemical composition it is related to calcium hydrosilicates formed as a result of concrete hardening.

Heat transfer within a concrete slab applying the microwave decontamination process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, W.; Ebadian, M.A.; White, T.L.; Grubb, R.G.

1993-01-01

Decontamination of a radioactive contaminated concrete surface is a new technology for the treatment of radioactive waste. In this paper, concrete decontamination using microwave technology is investigated theoretically. A plane wave assumption of microwave propagation has been employed to estimate the microwave field and power dissipation within the concrete. A one-dimensional, unsteady heat conduction model with microwave heat dissipation resulting from microwave-material interaction has been used to evaluate frequency, steel reinforcement within the concrete, and thermal boundary conditions are also considered in the present model. Four commonly used microwave frequencies of 0.896, 2.45, 10.6, and 18.0 GHz have been utilized in the analysis. The results revealed that as the microwave frequency increases to, or higher than 10.6 GHz, the microwave power dissipation shifts toward the front surface of the concrete. Furthermore, it was observed that use of a higher frequency microwave could reduce power intensity requirements needed to raise the temperature difference or thermal stress to the same value in the same period of time. It was found that the presence of reinforcing steel mesh causes part of the microwave energy to be blocked and reflected. Thus, the temperature or thermal stress of the concrete increases before the reinforcement, and decreases after the reinforcement. 16 refs., 6 figs., 3 tabs

STRUCTURAL AND THERMOPHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF HARDENING CONCRETE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Krasulina

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Structural and thermophysical properties of thermally treated concrete have been studied in the paper. The paper demonstrates regularities of changes in structural and thermophysical properties of concrete during heat treatment process. It is established that stabilization of coefficient values for heat- and temperature conductivity of concrete corresponds to completion of the process pertaining to intensive formation of the material pore structure and indicates the possibility of transition from the stage of isothermal extraction to the stage of temperature decrease. The obtained results are confirmed by studies of strength growth kinetics of concrete samples.

Adaptive Memory: Is Survival Processing Special?

Science.gov (United States)

Nairne, James S.; Pandeirada, Josefa N. S.

2008-01-01

Do the operating characteristics of memory continue to bear the imprints of ancestral selection pressures? Previous work in our laboratory has shown that human memory may be specially tuned to retain information processed in terms of its survival relevance. A few seconds of survival processing in an incidental learning context can produce recall…

Phase 2 microwave concrete decontamination results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, T.L.; Foster, D. Jr.; Wilson, C.T.; Schaich, C.R.

1995-01-01

The authors report on the results of the second phase of a four-phase program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to develop a system to decontaminate concrete using microwave energy. The microwave energy is directed at the concrete surface through the use of an optimized wave guide antenna, or applicator, and this energy rapidly heats the free water present in the interstitial spaces of the concrete matrix. The resulting steam pressure causes the surface to burst in much the same way popcorn pops in a home microwave oven. Each steam explosion removes several square centimeters of concrete surface that are collected by a highly integrated wave guide and vacuum system. The authors call this process the microwave concrete decontamination, or MCD, process. In the first phase of the program the principle of microwaves concrete removal concrete surfaces was demonstrated. In these experiments, concrete slabs were placed on a translator and moved beneath a stationary microwave system. The second phase demonstrated the ability to mobilize the technology to remove the surfaces from concrete floors. Area and volume concrete removal rates of 10.4 cm 2 /s and 4.9 cm 3 /S, respectively, at 18 GHz were demonstrated. These rates are more than double those obtained in Phase 1 of the program. Deeper contamination can be removed by using a longer residence time under the applicator to create multiple explosions in the same area or by taking multiple passes over previously removed areas. Both techniques have been successfully demonstrated. Small test sections of painted and oil-soaked concrete have also been removed in a single pass. Concrete with embedded metal anchors on the surface has also been removed, although with some increased variability of removal depth. Microwave leakage should not pose any operational hazard to personnel, since the observed leakage was much less than the regulatory standard

Phenomena of Foamed Concrete under Rolling of Aircraft Wheels

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Chun-shui; Yao, Hong-yu; Xiao, Xian-bo; Kong, Xiang-jun; Shi, Ya-jie

2014-04-01

Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS) is an effective technique to reduce hazards associated with aircraft overrunning runway. In order to ascertain phenomena of the foamed concrete used for EMAS under rolling of aircraft wheel, a specially designed experimental setup was built which employed Boeing 737 aircraft wheels bearing actual vertical loads to roll through the foamed concrete. A number of experiments were conducted upon this setup. It is discovered that the wheel rolls the concrete in a pure rolling manner and crushes the concrete downwards, instead of crushing it forward, as long as the concrete is not higher than the wheel axle. The concrete is compressed into powder in-situ by the wheel and then is brought to bottom of the wheel. The powder under the wheel is loose and thus is not able to sustain wheel braking. It is also found that after being rolled by the wheel the concrete exhibits either of two states, i.e. either 'crushed through' whole thickness of the concrete or 'crushed halfway', depending on combination of strength of the concrete, thickness of the concrete, vertical load the wheel carries, tire dimension and tire pressure. A new EMAS design concept is developed that if an EMAS design results in the 'crushed through' state for the main gears while the 'crushed halfway' state for the nose gear, the arresting bed would be optimal to accommodate the large difference in strength between the nose gear and the main gear of an aircraft.

Transitional Thermal Creep of Early Age Concrete

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hauggaard-Nielsen, Anders Boe; Damkilde, Lars; Freiesleben Hansen, Per

1999-01-01

Couplings between creep of hardened concrete and temperature/water effects are well-known. Both the level and the gradients in time of temperature or water content influence the creep properties. In early age concrete the internal drying and the heat development due to hydration increase the effect...... of these couplings. The purpose of this work is to set up a mathematical model for creep of concrete which includes the transitional thermal effect. The model govern both early age concrete and hardened concrete. The development of the material properties in the model are assumed to depend on the hydration process...... termed the microprestresses, which reduces the stiffness of the concrete and increase the creep rate. The aging material is modelled in an incremental way reflecting the hydration process in which new layers of cement gel solidifies in a stress free state and add stiffness to the material. Analysis...

PROCESSES PROCEEDING ON CONCRETE COATING SURFACES IN CASE OF THEIR CHEMICAL PROTECTION AGAINST WINTER SLIPPERINESS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. K. Pshembaev

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Concrete coatings of road traffic highways along with operational loadings caused by flow of traffic are subjected to weather and climate impacts. These are the following impacts: changes in temperature and air humidity, solar radiation,surface wind speed which is participating in formation of active heat-and-mass transfer in a surface layer of the concrete coating. One of the most complicated and important periods in the road traffic highway operation is so called transitional nature period (from Summer to Autumn and from Winter to Spring. These periods are accompanied by intensive rain and snow fall and possible formation of ice loading on the surface of cement and concrete coatings. These impacts significantly deteriorate friction properties of road pavement (friction factor φ is decreased up to 0.4 and less that can be a prerequisite to creation of various accident situations due to sharp increase in braking distance. For example, while having dry pavement the friction factor φ is equal to 0.80–0.85, and during icy condition of the road the factor φ constitutes 0.08–0.15 that consequently entails an increase in braking distance from 7.5 up to 20.0 m and more. It is quite possible that ice layer appears on the surface of concrete coatings when road traffic highways are used in winter season. Various methods are applicable to remove ice from the surface they can include also ice-melting chemicals and sodium chloride NaCl in particular. The chemical decreases freezing temperature of the formed brine and causes ice melting at negative temperature. Processes of NaCl dissolution and ice melting have an endothermic character, in other words these processes are accompanied by heat ingress and due to it temperature is sharply decreasing in the surface layer of the concrete coating which is under the melting ice and in this case phenomenon of thermal shock is observed.

The construction features of the deformation and force model of concrete and reinforced concrete resistance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Romashko Vasyl

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The main features of the deformation and force model of deformation of reinforced concrete elements and structures based on generalized diagrams of their state are considered in the article. Particular attention is focused on the basic methodological problems and shortcomings of modern "deformation" models. It is shown that in the most cases these problems can be solved by the generalized diagrams of reinforced concrete elements and structures real state. Thanks to these diagrams, the developed method: provides a single methodological approach to the calculation of reinforced concrete elements and structures normal sections for limit states; allows to reveal the internal static indeterminacy of heterogeneously deformable elements and structures in their ultimate limit state calculation; justifies the application of the basic and derived criteria of reinforced concrete elements and structures bearing capacity exhaustion; retains the essence of the physical processes of concrete and reinforced concrete structures deformation. The defining positions of the generalized (universal methodology for calculating reinforced concrete elements and structures are stated.

Strength and related properties of concrete: A quantitative approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Popovics, S. [Drexel Univ., Philadelphia, PA (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering

1998-12-31

The science and technology of concrete have been based almost exclusively on empirical knowledge. The description of concrete properties and behavior was therefore by necessity mostly of qualitative nature. The author, a recognized expert in the field, has attempted to present a very special state-of-the-art report in such a way that it can point in the direction of rationalizing the theory. The overall goal can be stated as follows: Given the properties of the various components of concrete, the mix proportions, etc., can one compute important properties, such as strength, of the end product? The quantitative approach mentioned in the subtitle is meant to assist in achieving this objective. It is so ambitious an undertaking that it could not succeed. In fact, judging from the preface, it can be assumed that the author himself did not expect to succeed, but rather be content with setting the stage for other researchers to take off from. The book fills an important void in the specialized concrete literature. The lack of rational relationships in this empirical science makes it very difficult to teach to students and to present it in an interesting manner. Yet, it is not written with the undergraduate student in mind. The enormous collection of data from the literature makes it a treasure trove for researchers and, to a lesser extent, for practicing engineers. For simple relationships such as those between cube strength and cylinder strength, this is the book to look for. The 75-page bibliography is impressive. The intentional limitation of the book`s scope to concrete limits its applicability, especially since it is now being recognized that properties of concrete other than strength may be equally if not more important than strength.

Process control system for fresh concrete preparation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bachvarov, N.; Pavlov, P.; Shukov, H.

1983-01-01

The paper discusses the principles, structure and organization of a modular microprocessor based control system, designed to be used in fresh concrete fabrication plants. The system is based on the measurement of the aggregate moisture by means of a neutron moisture meter. (author)

Innovation in concrete research-review and perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Idorn, Gunnar M.

2005-01-01

The heritage of concrete making as a craft has made testing of laboratory specimens the basic principle for research and standard control systems; this has corresponded well with the conditions for field concrete technology and structural performance throughout the 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries' developments. New demands for concrete in the wake of World War II made tremendous development possible for the cement and concrete industries. However, deleterious reactions in field concrete appeared in many countries over the next decades, among other reasons because the laboratory testing systems were preserved without recognition that rates and intensity of the reactions in the actual concrete caused changes of the processes, which did not occur in the test samples. That made the reproducibility of the tests incompatible with the sought predictability for the properties of the concrete. In recent years, senior scientists have commenced to caution that the ordinary laboratory tests do not reliably simulate the behavior of concrete in the field. Besides, fractal appearance of micro- and macrostructures in concrete has been reported in international research journals. Meanwhile, progress in the natural sciences with the introduction of the chaos theory has made it possible to investigate turbulence, i.e. nonlinear processes in Nature and their visual fractal patterns

A study on physical properties of concrete and reinforcement at elevated temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanazu, Tsutomu

2002-01-01

Reinforced concrete structures such as a containment vessel, a support of the reactor, piping systems and facilities for storing high level radioactive waste in a nuclear power plant are exposed to a high temperature condition. Changes of physical properties of concrete and reinforcement caused by high temperature influence on mechanical behavior of these structures and internal stresses are induced by difference of thermal coefficients between concrete and reinforcement that was reported in the previous paper by the author. These are the special features in high temperature conditions. Temperature dependence of physical properties of concrete and reinforcement are summarized in the paper based on the experimental results. (author)

Mechanical and Physical Properties of Polyester Polymer Concrete Using Recycled Aggregates from Concrete Sleepers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Carrión

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Currently, reuse of solid waste from disused infrastructures is an important environmental issue to study. In this research, polymer concrete was developed by mixing orthophthalic unsaturated polyester resin, artificial microfillers (calcium carbonate, and waste aggregates (basalt and limestone coming from the recycling process of concrete sleepers. The variation of the mechanical and physical properties of the polymer concrete (compressive strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, density, and water absorption was analyzed based on the modification of different variables: nature of the recycled aggregates, resin contents (11 wt%, 12 wt%, and 13 wt%, and particle-size distributions of microfillers used. The results show the influence of these variables on mechanical performance of polymer concrete. Compressive and flexural strength of recycled polymer concrete were improved by increasing amount of polyester resin and by optimizing the particle-size distribution of the microfillers. Besides, the results show the feasibility of developing a polymer concrete with excellent mechanical behavior.

Mechanical and physical properties of polyester polymer concrete using recycled aggregates from concrete sleepers.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrión, Francisco; Montalbán, Laura; Real, Julia I; Real, Teresa

2014-01-01

Currently, reuse of solid waste from disused infrastructures is an important environmental issue to study. In this research, polymer concrete was developed by mixing orthophthalic unsaturated polyester resin, artificial microfillers (calcium carbonate), and waste aggregates (basalt and limestone) coming from the recycling process of concrete sleepers. The variation of the mechanical and physical properties of the polymer concrete (compressive strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, density, and water absorption) was analyzed based on the modification of different variables: nature of the recycled aggregates, resin contents (11 wt%, 12 wt%, and 13 wt%), and particle-size distributions of microfillers used. The results show the influence of these variables on mechanical performance of polymer concrete. Compressive and flexural strength of recycled polymer concrete were improved by increasing amount of polyester resin and by optimizing the particle-size distribution of the microfillers. Besides, the results show the feasibility of developing a polymer concrete with excellent mechanical behavior.

Recycled Concrete as Aggregate for Structural Concrete Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirjana Malešev

2010-04-01

Full Text Available A comparative analysis of the experimental results of the properties of fresh and hardened concrete with different replacement ratios of natural with recycled coarse aggregate is presented in the paper. Recycled aggregate was made by crushing the waste concrete of laboratory test cubes and precast concrete columns. Three types of concrete mixtures were tested: concrete made entirely with natural aggregate (NAC as a control concrete and two types of concrete made with natural fine and recycled coarse aggregate (50% and 100% replacement of coarse recycled aggregate. Ninety-nine specimens were made for the testing of the basic properties of hardened concrete. Load testing of reinforced concrete beams made of the investigated concrete types is also presented in the paper. Regardless of the replacement ratio, recycled aggregate concrete (RAC had a satisfactory performance, which did not differ significantly from the performance of control concrete in this experimental research. However, for this to be fulfilled, it is necessary to use quality recycled concrete coarse aggregate and to follow the specific rules for design and production of this new concrete type.

How Concrete Is Concrete?

Science.gov (United States)

Gravemeijer, Koeno

2011-01-01

If we want to make something concrete in mathematics education, we are inclined introduce, what we call, "manipulatives", in the form of tactile objects or visual representations. If we want to make something concrete in a everyday-life conversation, we look for an example. In the former, we try to make a concrete model of our own,…

A risk management process for reinforced concrete structures by coupling modelling, monitoring and Bayesian approaches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capra, Bruno; Li, Kefei; Wolff, Valentin; Bernard, Olivier; Gerard, Bruno

2004-01-01

The impact of steel corrosion on the durability of reinforced concrete structures has since a long time been a major concern in civil engineering. The main electrochemical mechanisms of the steel corrosion are know well known. The material and structure degradation is attributed to the progressive formation of an expansive corrosion product at the steel-concrete interface. To assess quantitatively the structure lifetime, a two-stage service life model has been accepted widely. So far, the research attention is mainly given to the corrosion in an un-cracked concrete. However. practically one is often confronted to the reinforcement corrosion in an already cracked concrete. How to quantify the corrosion risk is of great interest for the long term durability of these cracked structures. To this end, this paper proposes a service life modeling for the corrosion process by carbonation in a cracked or un-cracked concrete depending on the observation or monitoring data available. Some recent experimental investigations are used to calibrate the models. Then, the models are applied to a shell structure to quantify the corrosion process and determine the optimal maintenance strategy. As corrosion processes are very difficult to model and subjected to material and environmental random variations, an example of structure reassessment is presented taking into account in situ information by the mean of Bayesian approaches. The coupling of monitoring, modelling and updating leads to a new global maintenance strategy of infrastructure. In conclusion: This paper presents an unified methodology coupling predictive models, observations and Bayesian approaches in order to assess the degradation degree of an ageing structure. The particular case of corrosion is treated on an innovative way by the development of a service life model taking into account cracking effects on the kinetics of the phenomena. At a material level, the dominant factors are the crack opening and the crack nature

Construction of concrete hot cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-02-01

The calculations are valid for point cources of 60 Co with an average photon energy of 1,25 MeV. They may also be applied to line or volume sources. In these cases the concrete densities or wall ticknesses are on the safe side. For sources showing a marked line or volume character a special calculation for line or volume sources is recommended. (orig./HP) [de

Physical and mechanical properties of self-compacting concrete containing superplasticizer and metakaolin

Science.gov (United States)

Shahidan, Shahiron; Tayeh, Bassam A.; Jamaludin, A. A.; Bahari, N. A. A. S.; Mohd, S. S.; Zuki Ali, N.; Khalid, F. S.

2017-11-01

The development of concrete technology shows a variety of admixtures in concrete to produce special concrete. This includes the production of self-compacting concrete which is able to fill up all spaces, take formwork shapes and pass through congested reinforcement bars without vibrating or needing any external energy. In this study, the main objective is to compare the physical and mechanical properties of self-compacting concrete containing metakaolin with normal concrete. Four types of samples were produced to study the effect of metakaolin towards the physical and mechanical properties of self-compacting concrete where 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% of metakaolin were used as cement replacement. The physical properties were investigated using slump test for normal concrete and slump flow test for self-compacting concrete. The mechanical properties were tested for compressive strength and tensile strength. The findings of this study show that the inclusion of metakaolin as cement replacement can increase both compressive and tensile strength compared to normal concrete. The highest compressive strength was found in self-compacting concrete with 15% metakaolin replacement at 53.3 MPa while self-compacting concrete with 10% metakaolin replacement showed the highest tensile strength at 3.6 MPa. On top of that, the finishing or concrete surface of both cube and cylinder samples made of self-compacting concrete produced a smooth surface with the appearance of less honeycombs compared to normal concrete.

Neural dichotomy of word concreteness: a view from functional neuroimaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Uttam

2016-02-01

Our perception about the representation and processing of concrete and abstract concepts is based on the fact that concrete words are highly imagined and remembered faster than abstract words. In order to explain the processing differences between abstract and concrete concepts, various theories have been proposed, yet there is no unanimous consensus about its neural implication. The present study investigated the processing of concrete and abstract words during an orthography judgment task (implicit semantic processing) using functional magnetic resonance imaging to validate the involvement of the neural regions. Relative to non-words, both abstract and concrete words show activation in the regions of bilateral hemisphere previously associated with semantic processing. The common areas (conjunction analyses) observed for abstract and concrete words are bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (BA 44/45), left superior parietal (BA 7), left fusiform gyrus and bilateral middle occipital. The additional areas for abstract words were noticed in bilateral superior temporal and bilateral middle temporal region, whereas no distinct region was noticed for concrete words. This suggests that words with abstract concepts recruit additional language regions in the brain.

Comparative methods of concrete portal frame design

OpenAIRE

A, Letengsang

2014-01-01

The objective of this thesis was to design a concrete portal frame with two column spacings of 12 meters and 6 meters and its structural elements in a building located in Hämeenlinna city, Finland. A comprehension study on the concrete design chapter of Eurocode 2 was done before proceeding on the calculation process, the materials’ properties. The corresponding ca-pacity diagrams from concrete product manufacturers in Finland can be assistance tools during the calculation process. ...

Development of treatment technology for radioactive concrete wastes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Min, B. Y.; Choi, W. K.; Lee, K. W., E-mail: bymin@kaeri.re.k [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, 1045 Daeduk-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-353 Republic of Korea (Korea, Republic of)

2010-10-15

The aim of this study was the separation of clean aggregates from contaminated dismantling concrete wastes by thermal and mechanical processes. In Korea, the decontamination and decommissioning of the retired Korea research reactor (KRR) and a uranium conversion plant (UCP) at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has been under way. Hundreds of tons of concrete wastes are expected from these facilities. The KAERI has developed volume reduction technology applicable to an activated heavy concrete waste generated by dismantling KRR-2 and a uranium contaminated light weight concrete produced from a UCP. Contamination level of the gravel and sand aggregates was remarkably decreased by thermal and mechanical process. The volume reduction rate could be achieved above 70% for KRR-2 concrete waste and above to 80% for the UCP concrete waste. (Author)

Computer analysis of the X-ray images of renal concretions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naumov, N.; Zozikov, B.; Yanakiev, I.; Varlev, H.; Dimitrov, I.; Baltadjiev, D.; Dimitrova, St.; Shimanov, V.; Sultanov, A.; Pazderov, R.

1997-01-01

An investigation aimed to assessing the possibilities of computerized analysis of renal concretions is described. The results of comparative study of digitized X-ray images of concretions and data retrieved from radio-spectral microprobe analysis are presented. The obtained data confirm the author's hypothesis set forth, claiming that it is possible to define the composition and structure of renal concretions using specially developed software (Videoexpert 2.0). Excellent results are obtained even from native X-rays where the concernment is still within the patient's body. Roentgen computerized analysis is recommended in making decision on therapeutic approach towards calculi in urological and radiographic practice. 5 refs., 5 figs

Neutrino superluminality without Cherenkov-like processes in Finslerian special relativity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang Zhe; Li Xin; Wang Sai

2012-01-01

Recently, Cohen and Glashow [A.G. Cohen, S.L. Glashow, Phys. Rev. Lett. 107 (2011) 181803] pointed out that the superluminal neutrinos reported by the OPERA would lose their energy rapidly via the Cherenkov-like process. The Cherenkov-like process for the superluminal particles would be forbidden if the principle of special relativity holds in any frame instead violated with a preferred frame. We have proposed that the Finslerian special relativity could account for the data of the neutrino superluminality ( (arXiv:1110.6673 [hep-ph])). The Finslerian special relativity preserves the principle of special relativity and involves a preferred direction while consists with the causality. In this Letter, we prove that the energy-momentum conservation is preserved and the energy-momentum is well defined in Finslerian special relativity. The Cherenkov-like process is forbidden in the Finslerian special relativity. Thus, the superluminal neutrinos would not lose energy in their distant propagation.

Project SAFE. Modelling of long-term concrete degradation processes in the Swedish SFR repository

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoeglund, L.O. [Kemakta Konsult AB, Stockholm (Sweden)

2001-04-01

This study concerns the leaching of concrete barriers, in particular the silo construction, in the Swedish SFR repository for low and intermediate level radioactive waste. A conceptual model for the leaching of concrete in a saline groundwater has been proposed based on the increased understanding achieved from research studies presented in the literature. The conceptual model has been used to set up a numerical model for the complex chemical interactions between the cement minerals of the concrete with the groundwater. The calculations show that various chemical reactions are expected to occur in the concrete over time. Different cases have been calculated. The results show that the chemical conditions in the concrete barriers will maintain alkaline for long time. In the most exposed parts of the concrete a high degree of leaching can be expected during the considered 10,000 years, whereas only for the most unfavourable assumptions (initially fractured concrete with groundwater flow-through) the inner parts of the concrete will be degraded to any significant degree.

Project SAFE. Modelling of long-term concrete degradation processes in the Swedish SFR repository

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoeglund, L.O.

2001-04-01

This study concerns the leaching of concrete barriers, in particular the silo construction, in the Swedish SFR repository for low and intermediate level radioactive waste. A conceptual model for the leaching of concrete in a saline groundwater has been proposed based on the increased understanding achieved from research studies presented in the literature. The conceptual model has been used to set up a numerical model for the complex chemical interactions between the cement minerals of the concrete with the groundwater. The calculations show that various chemical reactions are expected to occur in the concrete over time. Different cases have been calculated. The results show that the chemical conditions in the concrete barriers will maintain alkaline for long time. In the most exposed parts of the concrete a high degree of leaching can be expected during the considered 10,000 years, whereas only for the most unfavourable assumptions (initially fractured concrete with groundwater flow-through) the inner parts of the concrete will be degraded to any significant degree

Durability of Self Compacting Concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benmarce, A.; Boudjehem, H.; Bendjhaiche, R.

2011-01-01

Self compacting concrete (SCC) seem to be a very promising materials for construction thanks to their properties in a fresh state. Studying of the influence of the parameters of specific designed mixes to their mechanical, physical and chemical characteristics in a state hardened is an important stage so that it can be useful for new-to-the-field researchers and designers (worldwide) beginning studies and work involving self compacting concrete. The objective of this research is to study the durability of self compacting concrete. The durability of concrete depends very much on the porosity; the latter determines the intensity of interactions with aggressive agents. The pores inside of concrete facilitate the process of damage, which began generally on the surface. We are interested to measure the porosity of concrete on five SCC with different compositions (w/c, additives) and vibrated concrete to highlight the influence of the latter on the porosity, thereafter on the compressive strength and the transfer properties (oxygen permeability, chloride ion diffusion, capillary absorption). (author)

Residual radioactivity investigation and radiological assessments for self-disposal of concrete waste in nuclear fuel processing facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seol, Jeung Gun; Ryu, Jae Bong; Cho, Suk Ju; Yoo, Sung Hyun; Song, Jung Ho; Baek, Hoon; Kim, Seong Hwan; Shin, Jin Seong; Park, Hyun Kyoun

2007-01-01

In this study, domestic regulatory requirement was investigated for self-disposal of concrete waste from nuclear fuel processing facility. And after self-disposal as landfill or recycling/reuse, the exposure dose was evaluated by RESRAD Ver. 6.3 and RESRAD BUILD Ver. 3.3 computing code for radiological assessments of the general public. Derived clearance level by the result of assessments for the exposure dose of the general public is 0.1071Bq/g (3.5% enriched uranium) for landfill and 0.05515 Bq/cm 2 (5% enriched uranium) for recycling/reuse respectively. Also, residual radioactivity of concrete waste after decontamination was investigated in this study. The result of surface activity is 0.01Bq/cm 2 for emitter and the result of radionuclide analysis for taken concrete samples from surface of concrete waste is 0.0297Bq/g for concentration of 238 U, below 2w/o for enrichment of 235 U and 0.0089Bq/g for artificial contamination of 238 U respectively. Therefore, radiological hazard of concrete waste by self-disposal as landfill and recycling/reuse is below clearance level to comply with clearance criterion provided for Notice No. 2001-30 of the MOST and Korea Atomic Energy Act

Seismic Material Properties of Reinforced Concrete and Steel Casing Composite Concrete in Elevated Pile-Group Foundation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhou Mi

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The paper focuses on the material mechanics properties of reinforced concrete and steel casing composite concrete under pseudo-static loads and their application in structure. Although elevated pile-group foundation is widely used in bridge, port and ocean engineering, the seismic performance of this type of foundation still need further study. Four scale-specimens of the elevated pile-group foundation were manufactured by these two kinds of concrete and seismic performance characteristic of each specimen were compared. Meanwhile, the special soil box was designed and built to consider soil-pile-superstructure interaction. According to the test result, the peak strength of strengthening specimens is about 1.77 times of the others and the ultimate displacement is 1.66 times of the RC specimens. Additionally, the dissipated hysteric energy capability of strengthening specimens is more than 2.15 times of the others as the equivalent viscous damping ratio is reduced by 50%. The pinching effect of first two specimens is more obvious than latter two specimens and the hysteretic loops of reinforced specimens are more plumpness. The pseudo-static tests also provided the data to quantitatively assessment the positive effect of steel casing composite concrete in aseismatic design of bridge.

Possibilities in concrete industry towards circular economy through industrial symbiosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bjegović Dubravka

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Major challenges of traditional linear concrete industry are utilisation of large amount of non-renewable resources and significant air emissions during production, utilisation and demolition of concrete structures. At the same time, concrete industry has a high potential for a positive shift towards more sustainable production and lower ecological footprint. One of the strategies is to use waste materials and byproducts from other industries as valuable raw materials in concrete industry. This loop can be closed only by taking into account properties of a certain waste material and using them for preparation of special purpose concrete products, in which these properties are favourable. Other strategy is designing concrete tailored for certain environment and service life, making it optimised for that specific purpose. The paper presents some of the available waste and recycled materials in Croatia and research focused on their potential application in civil engineering. The possibilities of utilisation are first explored in laboratory conditions, with the results presented in this paper as an outcome. Based on the obtained results some of the potential areas of application are proposed, in which concrete prepared with these waste materials becomes alternative to classical concrete. Both original scientific research results are presented, but also prototype of products produced based on the scientific research.

Effect of supplementary cementing materials on the concrete corrosion control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mejia de Gutierrez, R.

2003-01-01

Failure of concrete after a period of years, less than the life expected for which it was designed, may be caused by the environment to which it has been exposed or by a variety of internal causes. The incorporation of supplementary materials has at the Portland cement the purpose of improving the concrete microstructure and also of influence the resistance of concrete to environmental attacks. Different mineral by-products as ground granulated blast furnaces slag (GGBS), silica fume (SF), meta kaolin (MK), fly ash (FA) and other products have been used as supplementary cementing materials. This paper is about the behavior of concrete in the presence of mineral additions. Compared to Portland cements, blended cements show lower heat of hydration, lower permeability, greater resistance to sulphates and sea water. These blended cements find the best application when requirements of durability are regarded as a priority specially on high performance concrete: (Author) 11 refs

Finite element analysis of prestressed concrete reactor vessels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, P.D.; Cook, W.A.; Anderson, C.A.

1977-01-01

Several present and proposed gas-cooled reactors use concrete pressure vessels. In addition, concrete is almost universally used for the secondary containment structures of water-cooled reactors. Regulatory agencies must have means of assuring that these concrete structures perform their containment functions during normal operation and after extreme conditions of transient overpressure and high temperature. The NONSAP nonlinear structural analysis program has been extensively modified to provide one analytical means of assessing the safety of reinforced concrete pressure vessels and containments. Several structural analysis codes were studied to evaluate their ability to model the nonlinear static and dynamic behavior of three-dimensional structures. The NONSAP code was selected because of its availability and because of the ease with which it can be modified. In particular, the modular structure of this code allows ready addition of specialized material models. Major modifications have been the development of pre- and post-processors for mesh generation and graphics, the addition of an out-of-core solver, and the addition of constitutive models for reinforced concrete subject to either long-term or short-term loads. Emphasis was placed on development of a three-dimensional analysis capability

Types and Characteristics of Performing Concretes Used in the Constructions Processes Engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vladimir Corobceanu

2005-01-01

Full Text Available The light concrete industry has a great development at present, due to some technical characteristics that make them highly appreciated. These characteristics are: the reduced apparent density, the capacity of high thermal insulation and high resistance at fire, compared to heavy concretes. These features have a result a type concrete elements (simple, reinforced of prestressed with reduced weight, which are good thermo-insulators and easy to manufacture, etc.

Study of the Technical Feasibility of Increasing the Amount of Recycled Concrete Waste Used in Ready-Mix Concrete Production

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreiro-Cabello, Javier; López-González, Luis M.

2017-01-01

The construction industry generates a considerable amount of waste. Faced with this undesirable situation, the ready-mix concrete sector, in particular, has invested energy and resources into reusing its own waste in its production process as it works towards the goal of more sustainable construction. This study examines the feasibility of incorporating two types of concrete waste, which currently end up in landfill, into the production process of ready-mix concrete: the waste generated during the initial production stage (ready-mix concrete waste), and waste created when demolition waste is treated to obtain artificial aggregate. The first phase of the study’s methodology corroborates the suitability of the recycled aggregate through characterization tests. After this phase, the impact of incorporating different percentages of recycled coarse aggregate is evaluated by examining the performance of the produced concrete. The replacement rate varied between 15% and 50%. The results indicate that recycled aggregates are, indeed, suitable to be incorporated into ready-mix concrete production. The impact on the final product’s performance is different for the two cases examined herein. Incorporating aggregates from generic concrete blocks led to a 20% decrease in the produced concrete’s strength performance. On the other hand, using recycled aggregates made from the demolition waste led to a smaller decrease in the concrete’s performance: about 8%. The results indicate that with adequate management and prior treatment, the waste from these plants can be re-incorporated into their production processes. If concrete waste is re-used, concrete production, in general, becomes more sustainable for two reasons: less waste ends up as landfill and the consumption of natural aggregates is also reduced. PMID:28773183

Design criteria for prestressed concrete pressure vessels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schimmelpfennig, K.

1989-01-01

The work concerned with the PCRVs has been focussed on topics which are not sufficiently covered by the usual codes with respect to the special structure of PCRVs and the special demands on it, and different investigations yielding a basis for such specific design criteria have been carried out. Only a couple of subjects being in the fore under the aspect of defining quality enlarging design criteria for PCRVs are outlined. The materials for the concrete to be used for the PCRVs are carefully selected. (DG)

Visualization of Concrete Slump Flow Using the Kinect Sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jung-Hoon; Park, Minbeom

2018-03-03

Workability is regarded as one of the important parameters of high-performance concrete and monitoring it is essential in concrete quality management at construction sites. The conventional workability test methods are basically based on length and time measured by a ruler and a stopwatch and, as such, inevitably involves human error. In this paper, we propose a 4D slump test method based on digital measurement and data processing as a novel concrete workability test. After acquiring the dynamically changing 3D surface of fresh concrete using a 3D depth sensor during the slump flow test, the stream images are processed with the proposed 4D slump processing algorithm and the results are compressed into a single 4D slump image. This image basically represents the dynamically spreading cross-section of fresh concrete along the time axis. From the 4D slump image, it is possible to determine the slump flow diameter, slump flow time, and slump height at any location simultaneously. The proposed 4D slump test will be able to activate research related to concrete flow simulation and concrete rheology by providing spatiotemporal measurement data of concrete flow.

Mathematical Modeling, Simulation and Optimization for Selected Robotic Processes related to Manufacturing of Unique Concrete Elements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cortsen, Jens

Denne afhandling præsenterer vores arbejde i det danske projekt Unique Concrete Structures (Unikabeton) and EU projekt TailorMade Concrete Structures (TailorCrete) med at automatisere udvalgte processer for konstruktion af unike beton bygninger. Vi har primært fokus på robotfræsning af komplekse...... dobbeltkurvede armerings gitter med to samarbejdende robotter, hvor delprocesserne er bøjning, transportering og binding af ameringsstænger. Robotinstallationen er baseret på et off-line simuleringsprogram med dynamisk simulerings support for stangnedbøjning og samtidigt robot control for at reducere...... produktionstiden. De to mindre processer som varmetråd skæring af EPS blokke før fræsning og sprøjtning af slipmiddel på de færdige formwork blokke er også præsenteret efter de to hoved processer. Til sidst præsenterer vi en række af real life betonstrukturer baseret på vores arbejde i denne afhandling...

Vectors of Defects in Reinforced Concrete Structures in Onshore Oil and Gas Process Plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dabo Baba Hammad

2018-01-01

Full Text Available There is a global outcry over the speedy deterioration of structures in oil and gas facilities. While marine environment is considered the leading factor in the deterioration of offshore structures, there is no single factor considered as the main cause of the problem in onshore structures. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to present the result of global survey on the major factors causing the deterioration of concrete structures in onshore oil and gas facilities. To realize the objectives of the paper, an e-questionnaire was administered through two International LinkedIn groups with a membership mainly dominated by experts in onshore oil and gas facilities. 159 respondents completed the questionnaires, and the reliability of the responses was calculated to be 0.950 which is considered excellent. Relative importance index was used in ranking the factors, and it was observed that environmental factors ranked as the dominant factors causing the deterioration of concrete structures in onshore process plants. Another important finding in the study is the role that experience plays on the perception of experts on the causes of defects on concrete structures.

Reviewing the Carbonation Resistance of Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S P Singh

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The paper reviews the studies on one of the important durability properties of concrete i.e. Carbonation. One of the main causes of deterioration of concrete is carbonation, which occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2 penetrates the concrete’s porous system to create an environment with lower pH around the reinforcement in which corrosion can proceed. Carbonation is a major cause of degradation of concrete structures leading to expensive maintenance and conservation operations. Herein, the importance, process and effect of various parameters such as water/cement ratio, water/binder ratio, curing conditions, concrete cover, super plasticizers, type of aggregates, grade of concrete, porosity, contaminants, compaction, gas permeability, supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs/ admixtures on the carbonation of concrete has been reviewed. Various methods for estimating the carbonation depth are also reported briefly

Recycled Concrete as Aggregate for Structural Concrete Production

OpenAIRE

Mirjana Malešev; Vlastimir Radonjanin; Snežana Marinković

2010-01-01

A comparative analysis of the experimental results of the properties of fresh and hardened concrete with different replacement ratios of natural with recycled coarse aggregate is presented in the paper. Recycled aggregate was made by crushing the waste concrete of laboratory test cubes and precast concrete columns. Three types of concrete mixtures were tested: concrete made entirely with natural aggregate (NAC) as a control concrete and two types of concrete made with natural fine and recycle...

Heavy density concrete for nuclear radiation shielding and power stations: [Part]2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singha Roy, P.K.

1987-01-01

This article is the second part of the paper entitled 'Heavy density concrete for nuclear radiation shielding and power stations'. In this part, some of the important properties of heavy density concrete are discussed. They include density, water retentivity, air content, permeability with special reference to concrete mixes used in India's nuclear power reactors. All these properties are affected to various extents by heating. Indian shield concrete is rarely subjected to temperatures above 60degC during its life, because of thermal shield protection. During placement, the maximum anticipated rise in temperature due to heat of hydration is restricted to around 45degC by chilling, if necessary to reduce shrinkage stresses and cracks. (M.G.B.)

The Future Concrete: Self-Compacting Concrete

OpenAIRE

Iureş, Liana; Bob, Corneliu

2010-01-01

The paper presents the characteristics of the self-compacting concretes, their advantages and disadvantages when they are used in buildings. Due to its properties and composition, the self-compacting concrete is described here as being one of the future friendly enviromental material for buildings. Tests concerning to obtaining a self-compacting concrete, together with the specific fresh concrete properties tests, are described.

Fourth international conference on fly ash, silica fume, slag, and natural pozzolans in concrete: Supplemental proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berry, E.E.; Hemmings, R.T.; Zhang, M.H.; Malhotra, V.M.

1992-03-01

This report consists of four papers presented at a special session on high volume fly ash (HVFA) concrete. These four papers summarize an EPRI research project currently in progress that is investigating HVFA concretes. This objective of this research is to commercialize the HVFA concrete technology through: (1) an extensive measurement of basic engineering and durability properties; (2) an examination of the binder microstructure and cementation hydration reactions; and (3) technology transfer to industry and the construction community. Overall the data from the project that are summarized in these papers, show that commercial quality structural grade concrete (up to 50 MPa compressive strength at 90 days) can be made from a wide range of fly ashes and cements available throughout the USA. It has been shown in this project that fly ash is a reactive participant with the Portland cement in the cementing process, and also serves as a microaggregate in a multiphase composite binder formed during curing. The properties of the binder were found to significantly influence strength development, elastic modulus, and the stress-strain behavior of HVFA concrete. Overall, the data presented show that regardless of the type of fly ash (from the nine US ashes evaluated) and the two cements used, that air-entrained HVFA concrete exhibits excellent durability in all respects except under application of deicing salts where some surface scaling has been observed in the laboratory

Behaviour of concrete nuclear containment structures upto ultimate failure with special reference to MAPP-1 containment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Appa Rao, T.V.S.R.

1975-01-01

Theoretical and experimental methods for investigating the behaviour of concrete secondary containment structures subjected to loads upto their ultimate failure have been discussed in the paper. Need for inelastic nonlinear analysis of containments has been emphasized. Different contitutive models of concrete that can be employed in the nonlinear analysis of concrete structures were briefly reviewed. Based on the experimental results obtained in a 1:12 scale model test conducted at the Structural Engineering Research (Regional) Centre, Madras, behaviour of the MAPP-1 containment to internal pressure loading upto its ultimate failure has been discussed. (author)

Effects of valence and arousal on emotional word processing are modulated by concreteness: Behavioral and ERP evidence from a lexical decision task.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Zhao; Yu, Deshui; Wang, Lili; Zhu, Xiangru; Guo, Jingjing; Wang, Zhenhong

2016-12-01

We investigated whether the effects of valence and arousal on emotional word processing are modulated by concreteness using event-related potentials (ERPs). The stimuli included concrete words (Experiment 1) and abstract words (Experiment 2) that were organized in an orthogonal design, with valence (positive and negative) and arousal (low and high) as factors in a lexical decision task. In Experiment 1, the impact of emotion on the effects of concrete words mainly resulted from the contribution of valence. Positive concrete words were processed more quickly than negative words and elicited a reduction of N400 (300-410ms) and enhancement of late positive complex (LPC; 450-750ms), whereas no differences in response times or ERPs were found between high and low levels of arousal. In Experiment 2, the interaction between valence and arousal influenced the impact of emotion on the effects of abstract words. Low-arousal positive words were associated with shorter response times and a reduction of LPC amplitudes compared with high-arousal positive words. Low-arousal negative words were processed more slowly and elicited a reduction of N170 (140-200ms) compared with high-arousal negative words. The present study indicates that word concreteness modulates the contributions of valence and arousal to the effects of emotion, and this modulation occurs during the early perceptual processing stage (N170) and late elaborate processing stage (LPC) for emotional words and at the end of all cognitive processes (i.e., reflected by response times). These findings support an embodied theory of semantic representation and help clarify prior inconsistent findings regarding the ways in which valance and arousal influence different stages of word processing, at least in a lexical decision task. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimization process for thin-walled high performance concrete sandwich panels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hodicky, Kamil; Hulin, Thomas; Schmidt, Jacob Wittrup

2014-01-01

with the specifications of the design constrains and variables. The tool integrates the processes of HPCSP design, quantity take-off and cost estimation into a single system that would provide different costs for different HPCSP designs. The proposed multi-objective optimisation scheme results into derivation of basic......A Nearly zero energy buildings are to become a requirement as part of the European energy policy. There are many ways of designing nearly zero energy buildings, but there is a lack of knowledge on optimization processes in the sense of structurally and thermally efficient design with an optimal...... economical solution. The present paper aims to provide multi-objective optimisation procedure addressed to structural precast thin-walled High Performance Concrete Sandwich Panels (HPCSP). The research aim is concerned with developing a tool that considers the cost of HPCSP materials along...

Optimization of Concrete Composition in Radioactive Waste Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

IIija, P.

1999-01-01

Low and Intermediate level radioactive waste re presents 95% of the total wastes that is conditioned into special concrete containers. Since these containers are to protect radioactive waste safely for about 300 years, the selection and precise control of physical and mechanical characteristics of materials is very important. After volume reduction and valuable components recovery, waste materials have to be conditioned for transport, storage and disposal. Conditioning is the waste management step in which radioactive wastes are immobilized and packed . In this paper methods and optimization of concrete container composition, used for storing radioactive waste, is presented

The Future Concrete: Self-Compacting Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liana Iureş

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the characteristics of the self-compacting concretes, their advantages and disadvantages when they are used in buildings. Due to its properties and composition, the self-compacting concrete is described here as being one of the future friendly enviromental material for buildings. Tests concerning to obtaining a self-compacting concrete, together with the specific fresh concrete properties tests, are described.

Concrete under severe conditions. Environment and loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

-disciplinary ideas in order to improve the current situation. In continuity with previous CONSEC conferences, chloride ingress within concrete structures, durability performance in marine environment, and mitigation of corrosion has deserved important research effort, leading to numerous meaningful contributions. Themes of wear, fatigue resistance of concrete and concrete structures, and control of crack openings represent traditionally important durability issues, for which significant new results are provided. Moreover, with the evolution of research themes, of design and building practice and of social needs, some topics indicate a renewed and major interest of CONSEC'07 contributors: - shock and impact strength of concrete structures, in relation with natural and industrial hazards or terrorist attacks, - thermo-mechanical couplings and fire resistance of concrete structures, which represents an important industrial and safety issue, - rational accounting for chemical attacks and prevention of associated degradations, - performance-based engineering of concrete material, with a special care of durability. Sixteen papers dealing with the behaviour of concrete structures in nuclear facilities have been selected for INIS

Elevated temperature effects on concrete properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grant, P.R.; Gruber, R.S.; Van Katwijk, C.

1993-08-01

The design of facilities to process or store radioactive wastes presents many challenging engineering problems. Such facilities must not only provide for safe storage of radioactive wastes but they must also be able to maintain confinement of these materials during and after natural phenomena events. Heat generated by the radioactive decay of the wastes will cause the temperature of the concrete containment structure to increase to a magnitude higher than that found in conventional structures. These elevated temperatures will cause strength-related concrete properties to degrade over time. For concrete temperatures less than 150 degree F, no reduction in strength is taken and the provisions of ACI 349, which states that higher temperatures are allowed if tests are provided to evaluate the reduction in concrete strength properties, apply. Methods proposed in a Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) report, Modeling of Time-Variant Concrete Properties at Elevated Temperatures, can be used to evaluate the effects of elevated temperatures on concrete properties. Using these modified concrete properties the capacity of a concrete structure, subjected to elevated temperatures, to resist natural phenomena hazards can be determined

Structure formation control of foam concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Steshenko, Aleksei; Kudyakov, Aleksander; Konusheva, Viktoriya; Syrkin, Oleg

2017-01-01

The process of predetermined foam concrete structure formation is considered to be a crucial issue from the point of process control and it is currently understudied thus defining the need for additional research. One of the effective ways of structure formation control in naturally hardening foam concrete is reinforcement with dispersed fibers or introduction of plasticizers. The paper aims at studying the patterns of influence of microreinforcing and plasticizing additives on the structure and performance properties of foam concrete. Preparation of foam concrete mix has been conducted using one-step technology. The structure of modified foam concrete has been studied by means of electron microscopy. The cellular structure of foam concrete samples with the additives is homogeneous; the pores are uniformly distributed over the total volume. It has been revealed that introduction of the Neolas 5.2 plasticizer and microreinforcing fibers in the foam concrete mixture in the amount of 0.4 - 0.1 % by weight of cement leads to reduction of the average pore diameter in the range of 45.3 to 30.2 microns and the standard deviation of the pore average diameter from 23.6 to 9.2 in comparison with the sample without additive. Introduction of modifying additives has stimulated formation of a large number of closed pores. Thus porosity of conditionally closed pores has increased from 16.06 % to 34.48 %, which has lead to increase of frost resistance brand of foam concrete from F15 to F50 and to reduction of its water absorption by weight by 20 %.

Mathematical model for hysteresis phenomenon in moisture transport of concrete carbonation process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aiki, Toyohiko; Kumazaki, Kota

2012-01-01

From civil engineering point of view it is very important to construct and analyze a mathematical model for a mechanism of concrete carbonation process. On this subject there are several mathematical results concerned with a one-dimensional model, in which hysteresis effects are neglected. Our aim is to give a model with hysteresis effects appearing in carbonation process. In this paper, as the first step of this research we focus only on moisture transport in the process and propose an initial boundary value problem for a system of partial differential equations as a mathematical model. Also, we give results on the existence of a solution to the problem, globally in time and the uniqueness in only one-dimensional case without proofs.

Development and Evaluation of Cement-Based Materials for Repair of Corrosion-Damaged Reinforced Concrete Slabs

OpenAIRE

Liu, Rongtang; Olek, J.

2001-01-01

In this study, the results of an extensive laboratory investigation conducted to evaluate the properties of concrete mixes used as patching materials to repair reinforced concrete slabs damaged by corrosion are reported. Seven special concrete mixes containing various combinations of chemical or mineral admixtures were developed and used as a patching material to improve the durability of the repaired slabs. Physical and mechanical properties of these mixes, such as compressive strength, stat...

Two innovative solutions based on fibre concrete blocks designed for building substructure

Science.gov (United States)

Pazderka, J.; Hájek, P.

2017-09-01

Using of fibers in a high-strength concrete allows reduction of the dimensions of small precast concrete elements, which opens up new ways of solution for traditional construction details in buildings. The paper presents two innovative technical solutions for building substructure: The special shaped plinth block from fibre concrete and the fibre concrete elements for new technical solution of ventilated floor. The main advantages of plinth block from fibre concrete blocks (compared with standard plinth solutions) is: easier and faster assembly, higher durability and thanks to the air cavity between the vertical part of the block, the building substructure reduced moisture level of structures under the waterproofing layer and a comprehensive solution to the final surface of building plinth as well as the surface of adjacent terrain. The ventilated floor based on fibre concrete precast blocks is an attractive structural alternative for tackling the problem of increased moisture in masonry in older buildings, lacking a functional waterproof layer in the substructure.

Considerations about the licensing process of special nuclear industrial facilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Talarico, M.A., E-mail: talaricomarco@hotmail.com [Marinha do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Coordenacao do Porgrama de Submarino com Propulsao Nuclear; Melo, P.F. Frutuoso e [Coordenacao dos Programas de Pos-Graduacao em Engenharia (COPPE/UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Programa de Engenharia Nuclear

2015-07-01

This paper brings a discussion about the challenges involved in the development of a new kind of nuclear facility in Brazil, a naval base for nuclear submarines, with attention to the licensing process and considerations about the risk-informed decision making application to the licensing process. Initially, a model of such a naval base, called in this work, special industrial facility, is proposed, with its systems and respective sets of basic requirements, in order to make it possible the accomplishment of the special industrial facility support function to the nuclear submarine. A discussion about current challenges to overcome in this project is presented: the challenges due to the new characteristics of this type of nuclear facility; existence of several interfaces between the special industrial facilities systems and nuclear submarine systems in design activities; lack of specific regulation in Brazil to allow the licensing process of special industrial facilities by the nuclear safety authority; and comments about the lack of information from reference nuclear facilities, as is the case with nuclear power reactors (for example, the German Grafenrheinfeld nuclear plant is the reference plant for the Brazilian Angra 2 nuclear plant). Finally, in view of these challenges, an analysis method of special industrial facility operational scenarios to assist the licensing process is proposed. Also, considerations about the application of risk-informed decision making to the special industrial facility activity and licensing process in Brazil are presented. (author)

Considerations about the licensing process of special nuclear industrial facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talarico, M.A.; Melo, P.F. Frutuoso e

2015-01-01

This paper brings a discussion about the challenges involved in the development of a new kind of nuclear facility in Brazil, a naval base for nuclear submarines, with attention to the licensing process and considerations about the risk-informed decision making application to the licensing process. Initially, a model of such a naval base, called in this work, special industrial facility, is proposed, with its systems and respective sets of basic requirements, in order to make it possible the accomplishment of the special industrial facility support function to the nuclear submarine. A discussion about current challenges to overcome in this project is presented: the challenges due to the new characteristics of this type of nuclear facility; existence of several interfaces between the special industrial facilities systems and nuclear submarine systems in design activities; lack of specific regulation in Brazil to allow the licensing process of special industrial facilities by the nuclear safety authority; and comments about the lack of information from reference nuclear facilities, as is the case with nuclear power reactors (for example, the German Grafenrheinfeld nuclear plant is the reference plant for the Brazilian Angra 2 nuclear plant). Finally, in view of these challenges, an analysis method of special industrial facility operational scenarios to assist the licensing process is proposed. Also, considerations about the application of risk-informed decision making to the special industrial facility activity and licensing process in Brazil are presented. (author)

Concrete decontamination by electro-hydraulic scabbling (EHS). Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-10-01

Contamination of concrete structures by radionuclides, hazardous metals and organic substances (including PCB`s) occurs at many DOE sites. The contamination of concrete structures (walls, floors, ceilings, etc.) varies in type, concentration, and especially depth of penetration into the concrete. In many instances, only the surface layer of concrete is contaminated, up to a depth of one inch, according to estimates provided in the R and D ID document. Then, removal of the concrete surface layer (scabbling) is considered to be the most effective decontamination method. Textron Systems Corp. (TSC) has developed a scabbling concept based on electro-mechanical phenomena accompanying strong electric pulses generated by applying high voltage at the concrete/water interface. Depending on the conditions, the electric discharge may occur either through a waste layer or through the concrete body itself. This report describes the development, testing, and results of this electro-mechanical process. Phase 1 demonstrated the feasibility of the process for the controlled removal of a thin layer of contaminated concrete. Phase 2 designed, fabricated, and tested an integrated subscale unit. This was tested at Fernald. In Phase 3, the scabbling unit was reconfigured to increase its power and processing rate. Technology transfer to an engineering contracting company is continuing.

Concrete decontamination by electro-hydraulic scabbling (EHS). Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-10-01

Contamination of concrete structures by radionuclides, hazardous metals and organic substances (including PCB's) occurs at many DOE sites. The contamination of concrete structures (walls, floors, ceilings, etc.) varies in type, concentration, and especially depth of penetration into the concrete. In many instances, only the surface layer of concrete is contaminated, up to a depth of one inch, according to estimates provided in the R and D ID document. Then, removal of the concrete surface layer (scabbling) is considered to be the most effective decontamination method. Textron Systems Corp. (TSC) has developed a scabbling concept based on electro-mechanical phenomena accompanying strong electric pulses generated by applying high voltage at the concrete/water interface. Depending on the conditions, the electric discharge may occur either through a waste layer or through the concrete body itself. This report describes the development, testing, and results of this electro-mechanical process. Phase 1 demonstrated the feasibility of the process for the controlled removal of a thin layer of contaminated concrete. Phase 2 designed, fabricated, and tested an integrated subscale unit. This was tested at Fernald. In Phase 3, the scabbling unit was reconfigured to increase its power and processing rate. Technology transfer to an engineering contracting company is continuing

Lightweight concrete masonry units based on processed granulate of corn cob as aggregate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Faustino, J.

2015-06-01

Full Text Available A research work was performed in order to assess the potential application of processed granulate of corn cob (PCC as an alternative lightweight aggregate for the manufacturing process of lightweight concrete masonry units (CMU. Therefore, CMU-PCC were prepared in a factory using a typical lightweight concrete mixture for non-structural purposes. Additionally, lightweight concrete masonry units based on a currently applied lightweight aggregate such as expanded clay (CMU-EC were also manufactured. An experimental work allowed achieving a set of results that suggest that the proposed building product presents interesting material properties within the masonry wall context. Therefore, this unit is promising for both interior and exterior applications. This conclusion is even more relevant considering that corn cob is an agricultural waste product.En este trabajo de investigación se evaluó la posible aplicación de granulado procesado de la mazorca de maiz como un árido ligero alternativo en el proceso de fabricación de unidades de mampostería de hormigón ligero. Con esta finalidad, se prepararon en una fábrica diversas unidades de mampostería no estructural con granulado procesado de la mazorca de maiz. Además, se fabricaran unidades de mampostería estándar de peso ligero basado en agregados de arcilla expandida. Este trabajo experimental permitió lograr un conjunto de resultados que sugieren que el producto de construcción propuesto presenta interesantes propiedades materiales en el contexto de la pared de mampostería. Por lo tanto, esta solución es prometedora tanto para aplicaciones interiores y exteriores. Esta conclusión es aún más relevante teniendo en cuenta que la mazorca de maíz es un producto de desecho agrícola.

Radiant heat evaluation of concrete: a study of the erosion of concrete due to surface heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, T.Y.

1978-01-01

Experiments were carried out to investigate the erosion of concrete under high surface heat flux in connection with the core-melt/concrete interaction studies. The dominate erosion mechanism was found to be melting at the surface accompanied by chemical decomposition of the concrete beneath the melt-solid interface. The erosion process reaches a steady state after an initial transient. The steady state is characterized by an essentially constant erosion rate at the surface and a nonvarying (with respect to the moving melt interface) temperature distribution within the concrete. For the range of incident heat flux 64 W/cm 2 to 118 W/cm 2 , the corresponding steady state erosion rate varies from approximately 8 cm/hr to 23 cm/hr. A simple ablation/melting model is proposed for the erosion process. The model was found to be able to correlate all temperature responses at various depths from all tests at large times and for temperatures above approximately 250 0 C

Neutron diffraction as a tool in the study of reinforced concrete. Compilation of some cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castellote, M

2014-01-01

Cementitious materials are much more complex than it seems at a first sight. On one hand, due to the excess of water needed to make the mix workable, a network of pores is generated, that puts in contact the material with the environment and allows their attack by aggressive agents that can be physical of chemical agents, producing the deterioration of the concrete itself and corrosion of the rebars. Then, it is necessary to study the transport properties and the chemical and physical interaction of aggressive agents with the solid and liquid phases of the cement paste the corrosion of the rebars, and the reparation processes. This is an approach concerning the service life of structures, however, we cannot forget an important chapter which is gaining much relevance in the last time: that of the special uses of concrete, for which, tailored concretes have to be designed. In order to undertake these problems, we need new analysis tools, different that the traditionally ones applied to study concrete, that allows the understanding of the mechanisms regulating the processes. One of these analysis tools is neutron diffraction that gives us the possibility of study the bulk of materials using a quite big specimen. In this work, 4 different problems undertaken with the help of neutrons in experiments carried out by the group of the author at the ILL, at the D1B and D20 instruments are presented

Calculation of the process of vacuum drying of a metal-concrete container with spent nuclear fuel

Science.gov (United States)

Karyakin, Yu. E.; Lavrent'ev, S. A.; Pavlyukevich, N. V.; Pletnev, A. A.; Fedorovich, E. D.

2012-01-01

An algorithm and results of calculation of the process of vacuum drying of a metal-concrete container intended for long-term "dry" storage of spent nuclear fuel are presented. A calculated substantiation of the initial amount of moisture in the container is given.

Current challenges and future directions for bacterial self-healing concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yun Suk; Park, Woojun

2018-04-01

Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) has been widely explored and applied in the field of environmental engineering over the last decade. Calcium carbonate is naturally precipitated as a byproduct of various microbial metabolic activities. This biological process was brought into practical use to restore construction materials, strengthen and remediate soil, and sequester carbon. MICP has also been extensively examined for applications in self-healing concrete. Biogenic crack repair helps mitigate the high maintenance costs of concrete in an eco-friendly manner. In this process, calcium carbonate precipitation (CCP)-capable bacteria and nutrients are embedded inside the concrete. These bacteria are expected to increase the durability of the concrete by precipitating calcium carbonate in situ to heal cracks that develop in the concrete. However, several challenges exist with respect to embedding such bacteria; harsh conditions in concrete matrices are unsuitable for bacterial life, including high alkalinity (pH up to 13), high temperatures during manufacturing processes, and limited oxygen supply. Additionally, many biological factors, including the optimum conditions for MICP, the molecular mechanisms involved in MICP, the specific microorganisms suitable for application in concrete, the survival characteristics of the microorganisms embedded in concrete, and the amount of MICP in concrete, remain unclear. In this paper, metabolic pathways that result in conditions favorable for calcium carbonate precipitation, current and potential applications in concrete, and the remaining biological challenges are reviewed.

Comparison of the quasi-static method and the dynamic method for simulating fracture processes in concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, J. X.; Deng, S. C.; Liang, N. G.

2008-02-01

Concrete is heterogeneous and usually described as a three-phase material, where matrix, aggregate and interface are distinguished. To take this heterogeneity into consideration, the Generalized Beam (GB) lattice model is adopted. The GB lattice model is much more computationally efficient than the beam lattice model. Numerical procedures of both quasi-static method and dynamic method are developed to simulate fracture processes in uniaxial tensile tests conducted on a concrete panel. Cases of different loading rates are compared with the quasi-static case. It is found that the inertia effect due to load increasing becomes less important and can be ignored with the loading rate decreasing, but the inertia effect due to unstable crack propagation remains considerable no matter how low the loading rate is. Therefore, an unrealistic result will be obtained if a fracture process including unstable cracking is simulated by the quasi-static procedure.

Durability and service life design of concrete structures. Experiences and the way to prove in The Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Siemes, A.J.M.; Vrouwenvelder, A.C.W.M.

2002-01-01

After the introduction of reinforced concrete it was believed that the material was extremely durable. Soon it was found however, that reinforced concrete could have serious durability problems and that special care should be taken to avoid them. Durability became an issue.

Testing and evaluation of electrokinetic decontamination of concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DePaoli, D.W.; Harris, M.T.; Ally, M.R.

1996-10-01

The goals and objectives of the technical task plan (TTP) are to (1) describe the nature and extent of concrete contamination within the Department of Energy (DOE) complex and emerging and commercial technologies applicable to these problems; (2) to match technologies to the concrete problems and recommend up to four demonstrations; (3) to initiate recommended demonstrations; and (4) to continue investigation and evaluation of the application of electrokinetic decontamination processes to concrete. This document presents findings of experimental and theoretical studies of the electrokinetic decontamination (EK) process and their implications for field demonstrations. This effort is an extension of the work performed under TTP 142005, ''Electroosmotic Concrete Decontamination. The goals of this task were to determine the applicability of EK for treating contaminated concrete and, if warranted, to evaluate EK as a potential technology for demonstration. 62 refs

Steady-State Creep of Asphalt Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alibai Iskakbayev

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the experimental investigation of the steady-state creep process for fine-grained asphalt concrete at a temperature of 20 ± 2 °С and under stress from 0.055 to 0.311 MPa under direct tension and was found to occur at a constant rate. The experimental results also determined the start, the end point, and the duration of the steady-state creep process. The dependence of these factors, in addition to the steady-state creep rate and viscosity of the asphalt concrete on stress is satisfactorily described by a power function. Furthermore, it showed that stress has a great impact on the specific characteristics of asphalt concrete: stress variation by one order causes their variation by 3–4.5 orders. The described relations are formulated for the steady-state of asphalt concrete in a complex stressed condition. The dependence is determined between stress intensity and strain rate intensity.

pH neutralization of the by-product sludge waste water generated from waste concrete recycling process using the carbon mineralization

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Sangwoo; Shin, Hee-young; Bang, Jun Hwan; Ahn, Ji-Whan

2017-04-01

About 44 Mt/year of waste concrete is generated in South Korea. More than 95% of this waste concrete is recycled. In the process of regenerating and recycling pulmonary concrete, sludge mixed with fine powder generated during repeated pulverization process and water used for washing the surface and water used for impurity separation occurs. In this way, the solid matter contained in the sludge as a by-product is about 40% of the waste concrete that was input. Due to the cement component embedded in the concrete, the sludge supernatant is very strong alkaline (pH about 12). And it is necessary to neutralization for comply with environmental standards. In this study, carbon mineralization method was applied as a method to neutralize the pH of highly alkaline waste water to under pH 8.5, which is the water quality standard of discharged water. CO2 gas (purity 99%, flow rate 10ml/min.) was injected and reacted with the waste water (Ca concentration about 750mg/L) from which solid matter was removed. As a result of the experiment, the pH converged to about 6.5 within 50 minutes of reaction. The precipitate showed high whiteness. XRD and SEM analysis showed that it was high purity CaCO3. For the application to industry, it is needed further study using lower concentration CO2 gas (about 14%) which generated from power plant.

How Concrete is Concrete

OpenAIRE

Koeno Gravemeijer

2010-01-01

If we want to make something concrete in mathematics education, we are inclined introduce, what we call, ‘manipulatives’, in the form of tactile objects or visual representations. If we want to make something concrete in a everyday-life conversation, we look for an example. In the former, we try to make a concrete model of our own, abstract, knowledge; in the latter, we try to find an example that the others will be familiar with. This article first looks at the tension between these two diff...

The effect of the composition and production process of concrete on the 222Rn exhalation rate

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jong, P. de; Dijk, W. van; Hulst, J.G.A. van; Heijningen, R.J.J. van

1997-01-01

In a series of 18 concrete samples, the influence of several parameters related to composition and production processes on the radon exhalation rate was studied. The investigated parameters were: amount and type of cement, water-cement ratio, curing conditions and curing time, type of aggregates,

Mechanical interaction between concrete and structural reinforcement in the tension stiffening process

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lárusson, Lárus Helgi; Fischer, Gregor; Jönsson, Jeppe

2011-01-01

as Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC), have been combined with steel and glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforcement to contrast the effects of brittle and ductile cement matrices as well as elastic/plastic and elastic reinforcement on the tension stiffening process. Particular focus...... investigated using an image-based deformation measurement and analysis system. This allowed for detailed view of surface deformations and the implications on the resulting response of the member in tension. In this study, conventional concrete and a ductile, strain hardening cement composite, known...

Effect of insulating concrete forms in concrete compresive strength

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez Jerez, Silvio R.

The subject presented in this thesis is the effect of Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF's) on concrete compressive strength. This work seeks to identify if concrete cured in ICF's has an effect in compressive strength due to the thermal insulation provided by the forms. Modern construction is moving to energy efficient buildings and ICF's is becoming more popular in new developments. The thesis used a concrete mixture and a mortar mixture to investigate the effects of ICF's on concrete compressive strength. After the experimentations were performed, it was concluded that the ICF's do affect concrete strength. It was found that the forms increase concrete strength without the need for additional curing water. An increase of 50% in strength at 56 days was obtained. It was concluded that the longer concrete cures inside ICF's, the higher strength it reaches, and that ICF's effect on concrete strength is proportional to volume of concrete.

Concrete containment integrity software: Procedure manual and guidelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dameron, R.A.; Dunham, R.S.; Rashid, Y.R.

1990-06-01

This report is an executive summary describing the concrete containment analysis methodology and software that was developed in the EPRI-sponsored research to predict the overpressure behavior and leakage of concrete containments. A set of guidelines has been developed for performing reliable 2D axisymmetric concrete containment analysis with a cracking concrete constitutive model developed by ANATECH. The software package developed during this research phase is designed for use in conjunction with ABAQUS-EPGEN; it provides the concrete model and automates axisymmetric grid preparation, and rebar generation for 2D and 3D grids. The software offers the option of generating pre-programmed axisymmetric grids that can be tailored to a specific containment by input of a few geometry parameters. The goal of simplified axisymmetric analysis within the framework of the containment leakage prediction methodology is to compute global liner strain histories at various locations within the containment. A simplified approach for generating peak liner strains at structural discontinuities as function of the global liner strains has been presented in a separate leakage criteria document; the curves for strain magnification factors and liner stress triaxiality factors found in that document are intended to be applied to the global liner strain histories developed through global 2D analysis. This report summarizes the procedures for global 2D analysis and gives an overview of the constitutive model and the special purpose concrete containment analysis software developed in this research phase. 8 refs., 10 figs

Seismic fragility of reinforced concrete structures in nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gergely, P.

1985-01-01

The failure and fragility analyses of reinforced concrete structures and elements in nuclear reactor facilities within the Seismic Safety Margins Research Program (SSMRP) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory are evaluated. Uncertainties in material modeling, behavior of low shear walls, and seismic risk assessment for nonlinear response receive special attention. Problems with ductility-based spectral deamplification and prediction of the stiffness of reinforced concrete walls at low stress levels are examined. It is recommended to use relatively low damping values in connection with ductility-based response reductions. The study of static nonlinear force-deflection curves is advocated for better nonlinear dynamic response predictions

Impact of Pigments on Self-Compacting Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ernestas Ivanauskas

2011-04-01

Full Text Available We describe an impact of using iron oxide pigment on self-compacting concrete (SCC properties. We have experimented with adding portions of iron oxide pigment from 3 % to 6 % into cement paste. A few alternative pigments (chromic oxide and iron oxide hydroxide were used for performing the same experiments. The impact of these pigments on a normal cement paste is described in this paper. We demonstrate that iron oxide pigment reduces the need for water in a normal cement paste. However, adding the pigment also reduces the compressive strength of concrete up to 20 %. The concrete specimens were tested in various time spans, i.e. 1 day to 28 days, by keeping them in 20 ± 2 ºC water – normal consolidation regimen. Some of the specimens were processed in steam chamber, at 60 ºC in order to make the process of the cement hydration faster, as well as to estimate an impact of active SiO2 proportion in ash on SCC properties. We show that using iron oxide pigment for SCC mixture increases the slump-flow property of concrete mix up to 5 %. Experiments with solidified concrete have demonstrated that iron oxide diminishes water absorption up to 6 % and decreases open concrete porosity that makes concrete resistant against freezing. Article in Lithuanian

Self-compacting fibre reinforced concrete applied in thin plates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grunewald, S.; Shionaga, R.; Walraven, J.C.

2013-01-01

Floor panels produced with traditionally vibrated concrete are relatively thick due to the need to reinforce concrete and consequently, heavy. Without the need to place rebars in panels and by applying self-compacting fibre reinforced concrete (SCFRC) the production process becomes more efficient.

The knowledge-conversion process in a specialized school

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frederico Cesar Mafra Pereira

2007-11-01

Full Text Available This article present the knowledge-conversion process in a small business company located in Belo Horizonte (MG - study of case in a specialized school -, using the theoretical referencial of the four knowledge-conversion processes (NONAKA and TAKEUCHI, 1997.

Self-Placing Concrete

OpenAIRE

ECT Team, Purdue

2007-01-01

Certain concrete pours have areas where the congestion of reinforcing bars make placement of concrete almost impossible. Using conventional placing and vibration techniques, the resulting concrete can have considerable honeycombing due to the development of voids. Self-placing concrete is a possible solution to the problem. Also known as self-compactable concrete, self-consolidating concrete, flowable concrete, and non-vibration concrete. These concretes eliminate the need for vibration in a ...

Concrete hardened characterization using table scanner and microtomography computed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, R.E.; Pessoa, J.R.; Assis, J.T. de; Dominguez, D.S.; Dias, L.A.; Santana, M. R.

2016-01-01

This paper proposes the use of image processing technologies to analyze hardened concrete samples obtained from table scanner and micro tomography. Techniques will be used to obtain numerical data on the distribution and geometry of aggregates and pores of the concrete, as well as their relative position. It is expected that the data obtained can produce information on the research of concrete pathologies such as AAR, and the freeze / thaw process. (author)

Concreteness of positive word contributions to affective priming: an ERP study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Zhao; Wang, Zhenhong

2014-09-01

Recent behavioral data suggest that the concreteness of positive words modulates subsequent cognitive processing; however, the underlying physiological processes of this influence are not well understood. To explore this process, positive-abstract words or positive-concrete words were used as primes when participants performed a lexical decision task during the measurement of event-related potentials (ERPs). The behavioral data revealed a significant affective priming effect (i.e., incongruent>congruent) only for abstract word pairs. The N400 amplitude was larger for affectively incongruent pairs compared to affectively congruent pairs, independent of the prime concreteness. The amplitude of the late positive component (LPC) was modulated by prime concreteness. The processing of positive-abstract targets was facilitated by previous exposure to a congruent prime, as reflected by the reduced LPC, which has been thought to reflect attentional and memory processes. However, no differences in the LPC amplitude were found between congruent and incongruent-concrete pairs. These findings suggest that the influence of the concreteness of positive words mainly occurs during the decision-making processing and memory-related stages. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Build-up Factor Calculation for Ordinary Concrete, Baryte Concrete and Blast-furnace Slugges Concrete as γ Radiation Shielding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isman MT; Elisabeth Supriatni; Tochrul Binowo

2002-01-01

Calculation of build up factor ordinary concrete, baryte concrete and blast-furnace sludge concrete have been carried out. The calculations have been carried out by dose rate measurement of Cs 137 source before and after passing through shielding. The investigated variables were concrete type, thickness of concrete and relative possession of concrete. Concrete type variables are ordinary concrete, baryte concrete and blast sludge furnace concrete. The thickness variables were 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 cm. The relative position variables were dose to the source and close to detector. The result showed that concrete type and position did not have significant effect to build-up factor value, while the concrete thickness (r) and the attenuation coefficient (μ) were influenced to the build-up factor. The higher μr value the higher build-up factor value. (author)

Concrete spaller. Innovative technology summary report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-12-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has numerous buildings and facilities that have become contaminated through operation of nuclear reactors, fuel fabrication processes, and research laboratory operations. These buildings and facilities, often constructed of concrete, need to be decontaminated before they can be safely decommissioned or demolished. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's concrete spaller is a hand-held tool that can be used for decontaminating flat or slightly curved concrete surfaces, obtaining concrete samples, and in-depth removal from cracks in concrete. The concrete spaller includes a 9-ton hydraulic cylinder and spalling bit. It runs from a hydraulic pump that expands the spaller in pre-drilled holes in the concrete. The result is removal of concrete chunks that fall into the attached metal shroud. The concrete spaller is more efficient than traditional tools such as hand-held pneumatic scabblers and scalers. For example, the spaller is capable of spalling 1.3 m 3 /hr (0.23 ft 2 /min), compared to 1.1 m 2 /hr (0.20 ft 2 /min), for the baseline scabbler and scaler demonstrated at 3-mm (1/8-in.) depth. The spaller is also capable of removing concrete at a greater depth than traditional tools. Operating cost of the spaller ($128/m 2 or $11.93/ft 2 [optimum conditions]) is less than the baseline tools: scaler ($155/m 2 or $14.40/ft 2 ) and scabbler ($156/m 2 or $14.53/ft 2 )

Build of virtual instrument laboratory related to nuclear species specialized

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shan Jian; Zhao Guizhi; Zhao Xiuliang; Tang Lingzhi

2009-01-01

As rapid development of specialized related to nuclear science,the requirement of laboratory construct is analyzed in this article at first, One total conceive, One scheme deploy soft and hardware,three concrete characteristics targets and five different phases of put in practice of virtual instrument laboratory of specialized related to nuclear science are suggest in the paper,the concrete hardware structure and the headway of build of virtual instrument laboratory are described,and the first step effect is introduced.Lastly,the forward target and the further deliberateness that the virtual instrument laboratory construct are set forth in the thesis. (authors)

Strength and deformability of concrete beams reinforced by non-metallic fiber and composite rebar

Science.gov (United States)

Kudyakov, K. L.; Plevkov, V. S.; Nevskii, A. V.

2015-01-01

Production of durable and high-strength concrete structures with unique properties has always been crucial. Therefore special attention has been paid to non-metallic composite and fiber reinforcement. This article describes the experimental research of strength and deformability of concrete beams with dispersed and core fiber-based reinforcement. As composite reinforcement fiberglass reinforced plastic rods with diameters 6 mm and 10 mm are used. Carbon and basalt fibers are used as dispersed reinforcement. The developed experimental program includes designing and production of flexural structures with different parameters of dispersed fiber and composite rebar reinforcement. The preliminary testing of mechanical properties of these materials has shown their effectiveness. Structures underwent bending testing on a special bench by applying flexural static load up to complete destruction. During the tests vertical displacements were recorded, as well as value of actual load, slippage of rebars in concrete, crack formation. As a result of research were obtained structural failure and crack formation graphs, value of fracture load and maximum displacements of the beams at midspan. Analysis of experimental data showed the effectiveness of using dispersed reinforcement of concrete and the need for prestressing of fiberglass composite rebar.

NANOMODIFIED CONCRETE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. M. Khroustalev

2015-01-01

Full Text Available One of the main directions in construction material science is the development of  next generation concrete that is ultra-dense, high-strength, ultra-porous, high heat efficient, extra corrosion-resistant. Selection of such direction is caused by extreme operational impacts on the concrete, namely: continuously increasing load on the concrete and various dynamics of such loads; the necessity in operation of concrete products in a wide temperature range and their exposure to various chemical and physical effects.The next generation concrete represents high-tech concrete mixtures with additives that takes on and retain the required properties when hardening and being used under any operational conditions. A differential characteristic of the next generation concrete is its complexity that presumes usage of various mineral dispersed components, two- and three fractional fine and coarse aggregates, complex chemical additives, combinations of polymer and iron reinforcement.Design strength and performance properties level of the next generation concrete is achieved by high-quality selection of the composition, proper selection of manufacturing techniques, concrete curing, bringing the quality of concrete items to the required level of technical condition during the operational phase. However, directed formation of its structure is necessary in order to obtain high-tech concrete.Along with the traditional methods for regulation of the next generation concrete structure, modification of concrete while using silica nanoparticles is also considered as a perspective one because the concrete patterning occurs due to introduction of a binder in a mineral matrix. Due to this it is possible to obtain nano-modified materials with completely new properties.The main problem with the creation of nano-modified concrete is a uniform distribution of nano-materials in the volume of the cement matrix which is particularly important in the cases of adding a modifier in

Microstructure of high-strength foam concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Just, A.; Middendorf, B.

2009-01-01

Foam concretes are divided into two groups: on the one hand the physically foamed concrete is mixed in fast rotating pug mill mixers by using foaming agents. This concrete cures under atmospheric conditions. On the other hand the autoclaved aerated concrete is chemically foamed by adding aluminium powder. Afterwards it is cured in a saturated steam atmosphere. New alternatives for the application of foam concretes arise from the combination of chemical foaming and air curing in manufacturing processes. These foam concretes are new and innovative building materials with interesting properties: low mass density and high strength. Responsible for these properties are the macro-, meso- and microporosity. Macropores are created by adding aluminium powder in different volumes and with different particle size distributions. However, the microstructure of the cement matrix is affected by meso- and micropores. In addition, the matrix of the hardened cement paste can be optimized by the specific use of chemical additives for concrete. The influence of aluminium powder and chemical additives on the properties of the microstructure of the hardened cement matrices were investigated by using petrographic microscopy as well as scanning electron microscopy.

Experimental Study on Modification of Concrete with Asphalt Admixture

Science.gov (United States)

Bołtryk, Michał; Małaszkiewicz, Dorota; Pawluczuk, Edyta

2017-10-01

Durability of engineering structures made of cement concrete with high compressive strength is a very vital issue, especially when they are exposed to different aggressive environments and dynamic loads. Concrete resistance to weathering actions and chemical attack can be improved by combined chemical and mechanical modification of concrete microstructure. Asphalt admixture in the form of asphalt paste (AP) was used for chemical modification of cement composite microstructure. Concrete structure was formed using special technology of compaction. A stand for vibro-vibropressing with regulated vibrator force and pressing force was developed. The following properties of the modified concrete were tested: compressive strength, water absorption, freeze-thaw resistance, scaling resistance in the presence of de-icing agents, chloride migration, resistance to CO2 and corrosion in aggressive solutions. Corrosion resistance was tested alternately in 1.8% solutions of NH4Cl, MgSO4, (NH2)2CO and CaCl2, which were altered every 7 days; the experiment lasted 9.5 months. Optimum compaction parameters in semi-industrial conditions were determined: ratio between piston stress (Qp ) and external top vibrator force (Po ) in the range 0.4÷-0.5 external top vibrator force 4 kN. High strength concretes with compressive strength fcm = 60÷70 MPa, very low water absorption (barrier formed in pores of cement hydrates against dioxide and chloride ions. Concrete specimens containing AP 4% c.m. and consolidated by vibro-vibropressing method proved to be practically resistant to highly corrosive environment. Vibro-vibropressing compaction technology of concrete modified with AP can be applied in prefabrication plants to produce elements for road, bridge and hydraulic engineering constructions.

Neutron imaging of water penetration into cracked steel reinforced concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, P.; Wittmann, F.H.; Zhao, T.; Lehmann, E.H.

2010-01-01

Service life and durability of reinforced concrete structures have become a crucial issue because of the economical and ecological implications. Service life of reinforced concrete structures is often limited by penetration of water and chemical compounds dissolved in water into the porous cement-based material. By now it is well-known that cracks in reinforced concrete are preferential paths for ingress of aggressive substances. Neutron radiography was successfully applied to study the process of water penetration into cracked steel reinforced concrete. In addition, the effectiveness of integral water repellent concrete to prevent ingress of water and salt solutions was investigated. Results are described in detail in this contribution. It will be shown that neutron radiography is a powerful method to visualize the process of water penetration into cracked and uncracked cement-based materials. On the basis of the obtained experimental data, it is possible to quantify the time-dependent water distributions in concrete with high accuracy and spatial resolution. It is of particular interest that penetration of water and salt solutions into damaged interfaces between concrete and steel can be visualized by means of neutron radiography. Deteriorating processes in cracked reinforced concrete structures can be studied in a completely new way. This advanced technology will help and find adequate ways to improve durability and service life of reinforced concrete structures. This will mean at the same time an essential contribution to improved sustainability.

Concrete decontamination scoping tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Archibald, K.E.

1995-01-01

This report details the research efforts and scoping tests performed at the Idaho Chemical Process Plant using scabbling, chemical, and electro-osmotic decontamination techniques on radiologically contaminated concrete

Special repairs to the eroded joints of concrete slabs of Stilling Basin-3 and strengthening of splitter pier of Tunnel No. 3, Tarbela Dam Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khan, B.A. [WAPDA Tarbela DAM Project (Pakistan)

1999-07-01

Repair alternatives to correct erosion damage to the right side of the central longitudinal joint just downstream of the chute of Stilling Basin-3 are discussed. Three alternatives were considered: (1) provide a coffer dam around the plunge pool area and dewater the stilling basin prior to undertaking any repair work; (2) use Tremie concrete , or (3) use Hydrocrete, a regular concrete with some special additives to hold the aggregate, cement and water together in under-water repairs. Because of its erosion resistance in the plastic state, and its self-compacting and leveling properties, the Hydrocrete method was chosen. While repairing the erosion damage, Hilty anchors were also installed in the damaged slab portion, and the splitter pier was also strengthened by inserting mechanical anchors. The entire operation was monitored by a CCTV camera and surface to under-water communication. By choosing this method, the repairs have been completed without dewatering the stilling basin, thus achieving substantial savings. Subsequent under-water inspection by divers and video film proved the repairs to have been fully satisfactory.

Study of Influence of Composite Materials Components on Properties of Concrete Mixtures and Concrete in Time Dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Butakova, M. D.; Gorbunov, S. P.

2017-11-01

It is accepted to call concrete a special construction mix which consists of several main components - most often, these are cement, water and various fillers. As a result of grout hardening, the artificial stone, used in many areas where durability, stability and durability are required, is formed. To improve the main characteristics of concrete, various additives are added to the mix. These substances are also capable of accelerating the speed of construction and reducing the funds expenditure. It is especially important to apply additives at the installation of coverings to airfields, at the construction of moorings, roads, at the laying of pools or during other hydraulic engineering constructions, and also at the construction of monolithic industrial facilities and houses. The article deals with the composition and quantity of complex organomineral additives, the duration and conditions for the formation of composites’ structure.

High Performance Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Traian Oneţ

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the last studies and researches accomplished in Cluj-Napoca related to high performance concrete, high strength concrete and self compacting concrete. The purpose of this paper is to raid upon the advantages and inconveniences when a particular concrete type is used. Two concrete recipes are presented, namely for the concrete used in rigid pavement for roads and another one for self-compacting concrete.

Flexural Toughness of Ring-Shaped Waste Bottle Fiber Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Faisal S. K.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Polyethylene terephthalate (PET bottles are plastic containers that are typically discarded, and thus, cause environmental pollution. To solve this problem, PET bottles are recycled incorporating with concrete. A ring-shaped PET (RPET fiber are introduced in this study and designed with a special shape to mobilize fiber yielding rather than fiber pullout. Therefore, aim of this paper is to investigate the influence of RPET bottles fibre in terms of toughness strength. The width of RPET fibers is fixed at 5 and 10 mm and the loads were applied to the third points of the specimen. The experiment indicates that RPET-5 and RPET-10 FC presented an increase in the toughness index of I20 on averages of 23.1% and 39.9% respectively, compared to normal specimens. It can conclude that incorporating RPET fiber in concrete presents significant improved of concrete properties.

Characterisation of concrete containers for radioactive waste in the engineering tranches system at the Yugoslav R.A waste storing center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plecas, I.; Peric, A.; Drljaca, J.; Kostadinovic, A.

1987-10-01

Low and intermediate level radioactive waste represents 90% of total R.A. waste. It is conditioned into special concrete containers. Since these concrete containers are to protect safely the radioactive waste for 300 years, the selection of materials and precise control of their physical and mechanical properties is very important. In this paper results obtained with some concrete compositions are described. (author)

U.S. Special Forces: culture warriors

OpenAIRE

Hill, Joshua L.

2014-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited U.S. Army Special Forces (SF) are consistently called upon to work by, with, and through indigenous forces to conduct special warfare. Current SF doctrine reflects an increasing desire for SF operators to be culturally proficient in order to work closely with locals, advise foreign militaries, and build relationships with host-nation counterparts. Despite the doctrinal emphasis on cultural proficiency, SF doctrine offers little concret...

Properties of high-workability concrete with recycled concrete aggregate

OpenAIRE

Safiuddin,; Alengaram,Ubagaram Johnson; Salam,Abdus; Jumaat,Mohd Zamin; Jaafar,Fahrol Fadhli; Saad,Hawa Binti

2011-01-01

This study presents the effects of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) on the key fresh and hardened properties of concrete. RCA was used to produce high-workability concrete substituting 0-100% natural coarse aggregate (NCA) by weight. The slump and slump flow of fresh concretes were determined to ensure high workability. In addition, the compressive, flexural and splitting tensile strengths, modulus of elasticity, and permeable voids of hardened concretes were determined. The test results rev...

Processing of unconventional stimuli requires the recruitment of the non-specialized hemisphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoed Nissan Kenett

2015-02-01

Full Text Available In the present study we investigate hemispheric processing of conventional and unconventional visual stimuli in the context of visual and verbal creative ability. In Experiment 1, we studied two unconventional visual recognition tasks – Mooney face and objects' silhouette recognition – and found a significant relationship between measures of verbal creativity and unconventional face recognition. In Experiment 2 we used the split visual field paradigm to investigate hemispheric processing of conventional and unconventional faces and its relation to verbal and visual characteristics of creativity. Results showed that while conventional faces were better processed by the specialized right hemisphere, unconventional faces were better processed by the non-specialized left hemisphere. In addition, only unconventional face processing by the non-specialized left hemisphere was related to verbal and visual measures of creative ability. Our findings demonstrate the role of the non-specialized hemisphere in processing unconventional stimuli and how it relates to creativity.

Concrete crushing and sampling, a methodology and technology for the unconditional release of concrete material from decommissioning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gills, R.; Lewandowski, P.; Ooms, B.; Reusen, N.; Van Laer, W.; Walthery, R.

2007-01-01

Belgoprocess started the industrial decommissioning of the main process building of the former Eurochemic reprocessing plant in 1990, after completion of a pilot project. Two small storage buildings for final products from reprocessing were dismantled to verify the assumptions made in a previous paper study on decommissioning, to demonstrate and develop dismantling techniques and to train personnel. Both buildings were emptied and decontaminated to background levels. They were demolished and the remaining concrete debris was disposed of as industrial waste and green field conditions restored. Currently, the decommissioning operations carried out at the main building have made substantial progress. They are executed on an industrial scale. In view of the final demolition of the building, foreseen to start in the middle of 2008, a clearance methodology for the concrete from the cells into the Eurochemic building has been developed. It considers at least one complete measurement of all concrete structures and the removal of all detected residual radionuclides. This monitoring sequence is followed by a controlled demolition of the concrete structures and crushing of the resulting concrete parts to smaller particles. During the crushing operations, metal parts are separated from the concrete and representative concrete samples are taken. The frequency of sampling meets the prevailing standards. In a further step, the concrete samples are milled, homogenised, and a smaller fraction is sent to the laboratory for analyses. The paper describes the developed concrete crushing and sampling methodology. (authors)

Application of life cycle assessment to production processes of environmentally sustainable concrete, prepared with artificial aggregates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaccaro, R.; Colangelo, F.; Palumbo, M.; Cioffi, R.

2005-01-01

This paper is about the application of Life Cycle Assessment (L.C.A.) on environmentally sustainable concrete production processes. The goal of this experimentations is to assess environmental impact and energy demand related to concrete production, by using, in different admixtures, natural and artificial aggregates, belonging from treatments of different kind of industrial wastes characterized by very small particle sizes. Particular attention was concentrated on the utilization of fine fraction since it is difficult to recover in usual fields of recycling (i.e. aggers, crowl spaces, etc.). This study follows the approach from cradle to cradle. This experimentation was conducted in relation to four concrete admixtures produced, one of them containing only natural aggregate, and the other ones obtained by substituting the 10% of aggregate respectively with inert wastes as construction and demolition waste (CeD waste). cement kiln dust (CKD) and marble sludge. For all admixtures six different end-life scenarios have been proposed, one of them considers all materials transported in landfill while the other ones consider a partial transportation on landfill (15%) and a recycle of the 85% of wastes obtained after demolition of structures [it

Technology for reuse of contaminated concrete constituents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Binkhorst, I.P.; Cornelissen, H.A.W.

1998-01-01

During decommissioning activities of nuclear installations, large amounts of contaminated concrete will have to be processed. All this concrete has to be treated and stored as radioactive waste, which implies major economical and environmental consequences. It was shown that the contamination is mainly concentrated in the porous cement stone. By separating this cement stone from the clean dense aggregate particles, a considerable volume reduction can be reached. KEMA has developed, designed and constructed a pilot plant scale test installation for separation of aggregate from contaminated concrete. The separation is based on a thermal treatment followed by milling and sieving. The clean aggregate can be re-used in concrete, whereas the (slightly) contaminated cement stone could be upgraded to a binder for concrete used in the nuclear industry. (author)

Structural Precast Concrete Handbook

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjærbye, Per Oluf H

Structural concept for precast concrete systems. Design og precast reinforced concrete components. Design of precast concrete connections. Illustrations on design of precast concrete buildings. Precast concrete assembly.......Structural concept for precast concrete systems. Design og precast reinforced concrete components. Design of precast concrete connections. Illustrations on design of precast concrete buildings. Precast concrete assembly....

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF GLASS FIBRE CONCRETE AND NORMAL CONCRETE

OpenAIRE

Mr.Yogesh S.Lanjewar*

2018-01-01

Concrete is basically the most important material concerning with the construction and infrastructural procedures, for which it should be of good strength and durability. Many researches are being conducted to make concrete more sustainable and of more strength and durability. Therefore keeping this in mind i have chosen to do the comparative study regarding the strength of normal concrete with the glass fibre added concrete using mix design procedure as per IS 10262-2009 for concrete. As w...

Study of technological features of tubular compressed concrete members in concreting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Voskobiinyk Olena

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The technological features of core concreting were analyzed as the main factor in ensuring of strength and reliability of compressed concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST members. We have conducted the analysis of existing concreting methods of CFST members. In this respect, the most dangerous types of possible technological defects of concrete core of CFST members are inhomogeneity along the height, voids, caverns, and concrete “weak spots”. The authors considered the influence of such technological factors of concreting: placeability, time, concrete mixture compaction method, concreting height on the concrete core strength of CFST members. Based on the experimental studies conducted we suggested the regression correlations for determining the concrete strength of CFST members of different length depending on the movability of concrete mixture and a time for its compaction. The authors performed the correlation analysis of technological factors of concreting on the strength of the concrete core. We carried out the comparison of data on the concrete core strength of CFST members, that were determined by non-destructive methods (sclerometer test results, ultrasonic method and direct compression strength tests. We experimentally proved that using movable mixtures with the slump of about 4 – 9 cm the overall variation coefficient of concrete core strength of CFST members along the height reaches nearly 13%. Based on the experimental studies conducted we suggested the guidelines on optimal regimes of concrete compaction during manufacturing CFST members at a construction site environment.

Specialization processes in on-line unsupervised learning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Biehl, M.; Freking, A.; Reents, G.; Schlösser, E.

1998-01-01

From the recent analysis of supervised learning by on-line gradient descent in multilayered neural networks it is known that the necessary process of student specialization can be delayed significantly. We demonstrate that this phenomenon also occurs in various models of unsupervised learning. A

Special issue on activity-travel decision processes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Doherty, S.; Ettema, D.F.

2006-01-01

Before you lies the 2006 TRB (Transportation Research Board) Special Issue of Transportation comprising selected papers presented at the 2006 Annual Meeting of the TRB in sessions sponsored by the Travel Behavior and Values committee on activity-travel decision processes. We are pleased to serve

Method of evaluating the surface color of concrete; Concrete hyomenshoku hyoka shuho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kondo, Y; Kotani, K; Imadate, F; Ito, N; Watanabe, K [Kajima Corp., Tokyo (Japan)

1995-12-20

As a part of the evaluation of landscape of civil engineering structures, a method was studied for quantitative evaluation of surface color and color hue of the exposed concrete. The surface colors of concrete structures constructed at more than one sites were measured using a colorimeter and were statistically processed. The colorimeter can measure colors by irradiating the standard light onto the surface of the object and dividing the reflection light into ingredients, lightness L and color phase a and b in the CIELAB equal color space. The L/a/b measuring data were plotted which were obtained from 2010 measuring surfaces of 49 structures at 7 construction sites. As for the surface color of concrete, it was found that ingredient L measured by the colorimeter reacts on variations of color very sensitively and agrees well with the trend of evaluation by eyes. Namely, human being senses the difference of concrete color mainly from the difference in lightness and senses the difference as the color hue. Further, using the neural network, an evaluation method was established which was the same as the human sense. 1 ref., 8 figs., 3 tabs.

Glazed Concrete

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bache, Anja Margrethe

2010-01-01

Why glazed concrete? Concrete hardens and finds its strength at room temperature whereas clay products must first be fired before they achieve this strength. They are stronger and three times as durable as clay products, which is a weighty reason for choosing concrete.5 Another reason, which....... If this succeeds, it will be possible to manufacture thin, large-scale glazed concrete panels comparable in size to concrete sandwich construction and larger which, with or without back-casting, can work as load-bearing construction elements....

THE FEATURES OF PROCESSES OF SKILLS (SPECIAL COMPETENCIES FORMATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. N. Pechnikov

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. The present article continues a series of the authors’ publications devoted to key problems of a modern educational process organization and ensuring its efficiency. A starting point of the latest investigation stage has been a gap between the available models of formation and diagnostics of special competencies and the tasks for predicting a degree of success of development student’s skills in order to take adequate decisions on managing the process.The aim of the article is justification of a new methodological approach to formation of skills (special competencies of students.Methodology and research methods. The methods of analysis and synthesis; fundamental principles of didactics, qualimetry, the efficiency theory and the decision-making theory were used.Results and scientific novelty. The theoretical bases of evaluation procedures of pupils’ skills created during training are stated. Reference points for the choice of learning process characteristics are designated; by following those characteristics it is possible to provide better development of skills. The tasks of analysis of the studied problem, information acquisition and modeling of the “situation mechanism” of special competencies formation are considered. It is proved that for educational process management optimization it is necessary to evaluate not only its result, but also its quality process, as well its quality system that provides the organization process. The combination of factors to exert the dominating influence over educational process effectiveness are singled out: a type of the applied pedagogical influence; a type of the realized didactic system; a set of personal trainee characteristics which include levels of his/her educational motivation, learning ability, creativity and enables to model and predict training results. It is shown that each of possible combinations of the leading factors represents separate version of a solution to the

Experiment Observations of the Effects of Fiber Types on the Post-peak Behaviors of Steel Fiber Reinforced Concretes under Tension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Hyun Woo; Moon, Jae Heum; Lee, Jang Hwa; Kang, Su Tae

2012-01-01

Concrete is one of the major construction materials that are used to form the containing structures with the function as a radiation barrier for nuclear power plants. While current (steel reinforced) concrete structures for nuclear power plants provide reliable serviceability regarding the requirements of design codes, further safety requirement has been issued with the considerations of the impact of a large, commercial aircraft. U.S. NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) announced the new regulatory code, 10CFR50.150 related to an aircraft impact assessment (AIA). The goal of AIA is to enhance the safety and robustness of new reactor designs at the design stage. To enhance the safety against aircraft impact, two approaches can be simply suggested, increase of barrier wall thickness and/or application of double containment structures. However, these two approaches expect much higher construction costs and much longer building period. Even also, when the thickness of concrete structure is increased, special cares will be expected during the process of concrete placement because of the cracking behavior of mass concrete due to hydration heat. To avoid the pre-described problems and difficulties, strengthening of the concrete properties could be an alternative and the increase of fracture toughness of concrete itself will be the practical approach to enhance the impact resistivity. With this consideration, this research observed the effects of steel fiber reinforcement on the enhancement of fracture toughness for possible future application to nuclear power plant structures

Experiment Observations of the Effects of Fiber Types on the Post-peak Behaviors of Steel Fiber Reinforced Concretes under Tension

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Hyun Woo; Moon, Jae Heum; Lee, Jang Hwa [Korea Institute of Construction Technology, Goyang (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Su Tae [Daegu University, Gyeongsan (Korea, Republic of)

2012-05-15

Concrete is one of the major construction materials that are used to form the containing structures with the function as a radiation barrier for nuclear power plants. While current (steel reinforced) concrete structures for nuclear power plants provide reliable serviceability regarding the requirements of design codes, further safety requirement has been issued with the considerations of the impact of a large, commercial aircraft. U.S. NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) announced the new regulatory code, 10CFR50.150 related to an aircraft impact assessment (AIA). The goal of AIA is to enhance the safety and robustness of new reactor designs at the design stage. To enhance the safety against aircraft impact, two approaches can be simply suggested, increase of barrier wall thickness and/or application of double containment structures. However, these two approaches expect much higher construction costs and much longer building period. Even also, when the thickness of concrete structure is increased, special cares will be expected during the process of concrete placement because of the cracking behavior of mass concrete due to hydration heat. To avoid the pre-described problems and difficulties, strengthening of the concrete properties could be an alternative and the increase of fracture toughness of concrete itself will be the practical approach to enhance the impact resistivity. With this consideration, this research observed the effects of steel fiber reinforcement on the enhancement of fracture toughness for possible future application to nuclear power plant structures

Concrete Hinges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Halding, Philip Skov; Hertz, Kristian Dahl; Schmidt, Jacob Wittrup

2014-01-01

In the first part of the 20th century concrete hinges developed by Freyssinet and Mesnager were widely tested and implemented in concrete structures. The concrete hinges were used a great deal in closed-spandrel arch bridges. Since such a bridge type has not been competitive for the past 40 years......, the research in concrete hinges has not evolved significantly in that period. But introducing a new state-of-the-art concrete arch bridge solution (Pearl-Chain arches invented at the Technical University of Denmark) creates a necessity of a concrete hinge research based on modern standards. Back when research...... in concrete hinges was more common different designs were proposed for the geometry and reinforcement. Previous research focused on fatigue, multi-axial stresses around the hinge throat, and the relation between rotation- and moment. But many different test-setups were proposed by different researchers...

Determination of Eigenstresses in Hardening Concrete

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dela, Birgitte Friis; Nielsen, Lauge Fuglsang; Stang, Henrik

1996-01-01

It is the aim of the present ph.d.-project to develop methods for calculation as well as measurements of eigenstresses in concrete due to (autogenous) shrinkage of cement paste. The calculations will be carried out with the use of experimentally determined material properties such as autogenous s...... shrinkage, modulus of elasticity, creep/relaxation etc. A special "stress-sensor" will be developed to measure the hydrostatic pressure inside a spherical aggregate when surrounded by cement paste that undergoes shrinkage....

Study and application of construction technology of shielding concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Chongming; Ding Dexin; Chen Liangzhu; Zhao Jingfa; Li Shilong

2008-01-01

Process and techniques such as mixing,transportation and pouring have been studied. The construction technology for the shielding concrete with different densities has been summarized. The technology for the common concrete is quite different from that of shielding concrete, especially when its density is more than 4000 kg/m3. Application and practices have shown that different construction technologies shall be used for shielding concretes with different densities, and thus to ensure its uniformity and construction quality. (authors)

Economics and risks of recycling radioactively contaminated concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parker, F.L.; Ayers, K.W.

1997-01-01

As Decontamination and Decommissioning activities proceed within the DOE complex, tremendous volumes of both radioactively contaminated and non-contaminated concrete will be processed for disposal. Current practice is to decontaminate the concrete, dispose of the contamination at LLW facilities and ship the concrete rubble to C ampersand D landfills for disposal. This study evaluates the economic, health and safety, legal, and social aspects of recycling radioactively contaminated concrete. Probabilistic models were used to estimate costs and risks. The model indicates that the radioactively contaminated concrete can be recycled at the same or lower cost than current or alternative practices. The risks associated with recycling were consistently less than or equal to the other alternatives considered

Concrete Production Using Technogenical, Constructional and Domestic Waste

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marija Vaičienė

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The article describes investigations carried out by the scientists from various countries in order to improve the physical and mechanical properties of concrete. The grained rubber of tyres, modified sawdust, crushed ceramic bricks, plastic waste and remains of glass are utilised to produce concrete mixtures. The results of research conducted by the scientists show that in the process of producing concrete we can use different types of waste to change natural aggregates and to get concrete with specific properties. Currently, waste handling and utilization are burning ecological problems. Therefore, intensive investigations are carried out in order to utilise technogenical, constructional and domestic waste for concrete mixtures. Article in Lithuanian

Design of ultra-lightweight concrete: towards monolithic concrete structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Qing Liang

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This study addresses the development of ultra-lightweight concrete. A moderate strength and an excellent thermal conductivity of the lightweight concrete are set as the design targets. The designed lightweight aggregates concrete is targeted to be used in monolithic concrete façade structure, performing as both load bearing element and thermal insulator. The developed lightweight concrete shows excellent thermal properties, with a low thermal conductivity of about 0.12 W/(m·K; and moderate mechanical properties, with 28-day compressive strengths of about 10-12 N/mm . This combination of values exceeds, to the researchers’ knowledge, the performance of all other lightweight building materials. Furthermore, the developed lightweight concrete possesses excellent durability properties.

Study on Effectiveness of Processed and Unprocessed Black Liquor pulps in improving the properties of PPC mortar, Concrete and SCC

Science.gov (United States)

Ananthkumar, M.; Sathyan, Dhanya; Prabha, B.

2018-02-01

The cost of construction materials is increasing day by day because of high demand, scarcity of raw materials and high price of energy. From the view point of energy saving and over consumption of resources, the use of alternative constituents in construction materials is now a global concern. From this, the extensive research and development works towards exploring new ingredients are required for producing sustainable and environment friendly construction materials. Bagasse pulp liquor is one such material that can be used as a chemical admixture which is obtained as a by-product of paper manufacturing process. Around 5 million tons of bagasse pulp is obtained throughout the world each year. since the material is a waste product from paper industry, this can be changed as a admixture by its effective use in concrete. In the present investigation black pulp liquor is added to fresh concrete in different dosages, the concrete is then tested for workability, compressive strength, flexural, split tensile strength and setting time. From results it is shown that 1% replacement of water with black pulp liquor increases the fresh properties of the concrete, 2% replacement of water with black pulp liquor increases the mechanical properties of the concrete and acts as a set retarder.

KAPOOL experiments to simulate molten corium - sacrificial concrete interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eppinger, B.; Fieg, G.; Tromm, W.

2001-01-01

In future Light Water Reactors special devices (core catchers) might be required to prevent containment failure by basement erosion after reactor pressure vessel melt-through during a core meltdown accident. In the planned European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) the core melt is retained in the reactor cavity for ∼ 1 h to pick up late melts after the failure of the reactor pressure vessel. The reactor cavity is protected by a layer of sacrificial concrete and closed by a melt gate at the bottom towards the spreading compartment. After erosion of the sacrificial concrete and melt-through of the gate the core melt should be distributed homogeneously into the spreading compartment. There the melt is cooled by flooding with water. The knowledge of the sacrificial concrete erosion phase in the reactor cavity is essential for the severe accident assessment. Several KAPOOL experiments have been performed to investigate the erosion of two possible compositions of sacrificial concretes using alumina-iron thermite melts as a simulant for the core melt. Erosion rates as a function of the melt temperature and the inhomogeneity of the melt front are presented in this paper. (authors)

Fundamental experiment on simulated molten core/concrete interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toda, S.; Katsumura, Y.

1994-01-01

If a complete and prolonged failure of coolant flow were to occur in a LWR or FBR, fission product decay heat would cause the fuel to overheat. If no available action to cool the fuel were taken, it would eventually melt. Ibis could lead to slumping of the molten core material and to the failure of the reactor pressure vessel and deposition of these materials into the concrete reactor cavity. Consequently, the molten core could melt and decompose the concrete. Vigorous agitation of the molten core pool by concrete decomposition gases is expected to enhance the convective heat transfer process. Besides the decomposition gases, melting concrete (slag) generated under the molten core pool will be buoyed up, and will also affect the downward heat transfer. Though, in this way, the heat transfer process across the interface is complicated by the slag and the gases evolved from the decomposed concrete, it is very important to make its process clear for the safety evaluation of nuclear reactors. Therefore, in this study, fundamental experiments were performed using simulated materials to observe the behaviors of the hot pool, slag and gases at the interface. Moreover, from the experimental observation, a correlation without empirical constants was proposed to calculate the interface heat transfer. The heat transfer across the interface would depend on thermo-physical interactions between the pool, slag and concrete which are changed by their thermal properties and interface temperature and so on. For example, the molten concrete is miscible in molten oxidic core debris, but is immiscible in metallic core debris. If a contact temperature between the molten core pool and the concrete falls below the solidus of the pool, solidification of the pool will occur. In this study, the case of immiscible slag in the pool is treated and solidification of the pool does not occur. Thus, water, paraffin and air were selected as the simulated molten core pool, concrete, and decomposition

Concrete structures

CERN Document Server

Setareh, Mehdi

2017-01-01

This revised, fully updated second edition covers the analysis, design, and construction of reinforced concrete structures from a real-world perspective. It examines different reinforced concrete elements such as slabs, beams, columns, foundations, basement and retaining walls and pre-stressed concrete incorporating the most up-to-date edition of the American Concrete Institute Code (ACI 318-14) requirements for the design of concrete structures. It includes a chapter on metric system in reinforced concrete design and construction. A new chapter on the design of formworks has been added which is of great value to students in the construction engineering programs along with practicing engineers and architects. This second edition also includes a new appendix with color images illustrating various concrete construction practices, and well-designed buildings. The ACI 318-14 constitutes the most extensive reorganization of the code in the past 40 years. References to the various sections of the ACI 318-14 are pro...

Durability of thin-walled concrete structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salomon, M.; Gallias, J.L.

1991-01-01

The aim of the present document is to draw up a survey of knowledge of the problems of ageing of reinforced concrete shell structure atmospheric coolers. The exposure conditions are particularly favourable to the induction and development of degradation which, because of the thinness of the reinforced concrete can compromise the stability and the durability of coolers. The study will be axed on the link between the specific characteristics of coolers from the point of view of operation, design and environment, also the durability of reinforced concrete. The set of factors exerting their influence on the reinforced concrete of the shell structure (condensates, rain water, temperature and humidity gradients, dynamic loads, weathering, etc.) is particularly complex. The principal degradation reactions involved are classified according to the chemical and physical action on concrete and on the reinforcement. Particular emphasis is placed on the analysis of degradation processes and the influence of the characteristics of the materials and of the medium. The aim is to determine the mechanisms which present the greatest risk for coolers. The interaction between the degradation to concrete and the change in mechanical characteristics is also studied [fr

In situ treatment of concrete surfaces by organic impregnation and polymerization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ursella, P.; Moretti, G.; Pellecchia, V.

1990-01-01

The impregnation by resins of concrete structures is a process well known at PIC (Polymer Impregnated Concrete). This process improves the physical-chemical features of concrete matrixes in order to extend their durability when severe environmental conditions may occur. The main objective of this research contract has been the verification of a proper impregnation 'in situ' of existing concrete surfaces, of any laying in the space, by means of a prototype machine, expressly designed and implemented, and verification of the increase of mechanical resistance, leach resistance, durability of treated material. In a nuclear facility this goal is very important in relation to the long term integrity of concrete structures during operating lifetime and, in particular, after final shutdown. (author)

Study on shear transfer analysis of reinforced concrete across a crack

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Endoh, Takao; Katoh, Osamu

1984-11-01

It is a one of the most important problems in the reinforced concrete engineering to clarify the mechanism of shear transfer across cracked concrete planes crossed by reinforcement. By many experimental studies the mechanism of shear transfer across crack surfaces has gradually become clear. And based on those experimental studies, various analytical models of shear transfer have been developed. In this study, the mathematical model presented by M. N. Fardis is adopted and finite element formulation was carried out by the use of developed concrete constitutive law for cracked surface. The numerical result was compared with the experimental ones of Mattock-type push-off tests. Equating the effective range of the cracked bondless zone with the element area where special constitutive law is applied, a satisfying analytical result was obtained.

Performance of Lightweight Natural-Fiber Reinforced Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hardjasaputra Harianto

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Concrete, the most common construction material, has negligible tension capacity. However, a reinforcement material such as natural fibers, can be used to improve the tensile properties of concrete. This paper presents experiments conducted on Super Lightweight Concrete mixed with coconut fibers (SLNFRC. Coconut fibers are regarded as one of the toughest natural fibers to strengthen concrete. Coconut fiber reinforced composites have been considered as a sustainable construction material because the fibers are derived from waste. These wastes, which are available in large quantities in Asia, have to be extracted from the husk of coconut fruits and must pass a mechanical process before being added to a concrete mixture. The Super Lightweight Concrete was made by mixing concrete paste with foam agent that can reduce the overall weight of concrete up to 60% with compressive strength up to 6 MPa. The Super Lightweight Concrete is intended to be used for non-structural walls, as alternative conventional construction materials such as brick walls. The influence of coconut fibers content in increasing the flexural tensile strength of Super Lightweight Concrete was studied in this research. The fiber content studied include 0%, 0.1%, 0.175%, and 0.25% by weight of cement content. Sixteen specimens of SLNFRC mini beams of 60 mm x 60 mm x 300 mm were tested to failure to investigate their flexural strengths. The optimum percent fibers yielding higher tensile strength was found to be 0.175%

The measurement of inclination on gravity concrete dams using the tiltmeter instrument

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Radovanović Slobodan D.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The measurement of inclination on gravity concrete dams using the instrument tiltmeter is described and discussed with special reference on obtained results on the dam 'Đerdap 2' acquired in the three years period. Tiltmetar way of operation is presented both through physical principle of vibrating wire sensors and through described design of the instrument. The influence of the temperature on the measurement of the slope is specially emphasized and presented through temperature correction. Processing the results of real inclination measurements on the dam 'Đerdap 2' with and without temperature correction showed the significant difference. Statistical analysis of measurement data consisted of performed regression analysis and forming of corresponding series with the expected measurement values depending on environmental conditions. At the end we give a summary conclusion on the instrument, the influence of temperature on the measurement and statistical model.

Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program: Survey of Models for Concrete Degradation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spencer, Benjamin W. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States). Fuel Modeling and Simulation; Huang, Hai [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States). Energy and Environment Science and Technology

2014-08-01

Concrete is widely used in the construction of nuclear facilities because of its structural strength and its ability to shield radiation. The use of concrete in nuclear facilities for containment and shielding of radiation and radioactive materials has made its performance crucial for the safe operation of the facility. As such, when life extension is considered for nuclear power plants, it is critical to have predictive tools to address concerns related to aging processes of concrete structures and the capacity of structures subjected to age-related degradation. The goal of this report is to review and document the main aging mechanisms of concern for concrete structures in nuclear power plants (NPPs) and the models used in simulations of concrete aging and structural response of degraded concrete structures. This is in preparation for future work to develop and apply models for aging processes and response of aged NPP concrete structures in the Grizzly code. To that end, this report also provides recommendations for developing more robust predictive models for aging effects of performance of concrete.

Study of the fracture behavior of mortar and concretes with crushed rock or pebble aggregates

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Sebastião Ribeiro

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to compare the fracture energy of mortar and concretes produced with crushed rock and pebble aggregates using zero, 10, 20, 30 and 40% of aggregates mixed with standard mortar and applying the wedge splitting method to achieve stable crack propagation. The samples were cast in a special mold and cured for 28 days, after which they were subjected to crack propagation tests by the wedge splitting method to determine the fracture energies of the mortar and concrete. The concretes showed higher fracture energy than the mortar, and the concretes containing crushed rock showed higher resistance to crack propagation than all the compositions containing pebbles. The fracture energy varied from 38 to 55 J.m-2. A comparison of the number of aggregates that separated from the two concrete matrices with the highest fracture energies indicated that the concrete containing pebbles crumbled more easily and was therefore less resistant to crack propagation.

Analysis and application of prestressed concrete reactor vessels for LMFBR containment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marchertas, A.H.; Fistedis, S.H.; Bazant, Z.P.; Belytschko, T.B.

1978-01-01

An analytical model of a prestressed concrete reactor vessel (PCRV) for LMFBR and the associated finite element computer code, involving an explicit time integration procedure, is described. The model is axisymmetric and includes simulations of the tensile cracking of concrete, the reinforcement, and a prestressing capability. The tensile cracking of concrete and the steel reinforcement are both modeled as continuously distributed within the finite element. The stresses in the reinforcement and concrete are computed separately and combined to give an overall stress state of the composite material. Attention is given to the fact that cracks do not form instantaneously, but develop gradually. Thus, after crack initiation the normal stress is reduced to zero gradually as a function of time. Residual shear resistance of cracks due to aggregate interlock is also taken into account. Prestressing of the PCRV is modeled by special structural members which represent an averaged prestressing layer equivalent to an axisymmetric shell. The internal prestressing members are superimposed over the reinforced concrete body of the PCRV; they are permitted to stretch and slide in a predetermined path, simulating the actual tendons. The validity of the code is examined by comparison with experimental data. (Auth.)

Fibre Concrete 2017

Science.gov (United States)

2017-09-01

9th international conference on fibre reinforced concretes (FRC), textile reinforced concretes (TRC) and ultra-high performance concretes (UHPC) Preface The Fibre Concrete Conference series is held biennially to provide a platform to share knowledge on fibre reinforced concretes, textile concretes and ultra-high performance concretes regarding material properties and behaviour, technology procedures, topics of long-term behaviour, creep, durability; sustainable aspects of concrete including utilisation of waste materials in concrete production and recycling of concrete. The tradition of Fibre Concrete Conferences started in eighties of the last century. Nowadays the conference is organized by the Department of Concrete and Masonry Structures of the Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Civil Engineering. The 9th International Conference Fibre Concrete 2017 had 109 participants from 27 countries all over the world. 55 papers were presented including keynote lectures of Professor Bažant, Professor Bartoš and Dr. Broukalová. The conference program covered wide range of topics from scientific research to practical applications. The presented contributions related to performance and behaviour of cement based composites, their long-term behaviour and durability, sustainable aspects, advanced analyses of structures from these composites and successful applications. This conference was organized also to honour Professor Zděnek P. Bažant on the occasion of his jubilee and to appreciate his merits and discoveries in the field of fibre reinforced composites, structural mechanics and engineering.

Plastometry for the Self-Compacting Concrete Mixes

Science.gov (United States)

Lapsa, V. Ā.; Krasnikovs, A.; Lusis, V.; Lukasenoks, A.

2015-11-01

Operative determination of consistence of self-compacting concrete mixes at plant or in construction conditions is an important problem in building practice. The Abram's cone, the Vebe's device, the U-box siphon, L-box or funnel tests are used in solving this problem. However, these field methods are targeted at determination of some indirect parameters of such very complicated paste-like material like concrete mix. They are not physical characteristics suitable for the rheological calculations of the coherence between the stress and strains, flow characteristics and the reaction of the concrete mix in different technological processes. A conical plastometer having higher precision and less sensitive to the inaccuracy of the tests in construction condition has been elaborated at the Concrete Mechanics Laboratory of RTU. In addition, a new method was elaborated for the calculation of plasticity limit τ0 taking into account the buoyancy force of the liquid or non-liquid concrete mix. In the present investigation rheological test of the concrete mix by use the plastometer and the method mentioned earlier was conducted for different self-compacting and not self-compacting concrete mixes.

Preliminary study of tin slag concrete mixture

Science.gov (United States)

Hashim, Mohd Jamil; Mansor, Ishak; Pauzi Ismail, Mohamad; Sani, Suhairy; Azmi, Azhar; Sayuti, Shaharudin; Zaidi Ibrahim, Mohd; Adli Anuar, Abul; Rahim, Abdul Adha Abdul

2018-01-01

The study focuses on practices to facilitate tin smelting industry to reduce radioactive waste product (Tin Slag) by diluting its radioactivity to a safe level and turning it to a safer infrastructural building product. In the process the concrete mix which include Portland cement, sand, tin slag, water and plasticizer are used to produce interlocking brick pavements, piles and other infrastructural products. The mixing method follows DOE (UK) standard method of mixing targeted at in selected compressive strength suitable for its function and durability. A batching machine is used in the mixing and six test cubes are produced for the test. The testing equipment used are a compressional machine, ultrasonic measurement and a Geiger Muller counter to evaluate of the concrete mix to find the lowest emission of radiation surface dose without compromising the strength of concrete mix. The result obtained indicated the radioactivity of tin slag in the mixing process has reduced to background level that is 0.5μSv/h while the strength and workability of the concrete has not been severely affected. In conclusion, the concrete mix with tin slag has shown the potential it can be turned into a safe beneficial infrastructural product with good strength.

Reinforced concrete tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mariscotti, M.A.J.; Morixe, M.; Tarela, P.A.; Thieberger, P.

1997-01-01

In this paper we describe the technique of reinforced concrete tomography, its historical background, recent technological developments and main applications. Gamma radiation sensitive plates are imprinted with radiation going through the concrete sample under study, and then processed to reveal the presence of reinforcement and defects in the material density. The three dimensional reconstruction, or tomography, of the reinforcement out of a single gammagraphy is an original development alternative to conventional methods. Re-bar diameters and positions may be determined with an accuracy of ± 1 mm 0.5-1 cm, respectively. The non-destructive character of this technique makes it particularly attractive in cases of inhabited buildings and diagnoses of balconies. (author) [es

An fMRI study of concreteness effects in spoken word recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Roxbury, Tracy; McMahon, Katie; Copland, David A

2014-09-30

Evidence for the brain mechanisms recruited when processing concrete versus abstract concepts has been largely derived from studies employing visual stimuli. The tasks and baseline contrasts used have also involved varying degrees of lexical processing. This study investigated the neural basis of the concreteness effect during spoken word recognition and employed a lexical decision task with a novel pseudoword condition. The participants were seventeen healthy young adults (9 females). The stimuli consisted of (a) concrete, high imageability nouns, (b) abstract, low imageability nouns and (c) opaque legal pseudowords presented in a pseudorandomised, event-related design. Activation for the concrete, abstract and pseudoword conditions was analysed using anatomical regions of interest derived from previous findings of concrete and abstract word processing. Behaviourally, lexical decision reaction times for the concrete condition were significantly faster than both abstract and pseudoword conditions and the abstract condition was significantly faster than the pseudoword condition (p word recognition. Significant activity was also elicited by concrete words relative to pseudowords in the left fusiform and left anterior middle temporal gyrus. These findings confirm the involvement of a widely distributed network of brain regions that are activated in response to the spoken recognition of concrete but not abstract words. Our findings are consistent with the proposal that distinct brain regions are engaged as convergence zones and enable the binding of supramodal input.

Disperse reinforced concrete used in obtaining prefabricated elements for roads

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Bogdan MEZEI

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Concrete is the most used material in construction. By improving the performance of materials and of technologies, concretes with outstanding performances were also developed, in the past two decades. Concrete with dispersed reinforcement represents a new generation of reinforced concrete that combines a good behavior of concrete compressive strength with an increased tensile strength of steel fibers. Using this material, monolithic and prefabricated concrete elements with high mechanical strengths and high durability can be obtained. Technological processes for preparation of concrete with dispersed reinforcement are similar to the conventional methods and do not involve using additional equipment for dosing the dispersed reinforcement. The study aimed the development of road plates made with optimized disperse- reinforced concrete. The first tests were done on plates from the gutter roadway, having a classic reinforcement, using different percentages of fibre reinforcement in the concrete composition, leading to the development of a new optimized economical solution. The results prove the enhanced characteristics of the disperse-reinforced concrete versus conventional concrete, and hence of the developed concrete plates.

Investigation of compressive strength of concrete with slag and silica fu

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mostofinejad, D.; Mirtalee, K.; Sadeghi, M.

2002-01-01

Without doubt, concrete has special place in construction of different types of structures, and used as one of the most important materials in construction industry. Today, with development and modernization of human knowledge in construction industry, it is possible to reach h igh performance concrete . Mechanical properties and durability of high performance concrete is quite better than that of conventional concrete. In present, the use of supplementary cementitious materials, mainly silica fume, fly ash and blast furnace slag has become increasingly common for reasons of economy and technical benefits imparted by these materials. The aim of present research is investigation and comparison compressive strength of concrete specimens due to variation of water to cementitious materials ratio (W/C M), silica fume and slag percent and their proportions as cement replacement. Furthermore, it is intended to determine best combination of these materials with cement in concrete (optimum percent) to reach to maximum compressive strength. In the current study, specimens were made in 0.5,0.4 and 0.3 W/C M ratio contained 0,20,35 and 50 percent of slag as cement replacement, where in each slag replacement percent, 0, 5, 10 and 15 percent of of silica fume were used as cement replacement. Results of the current study show that the combination effect of slag and silica fume replacement in concrete leads to the maximum compressive strength in concrete; also there are some optimum percents for replacement of slag and silica fume to cement to get the best results

The quality control for biological-shield heavy concrete construction of nuclear power project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Hongjun; Ma Xinchao

2012-01-01

The paper introduces the function and characteristics of biological protective heavy-concrete, and its main application scope and role in Fangjiashan nuclear power project. From the aspects of raw material selection, mixing ratio test, heavy concrete production, the paper discusses the main control points of heavy concrete construction process, points out the basic characteristics of heavy concrete construction, and put forward measures to prevent density non-uniformity during heavy concrete construction and to control slump during transportation. Results prove that reasonable construction process control can assure the engineering quality. (authors)

Effect of Particle-size Distribution on Chemical Washing Experiment of Uranium Contaminated Concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Wan Suk; Kim, Gye Nam; Shon, Dong Bin; Park, Hye Min; Kim, Ki Hong; Lee, Kun Woo; Lee, Ki Won; Moon, Jei Kwon

2011-01-01

Taken down of nuclear institution was radioactive contaminated concrete over 70% of whole waste. Advanced countries have realized the importance of waste processing. Nuclear institutions keep a lot of radioactive contaminated concrete in internal waste storage. Therefore radioactive contaminated concrete disport to whole waste and reduce for self-processing standard concentration may be disposed of inexpensive more than radioactive waste storage. This study uses mechanical and thermal technology for a uranium contaminated concrete process in Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute's radioactive waste storage. Mechanical and thermal technologies are divided based on particle size. Each particles-sized concrete analyzed for uranium contamination using an MCA instrument. A chemical washing experiment was carried out

The concreteness effect: evidence for dual coding and context availability.

Science.gov (United States)

Jessen, F; Heun, R; Erb, M; Granath, D O; Klose, U; Papassotiropoulos, A; Grodd, W

2000-08-01

The term concreteness effect refers to the observation that concrete nouns are processed faster and more accurately than abstract nouns in a variety of cognitive tasks. Two models have been proposed to explain the neuronal basis of the concreteness effect. The dual-coding theory attributes the advantage to the access of a right hemisphere image based system in addition to a verbal system by concrete words. The context availability theory argues that concrete words activate a broader contextual verbal support, which results in faster processing, but do not access a distinct image based system. We used event-related fMRI to detect the brain regions that subserve to the concreteness effect. We found greater activation in the lower right and left parietal lobes, in the left inferior frontal lobe and in the precuneus during encoding of concrete compared to abstract nouns. This makes a single exclusive theory unlikely and rather suggests a combination of both models. Superior encoding of concrete words in the present study may result from (1) greater verbal context resources reflected by the activation of left parietal and frontal associative areas, and (2) the additional activation of a non-verbal, perhaps spatial imagery-based system, in the right parietal lobe. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Development of refractory concrete for extreme conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pundiene, I; Antonovich, V; Stonys, R; Demidova-Buiziniene, I

2011-01-01

Comparative analysis is provided for the properties of medium-cement refractory concrete with microsilica based on mullite filler in relation to different type of deflocculant. The effect of different deflocculants on refractory concrete structure formation, hydration, rheology, strength and heat resistance is discussed. Corrosion resistance test, determined that samples with hybrid deflocculant showed better resistance for slag penetration than samples with only the sodium tripolyphosphate or polycarboxylate ether deflocculant. Moreover, a composition of hybrid deflocculant let to control the rate of the hydration process and to get features of refractory refractory concrete.

Concrete with onyx waste aggregate as aesthetically valued structural concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Setyowati E., W.; Soehardjono, A.; Wisnumurti

2017-09-01

The utillization of Tulungagung onyx stone waste as an aggregate of concrete mixture will improve the economic value of the concrete due to the brighter color and high aesthetic level of the products. We conducted the research of 75 samples as a test objects to measure the compression stress, splits tensile stress, flexural tensile stress, elasticity modulus, porosity modulus and also studied 15 test objects to identify the concrete micro structures using XRD test, EDAX test and SEM test. The test objects were made from mix designed concrete, having ratio cement : fine aggregate : coarse aggregate ratio = 1 : 1.5 : 2.1, and W/C ratio = 0.4. The 28 days examination results showed that the micro structure of Tulungagung onyx waste concrete is similar with normal concrete. Moreover, the mechanical test results proved that Tulungagung onyx waste concretes also have a qualified level of strength to be used as a structural concrete with higher aesthetic level.

Pervious Concrete

OpenAIRE

Torsvik, Øyvind André Hoff

2012-01-01

Pervious concrete is a material with a high degree of permeability but generally low strength. The material is primarily used for paving applications but has shown promise in many other areas of usage. This thesis investigates the properties of pervious concrete using normal Norwegian aggregates and practices. An overview of important factors when it comes to designing and producing pervious concrete is the result of this investigation. Several experiments have been performed in the concrete ...

Fragmentation process of vitrified ceramic waste (VCW) aiming its incorporation in silico-aluminous refractory concrete for production of refractory bricks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomes, L.B.; Brandalise, R.N.; Santos, V. dos; Bergmann, C.P.

2012-01-01

Ceramic industry generates large amounts of waste, usually disposed in landfills. Reuse could minimize their generation and provides sustainable solutions. However, the energy cost of grinding these waste becomes a hindrance to their reuse. This work aims to obtain particle sizes of vitrified ceramic waste (VCW) using a fast, efficient and low cost fragmentation process as well as its use in refractory concrete. The results shows a wide range of particle size of VCW, which can be used as a promising source of raw material for production of refractory concrete. (author)

Sustainable Concrete Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sim J.

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The growing concern over global warming and significant ecological changes requires sustainable development in all fields of science and technology. Concrete not only consumes huge amount of energy and natural sources, but also emits large amount of CO2, mainly due to the production of cement. It is evident that such large amount of concrete production has put significant impact on the energy, resource, environment, and ecology of the society. Hence, how to develop the concrete technology in a sustainable way has become a significant issue. In this paper, some of Korean researches for sustainable development of concrete are presented. These are sustainable strengthening for deteriorated concrete structure, sustainable reinforcement of new concrete structure, sustainable concrete using recycled aggregate and supplementary cementing materials and finally application of each technique to precast concrete.

PROSPECTS FOR APPLICATION OF COMPLEX-MODIFIED SAND ASPHALT CONCRETE IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION

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D. Yu. Alexandrov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The paper considers a possibility to use sand asphalt concrete as a material for protection of asphalt concrete and cement concrete road pavements against affection of external destructive factors. Advantages and disadvantages of sand asphalt concrete road pavements have been determined in the paper. The paper provides recommendations on improvement of sand asphalt concrete properties and contains an analysis of possible variants for usage of complex-modified sand asphalt concrete in the road construction. It has been noted that according to its potentially possible physical and mechanical properties activated quartz sand being micro-reinforced by dispersive industrial wastes is considered as an efficient component for creation of constructive layers in road asphalt concrete pavements. The paper reveals only specific aspects of the efficient application of quartz sand in road asphalt concrete. The subject of the paper loоks rather interesting for regions where there are no rock deposits for obtaining broken-stone ballast but there is rather significant spreading of local quarts sand. Its successful application is connected with the necessity to develop special equipment for physical and chemical activation of sand grain surface that permits strongly to increase an adhesive strength in the area of phase separation within the “bitumen–SiO2” system. The considered problem is a topical one and its solution will make it possible to local sand in a maximum way and partially to exclude application of broken stone in road construction.

Nondestructive Evaluation of Thick Concrete Using Advanced Signal Processing Techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clayton, Dwight A [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Barker, Alan M [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Santos-Villalobos, Hector J [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Albright, Austin P [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Hoegh, Kyle [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Khazanovich, Lev [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2015-09-01

The purpose of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy’s Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program is to develop technologies and other solutions that can improve the reliability, sustain the safety, and extend the operating lifetimes of nuclear power plants (NPPs) beyond 60 years [1]. Since many important safety structures in an NPP are constructed of concrete, inspection techniques must be developed and tested to evaluate the internal condition. In-service containment structures generally do not allow for the destructive measures necessary to validate the accuracy of these inspection techniques. This creates a need for comparative testing of the various nondestructive evaluation (NDE) measurement techniques on concrete specimens with known material properties, voids, internal microstructure flaws, and reinforcement locations.

Properties of concrete containing foamed concrete block waste as fine aggregate replacement

Science.gov (United States)

Muthusamy, K.; Budiea, A. M. A.; Zaidan, A. L. F.; Rasid, M. H.; Hazimmah, D. S.

2017-11-01

Environmental degradation due to excessive sand mining dumping at certain places and disposal of foamed concrete block waste from lightweight concrete producing industry are issues that should be resolved for a better and cleaner environment of the community. Thus, the main intention of this study is to investigate the potential of foamed concrete block waste as partial sand replacement in concrete production. The foamed concrete waste (FCW) used in this research that were supplied by a local lightweight concrete producing industry. The workability and compressive strength of concrete containing various percentage of foamed concrete waste as partial sand replacement has been investigated. Prior to the use, the foamed concrete waste were crushed to produce finer particles. Six concrete mixes containing various content of crushed foamed concrete waste that are 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% were used in this experimental work. Then the prepared specimens were placed in water curing until the testing age. Compressive strength test and flexural strength tests were conducted at 7, 14 and 28 days. The result shows that integration of crushed foamed concrete waste as partial sand replacement in concrete reduces the mix workability. It is interesting to note that both compressive strength and flexural strength of concrete improves when 30% crushed foamed concrete waste is added as partial sand replacement.

Differences between silica and limestone concretes that may affect their interaction with corium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Journeau, C.; Haquet, J. F.; Piluso, P.; Bonnet, J. M.

2008-01-01

Recent Molten Core Concrete Interaction tests performed at Argonne National Laboratory and at CEA Cadarache have shown that, whereas the ablation of limestone-rich concretes is almost isotropic, the ablation of silica-rich concretes is much faster towards the sides than towards the bottom of the cavity. The following differences exists between limestone-rich and silica-rich concretes: limestone concretes liberate about twice as much gas, at a given ablation rate than siliceous concretes (more than 50% more at constant heat flux) and this can affect pool hydraulics and crust stability: limestone concrete has a higher liquidus temperature than siliceous concrete and molten limestone concrete has a larger diffusion coefficient and can more easily dissolve a corium crust than siliceous melt; limestone aggregates are destroyed by de-carbonation at around 1000 K while silica aggregates melt only above 2000 K, so that floating silica aggregates can form cold spots increasing corium solidification near the interface; de-carbonation of limestone leads to a significant shrinkage of concrete melt volume compared to the cold solid that hampers the mechanical stability of overlying crusts; the chemical composition of molten mortar (sand + cement) and concrete (sand + gravel + cement) is close for limestone-rich concretes while it is different for siliceous concretes, so that the melt composition may vary significantly in case of non-simultaneous melting of the siliceous concrete constituents; molten silicates have a large viscosity, so that transport properties are different for the two types of concretes. The small range of plant concrete compositions that have been considered for MCCI experiments has not yet been found sufficient to determine which of the above-mentioned differences is paramount to explain the observed difference in ablation patterns. Separate Effect Tests using specially-designed 'artificial concretes' and prototypic corium would provide the necessary

Physicochemical characterization of steel slag post-processed as aggregate for sustainable concrete; Caracterizacao fisico-quimica de agregados de escoria de aciaria LD pos-processada para concretos sustentaveis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Souza, B.P. de; Fontes, W.C.; Carvalho, J.M.F. de; Mol, R.M.R.; Costa, E.C.P. da; Peixoto, R.A.F., E-mail: wannarquit@gmail.com [Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (LMC/UFOP), MG (Brazil). Laboratorio de Materiais de Construcao Civil

2016-07-01

The concrete is the material most widely used in construction, consuming a large amount of natural resources for its production. Therefore, this work analyzes the technical and environmental aspects of concrete with full replacement of natural aggregates for processed LD steelmaking slag. The experimental program comprehends physical characterization - particle size distribution, moisture content, bulk and specific density - and elemental chemical characterization with X-Ray Fluorescence, and mineralogical characterization via X-Ray Diffraction. Morphological characterization was performed through a stereomicroscope. From these results, concrete with compressive strengths of 20 and 40 Mpa were developed, with ABPC methodology. These were characterized in the fresh and hardened states, obtaining results favorable to the steelmaking slag application in Portland cement concrete. This sustainable concrete features properties similar conventional concrete, and contributing to sustainability of buildings. (author)

The efficiency of the use of chemical addivites for manifacture of concrete products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V.V.Pristinskaya

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Purpose. To study various additives of a domestic production and to estimate expediency of their use for products of transport construction. Methodology. The study was conducted by introducing a superplasticizer and active mineral additives Findings. The complex additive should include effective superplasticizing admix, as well as additives which operate stiffening and hardening kinetics, air retaining substances and defoaming agents, dispersion and fine-dispersion mineral fillers. In recent years organo-mineral modifiers such as superplasticizer - an active mineral additive (microsilica, metakaolin, ash obtained a wide circulation. Originality. The impact of various additives on the concrete quality is studied. It is found out that the complex additive PLKP deserves the special attention because it allows producing a concrete of very high durabilityand is recommended for use in railroad ties. Thus, the introduction of additives in the concrete can significantly increase the durability and reliability of concrete products. Practical value. Results of the research can be used to improve the reliability and durability of concrete structures. This calls for further researches on the selection of the concrete mixture with complex additive PLKP, as well as adding the active mineral components.

Recycled construction and demolition concrete waste as aggregate for structural concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashraf M. Wagih

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In major Egyptian cities there is a surge in construction and demolition waste (CDW quantities causing an adverse effect on the environment. The use of such waste as recycled aggregate in concrete can be useful for both environmental and economical aspects in the construction industry. This study discusses the possibility to replace natural coarse aggregate (NA with recycled concrete aggregate (RCA in structural concrete. An investigation into the properties of RCA is made using crushing and grading of concrete rubble collected from different demolition sites and landfill locations around Cairo. Aggregates used in the study were: natural sand, dolomite and crushed concretes obtained from different sources. A total of 50 concrete mixes forming eight groups were cast. Groups were designed to study the effect of recycled coarse aggregates quality/content, cement dosage, use of superplasticizer and silica fume. Tests were carried out for: compressive strength, splitting strength and elastic modulus. The results showed that the concrete rubble could be transformed into useful recycled aggregate and used in concrete production with properties suitable for most structural concrete applications in Egypt. A significant reduction in the properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC made of 100% RCA was seen when compared to natural aggregate concrete (NAC, while the properties of RAC made of a blend of 75% NA and 25% RCA showed no significant change in concrete properties.

Mathematical Model to Predict the Permeability of Water Transport in Concrete Structure

OpenAIRE

Solomon Ndubuisi Eluozo

2013-01-01

Mathematical model to predict the permeability of water transport in concrete has been established, the model is to monitor the rate of water transport in concrete structure. The process of this water transport is based on the constituent in the mixture of concrete. Permeability established a relation on the influence of the micropores on the constituent that made of concrete, the method of concrete placement determine the rate of permeability deposition in concrete structure, permeability es...

Special concretes for protection in piles (1963); Les betons speciaux dans la protection des piles (1963)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Condat, M.J.; Lafore, P.; Rastoin, J. [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1963-07-01

The report reviews the main concretes used for the protection of reactors. First are examined the general factors affecting the selection of concretes for protection; some of the general aspects of radiation attenuation (fast and thermal neutrons, {gamma}) are then recalled. After an enumeration of the qualities and defects of conventional concretes, desirable or possible improvements are proposed: introduction of heavy elements for increasing the efficiency with respect to fast neutrons and {gamma}; increase in the hydrogen content (as H{sub 2}O), addition of absorbent products (B, Li, rare earths) for thermal neutron capture. A list is given of the principal products used for this purpose. Finally there is a rapid review of the preparation, the stability with time, and the resistance to radiation and to heat. Appendices and tables give details and numerical values. Appendix 1 deals with the question of water in concretes. Appendix 2 gives a classification of concretes based mainly on their density. At the end, ten tables give the compositions and values of the physical and mechanical characteristics of sixteen particularly typical concretes. (authors) [French] Le rapport passe en revue les principaux betons utilisables pour la protection des reacteurs. On examine d'abord les facteurs generaux influencant la selection des betons de protection; on rappelle ensuite brievement les aspects generaux de l'attenuation des rayonnements (neutrons rapides, neutrons thermiques, {gamma}). Apres avoir rappele les qualites et les defauts des betons classiques, on fait ressortir les perfectionnements souhaitables ou necessaires: introduction d'elements lourds pour ameliorer l'efficacite contre les neutrons rapides et les {gamma}; augmentation de la teneur en H (en H{sub 2}O); addition de corps absorbants (B, Li, terres rares) pour capturer les neutrons thermiques. On enumere les principaux corps utilises a cet effet. On termine par un tres rapide apercu sur

Special concretes for protection in piles (1963); Les betons speciaux dans la protection des piles (1963)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Condat, M J; Lafore, P; Rastoin, J [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1963-07-01

The report reviews the main concretes used for the protection of reactors. First are examined the general factors affecting the selection of concretes for protection; some of the general aspects of radiation attenuation (fast and thermal neutrons, {gamma}) are then recalled. After an enumeration of the qualities and defects of conventional concretes, desirable or possible improvements are proposed: introduction of heavy elements for increasing the efficiency with respect to fast neutrons and {gamma}; increase in the hydrogen content (as H{sub 2}O), addition of absorbent products (B, Li, rare earths) for thermal neutron capture. A list is given of the principal products used for this purpose. Finally there is a rapid review of the preparation, the stability with time, and the resistance to radiation and to heat. Appendices and tables give details and numerical values. Appendix 1 deals with the question of water in concretes. Appendix 2 gives a classification of concretes based mainly on their density. At the end, ten tables give the compositions and values of the physical and mechanical characteristics of sixteen particularly typical concretes. (authors) [French] Le rapport passe en revue les principaux betons utilisables pour la protection des reacteurs. On examine d'abord les facteurs generaux influencant la selection des betons de protection; on rappelle ensuite brievement les aspects generaux de l'attenuation des rayonnements (neutrons rapides, neutrons thermiques, {gamma}). Apres avoir rappele les qualites et les defauts des betons classiques, on fait ressortir les perfectionnements souhaitables ou necessaires: introduction d'elements lourds pour ameliorer l'efficacite contre les neutrons rapides et les {gamma}; augmentation de la teneur en H (en H{sub 2}O); addition de corps absorbants (B, Li, terres rares) pour capturer les neutrons thermiques. On enumere les principaux corps utilises a cet effet. On termine par un tres rapide apercu sur la mise en oeuvre, la

Humidity measurements in the precast concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hurez, M.

1986-01-01

The precast concrete industry manufactures requires a good knowledge and control of the humidity factor: during the manufacturing process, in order to regulate the water content of aggregates, or the fresh concrete workability: during the quality control of the product characteristics. The principles of measurements: conductivity, dielectric characteristics and neutron moisture meters are compared for cost, humidity range, accuracy, temperature dependence, interfering elements, density dependence, grain size and shape [fr

Mineral processing and characterization of coal waste to be used as fine aggregates for concrete paving blocks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. R. Santos

Full Text Available Commercial coal production in the southern region of Brazil has been occurring since the beginning of the twentieth century. Due to the geological characteristics of the region, large amounts of solid wastes are generated. The aim of this work was to evaluate the use of coal waste to produce concrete paving blocks. A procedure to process the coal waste with the purpose of reducing the sulfur content and changing the particle size distribution of the material to meet the specification of fine aggregates was developed. The methodology considered the following steps: (a sampling of a coal mining waste; (b gravity separation of the fraction with specific gravity between 2.4 and 2.8; (c comminution of the material and particle size analysis; (d technological characterization of the material and production of concrete paving blocks; and (e acidity generation prediction (environmental feasibility. The results showed that the coal waste considered in this work can be used to replace conventional sand as a fine aggregate for concrete paving blocks in a proportion of up to 50%. This practice can result in cleaner coal production and reduce the demand for exploitation of sand deposits.

Experimental Study of Reinforced Light Weight Concrete Beams

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassanien Mohammed Thiyab

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This study provides a new technique for a lightweight concrete on one side and contribute to the application of sustainability principle by another side. The lightweight concrete was produced by replacing the coarse aggregate in the concrete mix by crushed bricks after conducting the sieve analysis process. To apply this technique to reinforced concrete beams, seven specimens having dimensions (1200 mm length × 200mm height × 100 mm width for each were poured. The first of these beams had made from ordinary concrete, and the rest lightweight different mix design as well as the casting of three cubes and a three-cylinder with each beam. After curing the specimens with water to the age 28 days, they were examined in the laboratory. Using different design mixes of concrete and with the help of super stabilizer material , good compressive strength of concrete was obtained so it become more effective lightweight in structure. By comparing between the results of the light and normal weight concrete beams, it is found reducing in the weight of concrete by about 23% due to using this technique ,the ultimate strength increased to about 32.1% and the deflection decreased about 46.7% .

Self-curing concrete with different self-curing agents

Science.gov (United States)

Gopala krishna sastry, K. V. S.; manoj kumar, Putturu

2018-03-01

Concrete is recognised as a versatile construction material globally. Properties of concrete depend upon, to a greater extent, the hydration of cement and microstructure of hydrated cement. Congenial atmosphere would aid the hydration of cement and hence curing of concrete becomes essential, till a major portion of the hydration process is completed. But in areas of water inadequacy and concreting works at considerable heights, curing is problematic. Self-Curing or Internal Curing technique overcomes these problems. It supplies redundant moisture, for more than sufficient hydration of cement and diminish self-desiccation. Self-Curing agents substantially help in the conservation of water in concrete, by bringing down the evaporation during the hydration of Concrete. The present study focuses on the impact of self-curing agents such as Poly Ethylene Glycol (PEG), Poly Vinyl Alcohol (PVA) and Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) on the concrete mix of M25 grade (reference mix). The effect of these agents on strength properties of Concrete such as compressive strength, split tensile strength and flexural strength was observed on a comparative basis which revealed that PEG 4000 was the most effective among all the agents.

Self-Compacting Concrete

OpenAIRE

Okamura, Hajime; Ouchi, Masahiro

2003-01-01

Self-compacting concrete was first developed in 1988 to achieve durable concrete structures. Since then, various investigations have been carried out and this type of concrete has been used in practical structures in Japan, mainly by large construction companies. Investigations for establishing a rational mix-design method and self-compactability testing methods have been carried out from the viewpoint of making self-compacting concrete a standard concrete.

Estimation of the Service Lifetime of Concrete Bridges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thoft-Christensen, Palle

In this paper estimation of the service lifetime of concrete bridges is discussed. The main reason for deterioration of concrete bridges is corrosion of the reinforcement. Therefore, modelling of the corrosion process is an important aspect of the estimation of the service lifetime. In this paper...

CONTACT STRENGTH OF MECHANOACTIVATED FINE CONCRETES FROM GRANULATED BLAST-FURNACE SLAGS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. I. Bolshakov

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose. Strengthening of fine concrete contact zone by mechanical processing of all components of the concrete mix in a mixer-activator and aggregate application with rough surface. Methodology. Rotary activator PC-06, developed by Scientific and Research Institute of Construction Technology, was used as a mixer-activator to achieve this purpose. Granulated blast furnace slag, having a more developed rough surface than sand, was used as fine aggregate. This apparatus provides intensive homogeneous mixing of concrete mix components, processing of raw materials (purification of their particles from contaminants, and mechanical destruction of granulated blast furnace slag surface layers and other components of the mix. Findings. During the preparation work, experimental research of new formations composition of fine concretes, using differential thermal and x-ray phase analysis methods, and physical-mechanical properties of fine concretes in accordance with the applicable standards of Ukraine, were carried out. It is established that the phase composition of new formations of fine concretes made from activated and non-activated mixes, is not changed. Their main difference is the size of generated effects and temperature intervals of occurrence of these peaks. Thus, in fine concretes made on the basis of the activated mixes, magnitude of effects is less, indicating a higher hydration degree of its components. Besides, TG curves of concrete specimens show that weight loss of gel calcium hydrosilicate of concrete from a mechanically activated mix is 0.5...0.7 % more than of concrete from a non-activated mix, which indicates a larger number of these formations in concrete from activated mixes. In general, concretes of different composition, made from a mix, processed in the mixer-activator, have higher mechanical strength. Originality. Ideas about the influence of mechanical activation of components of fine concrete mixes with forming humidity in a

A review on the suitability of rubberized concrete for concrete bridge decks

Science.gov (United States)

Syamir Senin, Mohamad; Shahidan, Shahiron; Radziah Abdullah, Siti; Anting Guntor, Nickholas; Syazani Leman, Alif

2017-11-01

Road authorities manage a large population of ageing bridges, a substantial number of which fail to meet the current requirements either due to deterioration and other structural deficiencies or as a result of the escalating demands imposed by increased traffic. This problem is related to the dynamic load from vehicles. This problem can be solved by producing a type of concrete that can reduce the amplitude of oscillation or vibration such as rubberized concrete. Green construction has been a very important aspect in concrete production field in the last decade. One of the most problematic waste materials is scrap tires. The use of scrap tires in civil engineering is increasing by producing rubberized concrete. Rubberized concrete is a type of concrete that is mixed with rubber. The purpose of this review is to justify the suitability of rubberized concrete for concrete bridge decks. Several parameters named physical, chemical and mechanical properties were measured to ensure the suitability of rubberized concrete for concrete bridge decks. Rubberized concrete has similar workability to normal concrete. The rubber reduced the density and compressive strength of the concrete while increased the flexural strength, water absorption and damping ratio. The used of rubber in concrete beyond 20% is not recommended due to decreasing in compressive strength. Rubberized concrete recommended to be used in circumstances where vibration damping was required such as in bridge construction as shock-wave absorber.

The measurement of inclination on gravity concrete dams using the tiltmeter instrument

OpenAIRE

Radovanović Slobodan D.; Brajović Ljiljana M.; Pavić Maja L.; Đurić Srđan S.; Ranđelović Sanja D.; Milivojević Vladimir J.

2015-01-01

The measurement of inclination on gravity concrete dams using the instrument tiltmeter is described and discussed with special reference on obtained results on the dam 'Đerdap 2' acquired in the three years period. Tiltmetar way of operation is presented both through physical principle of vibrating wire sensors and through described design of the instrument. The influence of the temperature on the measurement of the slope is specially emphasized and presented through temperature correction. P...

Acoustic emission monitoring of concrete columns and beams strengthened with fiber reinforced polymer sheets

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Gao; Li, Hui; Zhou, Wensong; Xian, Guijun

2012-04-01

Acoustic emission (AE) technique is an effective method in the nondestructive testing (NDT) field of civil engineering. During the last two decades, Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) has been widely used in repairing and strengthening concrete structures. The damage state of FRP strengthened concrete structures has become an important issue during the service period of the structure and it is a meaningful work to use AE technique as a nondestructive method to assess its damage state. The present study reports AE monitoring results of axial compression tests carried on basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP) confined concrete columns and three-point-bending tests carried on BFRP reinforced concrete beams. AE parameters analysis was firstly utilized to give preliminary results of the concrete fracture process of these specimens. It was found that cumulative AE events can reflect the fracture development trend of both BFRP confined concrete columns and BFRP strengthened concrete beams and AE events had an abrupt increase at the point of BFRP breakage. Then the fracture process of BFRP confined concrete columns and BFRP strengthened concrete beams was studied through RA value-average frequency analysis. The RA value-average frequency tendencies of BFRP confined concrete were found different from that of BFRP strengthened concrete beams. The variation tendency of concrete crack patterns during the loading process was revealed.

Acoustic Emission Analysis of Prestressed Concrete Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Elfergani, H. A.; Pullin, R.; Holford, K. M.

2011-07-01

Corrosion is a substantial problem in numerous structures and in particular corrosion is very serious in reinforced and prestressed concrete and must, in certain applications, be given special consideration because failure may result in loss of life and high financial cost. Furthermore corrosion cannot only be considered a long term problem with many studies reporting failure of bridges and concrete pipes due to corrosion within a short period after they were constructed. The concrete pipes which transport water are examples of structures that have suffered from corrosion; for example, the pipes of The Great Man-Made River Project of Libya. Five pipe failures due to corrosion have occurred since their installation. The main reason for the damage is corrosion of prestressed wires in the pipes due to the attack of chloride ions from the surrounding soil. Detection of the corrosion in initial stages has been very important to avoid other failures and the interruption of water flow. Even though most non-destructive methods which are used in the project are able to detect wire breaks, they cannot detect the presence of corrosion. Hence in areas where no excavation has been completed, areas of serious damage can go undetected. Therefore, the major problem which faces engineers is to find the best way to detect the corrosion and prevent the pipes from deteriorating. This paper reports on the use of the Acoustic Emission (AE) technique to detect the early stages of corrosion prior to deterioration of concrete structures.

Acoustic Emission Analysis of Prestressed Concrete Structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elfergani, H A; Pullin, R; Holford, K M

2011-01-01

Corrosion is a substantial problem in numerous structures and in particular corrosion is very serious in reinforced and prestressed concrete and must, in certain applications, be given special consideration because failure may result in loss of life and high financial cost. Furthermore corrosion cannot only be considered a long term problem with many studies reporting failure of bridges and concrete pipes due to corrosion within a short period after they were constructed. The concrete pipes which transport water are examples of structures that have suffered from corrosion; for example, the pipes of The Great Man-Made River Project of Libya. Five pipe failures due to corrosion have occurred since their installation. The main reason for the damage is corrosion of prestressed wires in the pipes due to the attack of chloride ions from the surrounding soil. Detection of the corrosion in initial stages has been very important to avoid other failures and the interruption of water flow. Even though most non-destructive methods which are used in the project are able to detect wire breaks, they cannot detect the presence of corrosion. Hence in areas where no excavation has been completed, areas of serious damage can go undetected. Therefore, the major problem which faces engineers is to find the best way to detect the corrosion and prevent the pipes from deteriorating. This paper reports on the use of the Acoustic Emission (AE) technique to detect the early stages of corrosion prior to deterioration of concrete structures.

An evaluation of concrete recycling and reuse practices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakhjiri, K.S.; MacKinney, J.

1997-02-01

Nuclear facilities operated by the Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Defense (DOD), and NRC licensees contain many concrete structures that are contaminated with radioactivity. Dismantling these structures will result in significant quantities of waste materials, both contaminated and uncontaminated. Bartlett estimates the total volume of waste from demolition of concrete structures to be on the order of 4 million cubic meters, but that only 20,000 cubic meters would be contaminated with radioactivity. Other studies suggest that as much as 5% of the concrete in these facilities would be contaminated with radioactivity. While the actual quantity of contaminated material should be fixed with greater precision, the fact that so much uncontaminated concrete exists (over 95% of the total 4 million cubic meters) suggests that a program that recycles concrete could produce substantial savings for both government agencies (DOE, DOD) and private companies (NRC licensees). This paper presents a fundamental discussion of (1) various methods of processing concrete, (2) demolition methods, especially those compatible with recycling efforts, and (3) state-of-the-art concrete dismantlement techniques.

CFD approach to modeling of core-concrete interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vladimir V Chudanov; Anna E Aksenova; Valerii A Pervichko

2005-01-01

Full text of publication follows: A large attention is given to research behavior of concrete structures at high mechanical and thermal loadings, which those suffer at the severe accidents on Nuclear Power Plants with core melting and falling of the molten corium mass into reactor shaft. There are enough programs for analysis of heat and mass transfer processes at interaction of the molten corium with concrete. Most known among them CORCON and WECHSL, which were developed more than twenty years ago, allow considering a quasi-stationary phase decomposition of concrete and the some transition regimes. In opposing to the mentioned codes a new more generalized mathematical model and software are developed for modeling of a wide range of the heat and mass transfer processes under study of the molten core-concrete interaction. The developed mathematical model is based on the Navier-Stokes equations with variable properties with taking into account of a density jump under melting of concrete together with a heat transfer equation. The offered numerical technique is based on modern algorithms with small scheme diffusion, whose discrete approximations are constructed with use of finite-volume methods and the fully staggered grids. The developed software corresponds to modern level of development of computers and takes into account all phenomenology, used by mentioned codes, and allows to simulate the such phenomena and processes as: multidimensional heat transfer in concrete for modeling of transients for an intermediate thermal flux to concrete; direct erosion of concrete at a quasi-stationary regime of interaction with molten fuel masses; heat and mass transfer in corium and convective intermixing in a melt of corium with taking into account of its stratification on two layers of the metal and oxide components and heat transfer by radiation in a cavity of the reactor shaft; change physical properties of corium at concrete decomposition and release in corium of its

Environmental Impact Analysis of Acidification and Eutrophication Due to Emissions from the Production of Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tae Hyoung Kim

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Concrete is a major material used in the construction industry that emits a large amount of substances with environmental impacts during its life cycle. Accordingly, technologies for the reduction in and assessment of the environmental impact of concrete from the perspective of a life cycle assessment (LCA must be developed. At present, the studies on LCA in relation to greenhouse gas emission from concrete are being carried out globally as a countermeasure against climate change. However, the studies on the impact of the substances emitted in the concrete production process on acidification and eutrophication are insufficient. As such, assessing only a single category of environmental impact may cause a misunderstanding about the environmental friendliness of concrete. The substances emitted in the concrete production process have an impact not only on global warming but also on acidification and eutrophication. Acidification and eutrophication are the main causes of air pollution, forest destruction, red tide phenomena, and deterioration of reinforced concrete structures. For this reason, the main substances among those emitted in the concrete production process that have an impact on acidification and eutrophication were deduced. In addition, an LCA technique through which to determine the major emissions from concrete was proposed and a case analysis was carried out. The substances among those emitted in the concrete production process that are related to eutrophication were deduced to be NOx, NH3, NH4+, COD, NO3−, and PO43−. The substances among those emitted in the concrete production process that are related to acidification, were found to be NOx, SO2, H2S, and H2SO4. The materials and energy sources among those input into the concrete production process, which have the biggest impact on acidification and eutrophication, were found to be coarse aggregate and fine aggregate.

Concrete crushing and sampling, a methodology and technology for the unconditional release of concrete material from decommissioning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baumann, S.; Teunckens, L.; Walthery, R.; Lewandowski, P.; Millen, D.

2002-01-01

Belgoprocess started the industrial decommissioning of the main process building of the former Eurochemic reprocessing plant in 1990, after completion of a pilot project. Two small storage buildings for final products from reprocessing were dismantled to verify the assumptions made in a previous paper study on decommissioning, to demonstrate and develop dismantling techniques and to train personnel. Both buildings were emptied and decontaminated to background levels. They were demolished and the remaining concrete debris was disposed of as industrial waste and green field conditions restored. Currently, the decommissioning operations carried out at the main building have made substantial progress. They are executed on an industrial scale and will continue till the end of 2005. In view of the final demolition of the building, a clearance methodology has to be proposed. Application of the methodology applied for the storage buildings of the pilot project is complicated for several reasons. Although this methodology is not rejected as such, an alternative has been studied thoroughly. It considers at least one complete measurement of all concrete structures and the removal of all detected residual radioactivity. This monitoring sequence is followed by a controlled demolition of the concrete structures and crushing of the resulting concrete parts to smaller particles. During the crushing operations, metal parts are separated from the concrete and representative concrete samples are taken. The frequency of sampling meets the prevailing standards. In a further step, the concrete samples are milled, homogenised, and a smaller fraction is sent to the laboratory for analyses. The paper describes the developed concrete crushing and sampling methodology. (authors)

The partitioning of uranium and neptunium onto hydrothermally altered concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, P.; Allen, P.G.; Sylwester, E.R.; Viani, B.E.

2000-01-01

Partition coefficients (K d ) of U(VI) and Np(V) on untreated and hydrothermally altered concrete were measured in 0.01 M NaCl and 0.01 M NaHCO 3 solutions as functions of concentration of the radionuclides, pH, and time. The partition coefficients for both U(VI) and Np(V) on hydrothermally altered concrete are significantly lower than those on untreated concrete. The partition of both U(VI) and Np(V) are pH dependent, although the pH dependence does not appear to reflect precipitation of U and Np-bearing phases. Both sorption and precipitation are likely processes controlling partitioning of U to concrete; sorption is the most likely process controlling the partitioning of Np to concrete. The presence of 0.01 M carbonate species in solution decreases K d of U(VI) for both hydrothermally altered and untreated concrete from ≥ 10 4 mL/g to ∝ 400 to 1000 mL/g indicating a significant impact on U(VI) sorption. In contrast, the presence of carbonate only reduced the K d of Np(V) by one order of magnitude or less. X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis of U/concrete mixtures at different pHs and times indicate that uranyl ions are partitioned as monomeric species on untreated concrete, but oligomeric species on hydrothermally altered concrete. Similar analysis of Np/concrete mixtures shows that about half of the partitioned Np(V) is reduced to Np(IV) over a period of 6 months. (orig.)

Fast neutron relaxation length in concretes in the range of neutron energies En=0.5 - 17.5 MeV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Desdin, L.F.; Garcia, L.; Perez, G.; Hernandez, A.; Herrera, E.; Tellez, E.

1998-01-01

In the present research were determined the fast neutron relaxation length y in different type of concretes, having special interest for biological shielding as well as for ordinary construction purposes, in the energy interval of 0.5-17.5 MeV. The values of Y concrete are reported with an accuracy of 6 %

A study on shear transfer analysis of reinforced concrete across a crack

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Endoh, Takao; Katoh, Osamu

1984-01-01

It is a one of the most important problems in the reinforced concrete engineering to clarify the mechanism of shear transfer across cracked concrete planes crossed by reinforcement. By many experimental studies the mechanism of shear transfer across crack surfaces has gradually become clear. And based on those experimental studies, various analytical models of shear transfer have been developed. In this study, the mathematical model presented by M. N. Fardis is adopted and finite element formulation was carried out by the use of developed concrete constitutive law for cracked surface. The numerical result was compared with the experimental ones of Mattock-type push-off tests. Equating the effective range of the cracked bondless zone with the element area where special constitutive law is applied, a satisfying analytical result was obtained. (author)

STRENGTH OF NANOMODIFIED HIGH-STRENGTH LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

NOZEMTСEV Alexandr Sergeevich

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the results of research aimed at development of nanomodified high-strength lightweight concrete for construction. The developed concretes are of low average density and high ultimate compressive strength. It is shown that to produce this type of concrete one need to use hollow glass and aluminosilicate microspheres. To increase the durability of adhesion between cement stone and fine filler the authors offer to use complex nanodimensinal modifier based on iron hydroxide sol and silica sol as a surface nanomodifier for hollow microspheres. It is hypothesized that the proposed modifier has complex effect on the activity of the cement hydration and, at the same time increases bond strength between filler and cement-mineral matrix. The compositions for energy-efficient nanomodified high-strength lightweight concrete which density is 1300…1500 kg/m³ and compressive strength is 40…65 MPa have been developed. The approaches to the design of high-strength lightweight concrete with density of less than 2000 kg/m³ are formulated. It is noted that the proposed concretes possess dense homogeneous structure and moderate mobility. Thus, they allow processing by vibration during production. The economic and practical implications for realization of high-strength lightweight concrete in industrial production have been justified.

Cracking in reinforced concrete structures due to imposed deformations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagy, A.

1997-04-01

This thesis is concerned with modeling of the cracking process in reinforced concrete due to imposed deformations. Cracking is investigated both at early ages, during hydration, and at mature age when the final properties of the concrete are reached. One of the most important material characteristics of the concrete at early ages, the Young`s modulus is determined by means of a dynamic method called the resonance frequency method. 40 refs

Treatment of Uranium-Contaminated Concrete for Reducing Secondary Radioactive Waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Seung Soo; Han, G. S; Park, U. K; Kim, G. N.; Moon, J. K. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-10-15

A volume reduction of the concrete waste by appropriate treatment technologies will decrease the amount of waste to be disposed of and result in a reduction of the disposal cost and an enhancement of the efficiency of the disposal site. Our group has developed a decontamination process for uranium-contaminated (U-contaminated) concrete, and some experiments were performed to reduce the second radioactive waste. A decontamination process was developed to remove uranium from concrete waste. The yellow or brown colored surface of the wall brick with high concentration of uranium was removed by a chisel until the radioactivity of remaining block reached less than 1 Bq/g. The concrete waste coated with epoxy was directly burned by an oil flame, and the burned surface was then removed using the same method as the treatment of the brick. The selective mechanical removal of the concrete block reduced the amount of secondary radioactive waste. The concrete blocks without an epoxy were crushed to below 30 mm and sifted to 1 mm. When the concrete pieces larger than 1 mm were sequentially washed with a clear recycle solution and 1.0 M of nitric acid, their radioactivity reached below the limit value of uranium for self-disposal. For the concrete pieces smaller than 1 mm, a rotary washing machine and electrokinetic equipment were also used.

Treatment of Uranium-Contaminated Concrete for Reducing Secondary Radioactive Waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Seung Soo; Han, G. S; Park, U. K; Kim, G. N.; Moon, J. K.

2014-01-01

A volume reduction of the concrete waste by appropriate treatment technologies will decrease the amount of waste to be disposed of and result in a reduction of the disposal cost and an enhancement of the efficiency of the disposal site. Our group has developed a decontamination process for uranium-contaminated (U-contaminated) concrete, and some experiments were performed to reduce the second radioactive waste. A decontamination process was developed to remove uranium from concrete waste. The yellow or brown colored surface of the wall brick with high concentration of uranium was removed by a chisel until the radioactivity of remaining block reached less than 1 Bq/g. The concrete waste coated with epoxy was directly burned by an oil flame, and the burned surface was then removed using the same method as the treatment of the brick. The selective mechanical removal of the concrete block reduced the amount of secondary radioactive waste. The concrete blocks without an epoxy were crushed to below 30 mm and sifted to 1 mm. When the concrete pieces larger than 1 mm were sequentially washed with a clear recycle solution and 1.0 M of nitric acid, their radioactivity reached below the limit value of uranium for self-disposal. For the concrete pieces smaller than 1 mm, a rotary washing machine and electrokinetic equipment were also used

Heat and mass transfer in a concrete pressure vessel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zangle, K.; Sadouki, H.; Wittmann, F.H.

1989-01-01

Pressure vessels of prestressed concrete for high temperature reactors are subjected to high mechanical and thermal stresses during the reactors normal working conditions and in particular accidental conditions. According to a large temperature gradient between the inner liner and the outer side of the thickwalled vessel, physical as well as chemical processes take place in concrete. Temperature and moisture content of concrete have a big influence on these processes. During the last years different investigations have been conducted in order to determine characteristic values of concrete under these conditions. At present the authors conduct a series of experiments on model vessels of prestressed concrete and a large number of small specimens. The aims of these tests can be briefly summarized as follows: experimental determination of transport coefficients for a numerical analysis; determination of chemical reactions under hydrothermal conditions and their significance for the risk of corrosion; determination of temperature and moisture distribution as a function of time; and determination of the strength development in the zones subjected to elevated temperatures

Evaluation of ilmenite serpentine concrete and ordinary concrete as nuclear reactor shielding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abulfaraj, W.H.; Kamal, S.M.

1994-01-01

The present study involves adapting a formal decision methodology to the selection of alternative nuclear reactor concrete shielding. Multiattribute utility theory is selected to accommodate decision maker's preferences. Multiattribute utility theory (MAU) is here employed to evaluate two appropriate nuclear reactor shielding concretes in terms of effectiveness to determine the optimal choice in order to meet the radiation protection regulations. These concretes are Ordinary concrete (O.C.) and Illmenite Serpentile concrete (I.S.C.). These are normal weight concrete and heavy weight heat resistive concrete, respectively. The effectiveness objective of the nuclear reactor shielding is defined and structured into definite attributes and subattributes to evaluate the best alternative. Factors affecting the decision are dose received by reactor's workers, the material properties as well as cost of concrete shield. A computer program is employed to assist in performing utility analysis. Based upon data, the result shows the superiority of Ordinary concrete over Illmenite Serpentine concrete. (Author)

PCM Concrete. [Phase Change Materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Juul Andersen, T. [Danish Technological Institute, Taastrup (Denmark); Poulsen, H.-H. [BASF A/S, Roedekro (Denmark); Passov, F. [Spaencom A/S, Hedehusene (Denmark); Heiselberg, P. [Aalborg Univ..Aalborg (Denmark)

2013-04-01

PCM-Concrete was a research and development project launched in 2009 and finished in 2012. The project, which was funded by The Danish National Advanced Technology Foundation, had a total budget of 1.7 million Euros and included 4 partners: Danish Technological Institute (project manager), Aalborg University, BASF A/S and Spaencom A/S. The overall vision of the project was to reduce energy consumption for heating and cooling in buildings by developing high-performance concrete structures microencapsulated Phase Change Materials (PCM). The PCM used in the project was Micronal produced by BASF A/S. Micronal is small capsules with an acrylic shell and inside a wax with a melting point at approx. 23 deg. C equal to a comfortable indoor temperature. During the melting process thermal energy is transferred to chemical reaction (melting/solidification) depending on PCM being heated up or cooled down. Adding Micronal to concrete would theoretically increase the thermal mass of the concrete and improve the diurnal heat capacity which is the amount of energy that can be stored and released during 24 hours. Nevertheless, it is a relatively new technology that has not received much attention, yet. In the PCM-Concrete project 5 main investigations were carried out: 1) Development of concrete mix design with PCM. 2) Investigation of thermal properties of the PCM concrete: thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, density. 3) Up-scaling the research to industrial production of PCM-concrete structures. 4) Testing energy efficiency in full scale. 5) Confronting aesthetic and acoustic barriers to full exploitation of the potential of PCM-concrete structures. The results from the test program showed: 1) That the diurnal heat storage capacity is higher for all 4 hollow core decks with tiles attached compared to the reference hollow core deck. 2) The hollow core decks with concrete tiles without PCM performs slightly better than the tiles with PCM. 3) That is was impossible to

CONCRETE PROPERTIES IMPROVEMENT OF SLAB TRACKS USING CHEMICAL ADDITIVES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. V. Pristinskaya

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Purpose. On the Railways of Ukraine a very large number of slab tracks are operated with cracks. Many scientific works of previous years are dedicated to improving the design of slab tracks. The main causes of defects are: poor exploitation of the track; insufficient physic-mechanical characteristics of concrete; poor quality of initial materials. It is therefore necessary to develop an optimum concrete mix for the manufacture of these concrete products. Methodology. To assess the impact of individual factors and effects of their interactions on properties of concrete mix and concrete method of experimental and statistical modeling was used. At this, methodological fundamentals of mathematical experiment planning in concrete technology and modern methods of optimization of composite materials were taking into account. Based on the obtained data during the planned experiment conducting, including15 studies and using the computer program MathCad, were obtained the regression equations, which describe the relevant physical and mechanical properties of concrete. On the basis of the equations with the help of computer program MATLAB R2012b the graphs were drawn, illustrating the dependences of system response from the changes of two factors at a fixed value of the third factor. Findings. Firstly was the analysis of cracks that occur in the process of operation in the constructions of slab tracks. Further reasons of possible occurrence of these cracks were presented. In the process of the conducted research the author has concluded that for rational concrete mix development it is necessary to conduct the planned experiment with the use of quality materials. It was established that to increase the strength, chemical additives should be added in to concrete mix, it will let reduce cement amount. Originality. Experiments proved the usage of modern chemical additives in order to improve the properties of concrete. Models were developed, reflecting

HYDRATION PROCESS AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CEMENT PASTE WITH RECYCLED CONCRETE POWDER AND SILICA SAND POWDER

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Jaroslav Topič

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Recycled concrete powder (RCP mostly consisting of cement paste could be reused as partial cement replacement. The aim of this paper is to compare hydration and mechanical properties of RCP and two types of silica sand powder (SSP. Comparison of those materials combined with cement can highlight the binder properties of recycled concrete powder. Using of two types of SSP also show an influence of their fines on hydration process and mechanical properties. Particle size analysis and calorimetric measurement were carried out and mechanical properties such as bulk density, dynamic Young’s modulus and compression strength were examine. Calorimetric measurement proves the presence of exposed non-hydrated particles in RCP that can react again. However lower density of old cement paste in RCP overweight the mentioned potential of RCP and mechanical properties are decreasing compared with reference cement paste and cement paste SSP.

Towards Better Understanding of Concrete Containing Recycled Concrete Aggregate

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Hisham Qasrawi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of using recycled concrete aggregates (RCA on the basic properties of normal concrete is studied. First, recycled aggregate properties have been determined and compared to those of normal aggregates. Except for absorption, there was not a significant difference between the two. Later, recycled aggregates were introduced in concrete mixes. In these mixes, natural coarse aggregate was partly or totally replaced by recycled aggregates. Results show that the use of recycled aggregates has an adverse effect on the workability and air content of fresh concrete. Depending on the water/cement ratio and on the percent of the normal aggregate replaced by RCA, the concrete strength is reduced by 5% to 25%, while the tensile strength is reduced by 4% to 14%. All results are compared with previous research. As new in this research, the paper introduces a simple formula for the prediction of the modulus of elasticity of RCA concrete. Furthermore, the paper shows the variation of the air content of RAC.

Study on creep of fiber reinforced ultra-high strength concrete based on strength

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Wenjun; Wang, Tao

2018-04-01

To complement the creep performance of ultra-high strength concrete, the long creep process of fiber reinforced concrete was studied in this paper. The long-term creep process and regularity of ultra-high strength concrete with 0.5% PVA fiber under the same axial compression were analyzed by using concrete strength (C80/C100/C120) as a variable. The results show that the creep coefficient of ultra-high strength concrete decreases with the increase of concrete strength. Compared with ACI209R (92), GL2000 models, it is found that the predicted value of ACI209R (92) are close to the experimental value, and the creep prediction model suitable for this experiment is proposed based on ACI209R (92).

Effects of syntactic structure in the memory of concrete and abstract Chinese sentences.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, C S; Chen, H C

1993-09-01

Smith (1981) found that concrete English sentences were better recognized than abstract sentences and that this concreteness effect was potent only when the concrete sentence was also affirmative but the effect switched to an opposite end when the concrete sentence was negative. These results were partially replicated in Experiment 1 by using materials from a very different language (i.e., Chinese): concrete-affirmative sentences were better remembered than concrete-negative and abstract sentences, but no reliable difference was found between the latter two types. In Experiment 2, the task was modified by using a visual presentation instead of an oral one as in Experiment 1. Both concrete-affirmative and concrete-negative sentences were better memorized then abstract ones in Experiment 2. The findings in the two experiments are explained by a combination of the dual-coding model and Marschark's (1985) item-specific and relational processing. The differential effects of experience with different language systems on processing verbal materials in memory are also discussed.

Towards a more common use of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) – development of UHPC for ready-mix and prefabrication concrete plants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spiesz, P.R.; Hunger, M.; Justnes, Harald; Braarud, Henny

2017-01-01

This study addresses the development of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) suitable for a mass production in conventional ready-mix and prefabrication concrete plants. In order to facilitate the production process, curing regime and to minimize the costs, no additional treatments (e.g. thermal

CT measurements of SAP voids in concrete

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laustsen, Sara; Bentz, Dale P.; Hasholt, Marianne Tange

2010-01-01

X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning is used to determine the SAP void distribution in hardened concrete. Three different approaches are used to analyse a binary data set created from CT measurement. One approach classifies a cluster of connected, empty voxels (volumetric pixel of a 3D image......) as one void, whereas the other two approaches are able to classify a cluster of connected, empty voxels as a number of individual voids. Superabsorbent polymers (SAP) have been used to incorporate air into concrete. An advantage of using SAP is that it enables control of the amount and size...... of the created air voids. The results indicate the presence of void clusters. To identify the individual voids, special computational approaches are needed. The addition of SAP results in a dominant peak in two of the three air void distributions. Based on the position (void diameter) of the peak, it is possible...

Hot Isostatic Press (HIP) vitrification of radwaste concretes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siemer, D.D.; Scheetz, B.; Gougar, M.L.D.

1995-01-01

Properly formulated and properly ''canned'' radwaste concretes can be readily hot-isostatically-pressed (HIPed) into materials that exhibit performance equivalent to typical radwaste-type glasses. The HIPing conditions (temperature/pressure) required to turn a concrete waste form into a ''vitrified'' waste form are quite mild and therefore consistent with both safety and high productivity. This paper describes the process and its products with reference to its potential application to Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) reprocessing wastes

Carbon Dioxide (CO2 Sequestration In Bio-Concrete, An Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Faisal Alshalif A.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The emission of CO2 into atmosphere which has increased rapidly in the last years has led to global warming. Therefore, in order to overcome the negative impacts on human and environment, the researchers focused mainly on the reduction and stabilization of CO2 which represent the main contributor in the increasing global warming. The natural capturing and conversion of CO2 from atmosphere is taken place by biological, chemical and physical processes. However, these processes need long time to cause a significant reduction in CO2. Recently, scientists shifted to use green technologies that aimed to produce concrete with high potential to adsorb CO2 in order to accelerate the reduction of CO2. In the present review the potential of bio-concrete to sequestrate CO2 based on carbonation process and as a function of carbonic anhydrase (CA is highlighted. The factors affecting CO2 sequestration in concrete and bacterial species are discussed. It is evident from the literatures, that the new trends to use bio-concrete might contribute in the reduction of CO2 and enhance the strength of non-reinforced concrete.

Automatic Control of the Concrete Mixture Homogeneity in Cycling Mixers

Science.gov (United States)

Anatoly Fedorovich, Tikhonov; Drozdov, Anatoly

2018-03-01

The article describes the factors affecting the concrete mixture quality related to the moisture content of aggregates, since the effectiveness of the concrete mixture production is largely determined by the availability of quality management tools at all stages of the technological process. It is established that the unaccounted moisture of aggregates adversely affects the concrete mixture homogeneity and, accordingly, the strength of building structures. A new control method and the automatic control system of the concrete mixture homogeneity in the technological process of mixing components have been proposed, since the tasks of providing a concrete mixture are performed by the automatic control system of processing kneading-and-mixing machinery with operational automatic control of homogeneity. Theoretical underpinnings of the control of the mixture homogeneity are presented, which are related to a change in the frequency of vibrodynamic vibrations of the mixer body. The structure of the technical means of the automatic control system for regulating the supply of water is determined depending on the change in the concrete mixture homogeneity during the continuous mixing of components. The following technical means for establishing automatic control have been chosen: vibro-acoustic sensors, remote terminal units, electropneumatic control actuators, etc. To identify the quality indicator of automatic control, the system offers a structure flowchart with transfer functions that determine the ACS operation in transient dynamic mode.

Coupling between chemical degradation and mechanical behaviour of leached concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, V.H.

2005-10-01

This work is in the context of the long term behavior of concrete employed in radioactive waste disposal. The objective is to study the coupled chemo-mechanical modelling of concrete. In the first part of this contribution, experimental investigations are described where the effects of the calcium leaching process of concrete on its mechanical properties are highlighted. An accelerated method has been chosen to perform this leaching process by using an ammonium nitrate solution. In the second part, we present a coupled phenomenological chemo-mechanical model that represents the degradation of concrete materials. On one hand, the chemical behavior is described by the simplified calcium leaching approach of cement paste and mortar. Then a homogenization approach using the asymptotic development is presented to take into account the influence of the presence of aggregates in concrete. And on the other hand, the mechanical part of the modelling is given. Here continuum damage mechanics is used to describe the mechanical degradation of concrete. The growth of inelastic strains observed during the mechanical tests is describes by means of a plastic like model. The model is established on the basis of the thermodynamics of irreversible processes framework. The coupled nonlinear problem at hand is addressed within the context of the finite element method. Finally, numerical simulations are compared with the experimental results for validation. (author)

Special Issue: Design and Engineering of Microreactor and Smart-Scaled Flow Processes

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Volker Hessel

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Reaction-oriented research in flow chemistry and microreactor has been extensively focused upon in special journal issues and books. On a process level, this resembled the “drop-in” (retrofit concept with the microreactor replacing a conventional (batch reactor. Meanwhile, with the introduction of the mobile, compact, modular container technology, the focus is more on the process side, including also providing an end-to-end vision of intensified process design. Exactly this is the focus of the current special issue “Design and Engineering of Microreactor and Smart-Scaled Flow Processes” of the journal “Processes”. This special issue comprises three review papers, five research articles and two communications. [...

Innovative process routes for a high-quality concrete recycling in the aggregates and cement industries

OpenAIRE

Bru , Kathy; Menard , Yannick; Touzé , Solène; Le Moign , Alain; Poirier , Jean Eric; Ruffié , Gilles; Bonnaudin , Fabrice; Von Der Weid , Frédéric

2011-01-01

International audience; Hardened concrete is a composite material that contains two main phases: the matrix (hardened cement paste, 20 %) and aggregates (gravels and sand, 80 %). The liberation and the recycling of these constituents can provide an answer to i) the exploration of new aggregates supply sources imposed by the depletion of natural deposit and the faced difficulties when trying to open new quarries and ii) the reduction of CO2 emissions in the clinker manufacturing process throug...

Chemo-mechanical coupling behaviour of leached concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, V.H.; Nedjar, B.; Torrenti, J.M.

2007-01-01

The paper is concerned with a coupled chemo-mechanical model describing the interaction between the calcium leaching and the mechanical damage in concrete materials. On the one hand, the phenomenological chemistry is described by the nowadays well-known simplified calcium leaching approach. It is based on the dissolution-diffusion process together with the chemical equilibrium relating the calcium concentration of the solid's skeleton and the calcium in the pore solution. For concrete, a homogenization approach using asymptotic expansions is used to take into account the influence of the presence of the aggregates leading to an equivalent homogeneous medium. On the other hand, the continuum damage mechanics is used to describe the mechanical degradation of concrete. The modelling accounts for the fact that concrete becomes more and more ductile as the leaching process grows. The model also predicts the inelastic irreversible deformation as damage evolves. The growth of inelastic strains observed during the mechanical tests is described by means of an elastoplastic-like model. The coupled nonlinear problem at hand is addressed within the context of the finite element method. And finally, numerical simulations are compared with the experimental results of first part of this work

Evaluation of recycled concrete as aggregate in new concrete pavements.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-04-01

This study evaluated the use of recycled concrete as coarse aggregate in new concrete pavements. : Recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) produced from demolished pavements in three geographically dispersed locations in Washington state were used to perfo...

Experimental results on salt concrete for barrier elements made of salt concrete in a repository for radioactive waste in a salt mine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gutsch, Alex-W.; Preuss, Juergen; Mauke, Ralf

2012-01-01

The Bartensleben rock salt mine in Germany was used as a repository for low and intermediate level radioactive waste from 1971 to 1991 and from 1994 to 1998. The repository with an overall volume of about 6 million m 3 has to be closed. Salt concrete is used for the refill of the voids of the repository. The concrete mixtures contain crushed salt instead of natural aggregates as the void filling material should be as similar to the salt rock as possible. Very high requirements regarding low heat development and little or even no cracking during concrete hardening had to be fulfilled even for the barrier elements made from salt concrete which separate the radioactive waste from the environment. Requirements for the salt concrete were set up with regard to the fluidity of the fresh concrete during the hardening process and its durability. In the view of a comprehensive numerical calculations of the temperature development and thermal stresses in the massive salt concrete elements of the backfill of the voids, experimental results for material properties of the salt concrete are presented: mixture of the salt concrete, thermodynamic properties (adiabatic heat release, thermal dilatation, thermal conductivity and heat capacity), mechanical short term properties, creep (under tension, under compression), autogenous shrinkage

Standard Test Method for Half-Cell Potentials of Uncoated Reinforcing Steel in Concrete

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2009-01-01

1.1 This test method covers the estimation of the electrical corrosion potential of uncoated reinforcing steel in field and laboratory concrete, for the purpose of determining the corrosion activity of the reinforcing steel. 1.2 This test method is limited by electrical circuitry. Concrete surface in building interiors and desert environments lose sufficient moisture so that the concrete resistivity becomes so high that special testing techniques not covered in this test method may be required (see 5.1.4.1). Concrete surfaces that are coated or treated with sealers may not provide an acceptable electrical circuit. The basic configuration of the electrical circuit is shown in Fig. 1. 1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard. 1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It ...

The Mechanism of Disintegration of Cement Concrete at High Temperatures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jocius Vytautas

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Concrete is a composite material composed of a binder, aggregates, water and additives. Mixing of cement with water results in a number of chemical reactions known as cement hydration. Heating of concrete results in dehydration processes of cement minerals and new hydration products, which disintegrate the microstructure of concrete. This article reviews results of research conducted with Portland and alumina cement with conventional and refractory concrete aggregates. In civic buildings such common fillers as gravel, granite, dolomite or expanded clay are usually used. It is important to point out the differences between fillers because they constitute the majority of the concrete volume.

Drilling waste makes concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosfjord, A.

1993-01-01

The article deals with a method of drilling waste reclamation by utilizing the converted oil-containing cuttings from the North Sea in the concrete production in Norway. The oil content is to be removed in an incineration process by heating the cuttings to about 800 o C. The output capacity from the exhaust gas water cooling system is 7500 kW/hour, and is to be used in different industrial heating processes. The remaining content of pollutants in the cleaned exhaust gas outlet corresponds to the required limits with the exception of SO 2 and HCl. In addition, an exhaust gas washing plant is to be installed in the near future designed for the further reduction of pollutants by 90%. The converted raw materials are used as a supplement for lessening the demand of sand and cement in the production of concrete-made pipes. 1 fig

The effects of atmospheric multipollutants on modern concrete

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marinoni, N.; Birelli, M.P.; Rostagno, C.; Pavese, A. [University of Milan, Milan (Italy)

2003-10-01

Concrete samples were collected from the indoor walls of a tunnel in Milan (Italy), erected at the beginning of the 20th century for railway subway. Since the second half of the 20th century, during the construction of Stazione Centrale (Central Railway Station) of Milan, the tunnel has been turned into an automobile and railway crossing, thus increasing the deposition of aggressive pollutants on building materials. Weathering layers (commonly known as black crusts) caused by deposition of atmospheric pollutants on concrete surfaces were analysed in order to investigate the main mechanisms responsible for deterioration. A mineralogical and physical-chemical characterisation of the concrete and black crusts was performed by optical microscopy, atomic absorption spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The results attest that the main deterioration phenomenon affecting concrete is the sulphation process by dry deposition, leading to secondary salt crystallisation (gypsum formation) on the external surface of the samples. Moreover, concrete samples show widespread micro- and macro-cracking, high porosity, and corrosion phenomena at the aggregate binder interface (AAR). Airborne particulate matter produced by fuel (oil-derived and coal) combustion was found embedded in the gypsum matrix of black crusts, suggesting its catalytic role in sulphation process.

Colour alterations of historic concrete surfaces during the Dutch Interwar Period

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Herdis A. Heinemann

2017-12-01

Besides limited knowledge of the varieties of coloured concrete, the fact that many historic concrete buildings have since been plastered or painted impedes its correct identification. This poses a challenge, as the deviating properties of historic concrete, both due to production methods and use of unproved constituents, can affect the durability of concrete. This paper focuses on the characteristics which can be encountered during visual inspections, an early and influential phase within the conservation process.

Automatic dam concrete placing system; Dam concrete dasetsu sagyo no jidoka system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoneda, Y; Hori, Y; Nakayama, T; Yoshihara, K; Hironaka, T [Okumura Corp., Osaka (Japan)

1994-11-15

An automatic concrete placing system was developed for concrete dam construction. This system consists of the following five subsystems: a wireless data transmission system, an automatic dam concrete mixing system, a consistency determination system, an automatic dam concrete loading and transporting system, and a remote concrete bucket opening and closing system. The system includes the following features: mixing amount by mixing ratio and mixing intervals can be instructed from a concrete placing site by using a wireless handy terminal; concrete is mixed automatically in a batcher plant; a transfer car is started, and concrete is charged into a bucket automatically; the mixed concrete is determined of its properties automatically; labor cost can be reduced, the work efficiency improved, and the safety enhanced; and the system introduction has resulted in unattended operation from the aggregate draw-out to a bunker line, manpower saving of five persons, and reduction in cycle time by 10%. 11 figs., 2 tabs.

Application of potential relaxation transient measurements to corrosion of steel in concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benjamin, S.E.; Skyes, J.M.

1993-01-01

Corrosion of steel in concrete is an electrochemical process that involves the process occurring at the interface and also in the bulk diffusion of species. This paper present studies on corrosion of Swedish Iron in concrete utilizing potential relaxation transients. This rapid new D.C. technique (developed at Oxford University, U.K.) analyzes the decay in terms of different resistor (R) - capacitor(c) combinations, thus identifying the individual processes as their time constants(tau). The resistance of the concrete is also separated. The merits and demerits of the technique are discussed. (author)

Recycled concrete aggregate in portland cement concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Aggregates can be produced by crushing hydraulic cement concrete and are known as recycled concrete : aggregates (RCA). This report provides results from a New Jersey Department of Transportation study to identify : barriers to the use of RCA in new ...

"Why" or "how": the effect of concrete versus abstract processing on intrusive memories following analogue trauma

OpenAIRE

White, R; Wild, J

2016-01-01

Emergency service workers, military personnel, and journalists working in conflict zones are regularly exposed to trauma as part of their jobs and suffer higher rates of posttraumatic stress compared with the general population. These individuals often know that they will be exposed to trauma and therefore have the opportunity to adopt potentially protective cognitive strategies. One cognitive strategy linked to better mood and recovery from upsetting events is concrete information processing...

Analysis of Possibilities for Using Recycled Concrete Aggregate in Concrete Pavement

OpenAIRE

R. Pernicova; D. Dobias

2016-01-01

The present article describes the limits of using recycled concrete aggregate (denoted as RCA) in the top layer of concrete roads. The main aim of this work is to investigate the possibility of reuse of recycled aggregates obtained by crushing the old concrete roads as a building material in the new top layers of concrete pavements. The paper is based on gathering the current knowledge about how to use recycled concrete aggregate, suitability, and modification of the properties and its standa...

Using recycled concrete in MDOT's transportation infrastructure : manual of practice.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-01

"Crushed concrete aggregate (CCA) is granular material manufactured by removing, crushing, and : processing old concrete for reuse as an aggregate source in new construction. Although the Michigan : Department of Transportation (MDOT) has used CCA si...

Concrete decontamination by electro-hydraulic scabbling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goldfarb, V.; Gannon, R. [Textron Defense System, Everett, MA (United States)

1995-10-01

Textron Defense Systems (TDS) is developing an electro-hydraulic device that has the potential for faster, safer, and less expensive scabbling of contaminated concrete surfaces. In the device, shock waves and cavitating bubbles are produced in water by the electric pulses, and the direct and reflected shock waves impinging on the concrete surface result in the crushing and cracking of the concrete. Pulse energy, frequency, and traverse speed control the depth of the scabbling action. Performance thus far has demonstrated the capability of a prototype unit to process a swath 24 inches wide, up to 3/4 inch deep at a linear velocity of up to 6 feet per hour, i.e., at a scabbling rate of 12 sq. ft. per hour.

Concrete decontamination by electro-hydraulic scabbling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldfarb, V.; Gannon, R.

1995-01-01

Textron Defense Systems (TDS) is developing an electro-hydraulic device that has the potential for faster, safer, and less expensive scabbling of contaminated concrete surfaces. In the device, shock waves and cavitating bubbles are produced in water by the electric pulses, and the direct and reflected shock waves impinging on the concrete surface result in the crushing and cracking of the concrete. Pulse energy, frequency, and traverse speed control the depth of the scabbling action. Performance thus far has demonstrated the capability of a prototype unit to process a swath 24 inches wide, up to 3/4 inches deep at a linear velocity of up to 6 feet per hour, i.e., at a scabbling rate of 12 sq. ft. per hour

Mechanical Properties and Eco-Efficiency of Steel Fiber Reinforced Alkali-Activated Slag Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sun-Woo Kim

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Conventional concrete production that uses ordinary Portland cement (OPC as a binder seems unsustainable due to its high energy consumption, natural resource exhaustion and huge carbon dioxide (CO2 emissions. To transform the conventional process of concrete production to a more sustainable process, the replacement of high energy-consumptive PC with new binders such as fly ash and alkali-activated slag (AAS from available industrial by-products has been recognized as an alternative. This paper investigates the effect of curing conditions and steel fiber inclusion on the compressive and flexural performance of AAS concrete with a specified compressive strength of 40 MPa to evaluate the feasibility of AAS concrete as an alternative to normal concrete for CO2 emission reduction in the concrete industry. Their performances are compared with reference concrete produced using OPC. The eco-efficiency of AAS use for concrete production was also evaluated by binder intensity and CO2 intensity based on the test results and literature data. Test results show that it is possible to produce AAS concrete with compressive and flexural performances comparable to conventional concrete. Wet-curing and steel fiber inclusion improve the mechanical performance of AAS concrete. Also, the utilization of AAS as a sustainable binder can lead to significant CO2 emissions reduction and resources and energy conservation in the concrete industry.

Mechanical Properties and Eco-Efficiency of Steel Fiber Reinforced Alkali-Activated Slag Concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sun-Woo; Jang, Seok-Joon; Kang, Dae-Hyun; Ahn, Kyung-Lim; Yun, Hyun-Do

2015-10-30

Conventional concrete production that uses ordinary Portland cement (OPC) as a binder seems unsustainable due to its high energy consumption, natural resource exhaustion and huge carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. To transform the conventional process of concrete production to a more sustainable process, the replacement of high energy-consumptive PC with new binders such as fly ash and alkali-activated slag (AAS) from available industrial by-products has been recognized as an alternative. This paper investigates the effect of curing conditions and steel fiber inclusion on the compressive and flexural performance of AAS concrete with a specified compressive strength of 40 MPa to evaluate the feasibility of AAS concrete as an alternative to normal concrete for CO₂ emission reduction in the concrete industry. Their performances are compared with reference concrete produced using OPC. The eco-efficiency of AAS use for concrete production was also evaluated by binder intensity and CO₂ intensity based on the test results and literature data. Test results show that it is possible to produce AAS concrete with compressive and flexural performances comparable to conventional concrete. Wet-curing and steel fiber inclusion improve the mechanical performance of AAS concrete. Also, the utilization of AAS as a sustainable binder can lead to significant CO₂ emissions reduction and resources and energy conservation in the concrete industry.

Methodology for assessing the probability of corrosion in concrete structures on the basis of half-cell potential and concrete resistivity measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadowski, Lukasz

2013-01-01

In recent years, the corrosion of steel reinforcement has become a major problem in the construction industry. Therefore, much attention has been given to developing methods of predicting the service life of reinforced concrete structures. The progress of corrosion cannot be visually assessed until a crack or a delamination appears. The corrosion process can be tracked using several electrochemical techniques. Most commonly the half-cell potential measurement technique is used for this purpose. However, it is generally accepted that it should be supplemented with other techniques. Hence, a methodology for assessing the probability of corrosion in concrete slabs by means of a combination of two methods, that is, the half-cell potential method and the concrete resistivity method, is proposed. An assessment of the probability of corrosion in reinforced concrete structures carried out using the proposed methodology is presented. 200 mm thick 750 mm  ×  750 mm reinforced concrete slab specimens were investigated. Potential E corr and concrete resistivity ρ in each point of the applied grid were measured. The experimental results indicate that the proposed methodology can be successfully used to assess the probability of corrosion in concrete structures.

Methodology for Assessing the Probability of Corrosion in Concrete Structures on the Basis of Half-Cell Potential and Concrete Resistivity Measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lukasz Sadowski

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In recent years, the corrosion of steel reinforcement has become a major problem in the construction industry. Therefore, much attention has been given to developing methods of predicting the service life of reinforced concrete structures. The progress of corrosion cannot be visually assessed until a crack or a delamination appears. The corrosion process can be tracked using several electrochemical techniques. Most commonly the half-cell potential measurement technique is used for this purpose. However, it is generally accepted that it should be supplemented with other techniques. Hence, a methodology for assessing the probability of corrosion in concrete slabs by means of a combination of two methods, that is, the half-cell potential method and the concrete resistivity method, is proposed. An assessment of the probability of corrosion in reinforced concrete structures carried out using the proposed methodology is presented. 200 mm thick 750 mm  ×  750 mm reinforced concrete slab specimens were investigated. Potential Ecorr and concrete resistivity ρ in each point of the applied grid were measured. The experimental results indicate that the proposed methodology can be successfully used to assess the probability of corrosion in concrete structures.

Modeling and assessment of concrete and the energy infrastructure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guthrie, G.; Carey, J.

1998-01-01

This is the final report of a two-year, Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Concrete is an essential component of the energy infrastructure. The characteristics of concrete that determine its effectiveness in any application--be it construction (e.g., roads, bridges, dams) or waste isolation--result from the chemical and structural evolution of the particular concrete structure. Geochemical and mineralogical factors are among the most important, yet most overlooked, controls of this evolutionary process. This project is geared at using a combination of advanced geochemical and mineralogical experimentation, characterization, and modeling (much of which was developed to understand geological systems such as Yucca Mountain) to understand the evolution of concrete in a mechanistic way. The goal was to develop a systematic approach to problems ranging from premature degradation of concrete to the design of next-generation concretes

Measurements and Monte-Carlo simulations of the particle self-shielding effect of B4C grains in neutron shielding concrete

Science.gov (United States)

DiJulio, D. D.; Cooper-Jensen, C. P.; Llamas-Jansa, I.; Kazi, S.; Bentley, P. M.

2018-06-01

A combined measurement and Monte-Carlo simulation study was carried out in order to characterize the particle self-shielding effect of B4C grains in neutron shielding concrete. Several batches of a specialized neutron shielding concrete, with varying B4C grain sizes, were exposed to a 2 Å neutron beam at the R2D2 test beamline at the Institute for Energy Technology located in Kjeller, Norway. The direct and scattered neutrons were detected with a neutron detector placed behind the concrete blocks and the results were compared to Geant4 simulations. The particle self-shielding effect was included in the Geant4 simulations by calculating effective neutron cross-sections during the Monte-Carlo simulation process. It is shown that this method well reproduces the measured results. Our results show that shielding calculations for low-energy neutrons using such materials would lead to an underestimate of the shielding required for a certain design scenario if the particle self-shielding effect is not included in the calculations.

Use of fiber reinforced concrete for concrete pavement slab replacement.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-03-01

Unlike ordinary concrete pavement, replacement concrete slabs need to be open to traffic within 24 hours (sooner in : some cases). Thus, high early-strength concrete is used; however, it frequently cracks prematurely as a result of high : heat of hyd...

Seismic behavior of reinforced concrete structures: non linear calculation and experimental verification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gauvain, J.; Hoffmann, A.; Jeandidier, C.; Livolant, M.

1978-01-01

This study presents the tests of a reinforced concrete beam conducted by the Department of Mechanical and Thermal Studies at the Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires de Saclay, France. The actual behavior of nuclear power plant buildings submitted to seismic loads is generally non linear even for moderate seismic levels. The non-linearity is specially important for reinforced concrete type buildings. To estimate the safety factors when the building is designed by standard methods, accurate non linear calculations are necessary. For such calculations one of the most difficult point is to define a correct model for the behavior of a reinforced concrete beam subject to reversed loads. For that purpose, static and dynamic experimental tests on a shaking table have been carried out and a model reasonably accurate has been established and checked on the test results [fr

A constitutive model for concrete under dynamic loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suaris, W.; Shah, S.P.

1983-01-01

A continuous damage theory for the quasistatic and dynamic behaviour of concrete is presented. The continuous damage theory is rational choice for use in predicing the dynamic behaviour of concrete as the strain-rate effects that have been observed for concrete can to a large extent be attributed to the rate-sensitivity of the microcracking process. A vectorial representation is adopted for the damage to account for the planar nature of the microcracks in concrete. Damage is treated as an internal state variable influencing the free energy of the material and the constitutive equations and the damage evolution equations are derived consistently using thermodynamic considerations. The developed constitutive model is then calibrated by using test results in flexure and compression over a range of strain-rates. The constitutive model is also shown to be capable of predicting certain other experimentally observed characteristics of the dynamic response of concrete. (orig./HP)

A multifunctional design approach for sustainable concrete : with application to concrete mass products

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hüsken, G.

2010-01-01

This thesis provides a multifunctional design approach for sustainable concrete, particularly earth-moist concrete (EMC), with application to concrete mass products. EMC is a concrete with low water content and stiff consistency that is used for the production of concrete mass products, such as