Performance predictions based on coupled chemo-mechanical simulations

Concrete structures represent a significant part of our infrastructure. Considering the full lifetime of engineering structures, it is quintessential for a safe and sustainable design to predict, as accurately as possible, the technical life-time of these structures. As a result it is crucial to have knowledge about the long-term performance of the material. In particular, those phenomena that lead to deterioration and/or failure have to be understood and captured by suitable prediction models. However, also on the resistance side the accurate prediction of material properties such as compressive strength, tensile strength, and fracture energy is of significance. In this contribution we present an experimental campaign aiming at a full characterization of one chosen concrete mix. Apart from mechanical properties the creep and shrinkage behavior in sealed and unsealed conditions, loaded at different ages, have been measured. Further measurements include the evolution of internal relative humidity and temperature under given environmental conditions. A comprehensive chemomechanical framework (Cusatis, Pelessone, and Mencarelli 2011, Di Luzio 2009), able to accurately capture cement hydration, water transport and heat transfer, is used to predict thermal strains, drying shrinkage, the evolution of material properties, and time-dependent deformations due to aging visco-elasticity