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A Finite Element Approach to the Behavior of the ITZ
Abstract:
The Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ) between two basic materials having differentiations in their mechanical properties has always been intriguing. The stiffness disparities between the two will result in a very distinctive area, the interface. Cement based components such as mortar and concrete consist of the cement paste and aggregates, with the ITZ at the perimeter. When compared to the cement paste, this ITZ has a higher porosity with a dissimilar crystal formation. The resulting area therefore becomes the weak link in concrete. A Finite Element Model (FEM) was developed to construct the load-displacement behavior of a single inclusion specimen and to study the crack propagation within the ITZ. The ITZ was modeled as a linkage element having a double spring, perpendicular and parallel to the ITZ surface. The individual stiffness behavior of these springs was obtained from laboratory-tested specimens. Non-linearity was generated by evaluating the principal stresses and strains at Gauss points, while the CEB-FIB 2010 code was used for the constitutive material behavior of the mortar. Iteration is conducted by the arc-length method developed by Riks-Wempners. The load-displacement curves resulting from the FEM were validated with laboratory tested specimens to compare its effectiveness and assess the correctness of the model.
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3-7
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May 2015
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