Related papers: The physics of cement cohesion
Arguably the most ubiquitous construction material in modern civilization, concrete is enabling the development of megacities around the globe together with increasing living standards in developing nations. However, it can be argued that…
From soft polymeric gels to hardened cement paste, amorphous solids under constant load exhibit a pronounced time-dependent deformation called creep. The microscopic mechanism of such a phenomenon is poorly understood in amorphous materials…
Calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H), the main components of hydrated cement, are known for being responsible of its cohesion. In this respect, they act as "glue" for the other solid components of mortar or concrete and thus strongly influence…
Enhancement of thermal performance of concrete wall is nowadays of great importance in reducing the operational energy demand of buildings. We developed a new kind of inorganic coating material based on \ce{SiO2}-\ce{Al2O3}-rich minerals…
The early stiffening of fresh cement paste plays a key role in shaping and stability during casting and 3D printing. In Portland cement systems, this phenomenon arises from the formation of calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H), which stiffens…
The settling of cohesive sediment is ubiquitous in aquatic environments. In the settling process, the silt particles show behaviors that are different from non-cohesive particles due to the influence of inter-particle cohesive force. While…
The evolution of mesoscopic structure for cement-water mixtures turning into colloidal gels remains far from being understood. Recent neutron scattering investigations (Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 255704 (2004); Phys. Rev. B. 72, 224208 (2005);…
When a colloidal suspension is dried, capillary pressure may overwhelm repulsive electrostatic forces, assembling aggregates that are out of thermal equilibrium. This poorly understood process confers cohesive strength to many geological…
Heterogeneous ice growth exhibits a maximum in freezing rate arising from the competition between kinetics and the thermodynamic driving force between the solid and liquid states. Here, we use molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate the…
The roles of applied strain and temperature on the hydration dynamics of cement paste are uncovered in the present study. We find that the system hardens over time through two different aging processes. The first process dominates the…
Corrosion in concrete prevents in-situ observation, necessitating models to provide insight into the local reaction currents. We present a computational method for predicting corrosion rates of reinforcements within concrete under natural…
Ion specificity and related Hofmeister effects, ubiquitous in aqueous systems, can have spectacular consequences in hydrated clays, where ion-specific nanoscale surface forces can determine large scale cohesive, swelling and shrinkage…
The two key phenomena occurring in the process of ceramic powder compaction are the progressive gain in cohesion and the increase of elastic stiffness, both related to the development of plastic deformation. The latter effect is an example…
The presence of interparticle cohesion can drastically change the behavior of granular materials. For instance, powders are challenging to handle, and one can make a sandcastle using wet grains. In this study, we report experimental results…
Natural gas hydrates are considered a potential resource for gas production on industrial scales. Gas hydrates contribute to the strength and stiffness of the hydrate-bearing sediments. During gas production, the geomechanical stability of…
Nanofluidic transport is ubiquitous in natural systems from extra-cellular communication in biology to geological phenomena, and promotes the emergence of new technologies such as energy harvesting and water desalination. While experimental…
Cement is the most widely used manufacturing material in the world and improving its toughness would allow for the design of slender infrastructure, requiring less material. To this end, we investigate by means of molecular dynamics…
Capillary effects such as imbibition-drying cycles impact the mechanics of granular systems over time. A multiscale poromechanics framework was applied to cement paste, that is the most common building material, experiencing broad humidity…
The empirical data in conjunction with the quantum mechanical calculations show that the strength enhancement in the cement-carbon nanotubes (CNTs) composites is the courtesy of electrostatic potential energy. This is contrary to the…
Celitement is a new type of cement that is based on hydraulic calcium-hydrosilicate (hCHS) that possesses a potential for minimizing the ratio C/S from above 3 in OPC down to 1, which significantly reduces the amount of CO$_2$ released…