Single Particle Models for C3S Hydration – A Multi-Component Distributed Parameter Continuum Approach
Manohar Gottapu, Joseph J. Biernacki, Tiantian Xie, Andrew Parkes*
Tennessee Technological University
Cookeville, TN 38505
Tricalcium silicate, the main and most important constituent of different types of cements such as Portland cement, white cements, and cements used for oil well applications, is frequently used as a model material to study the hydration process rather than Portland cement. Although theories in the literature over the past 40 years have offered considerable insights into the hydration process, reaction mechanisms, and microstructure development, a detailed quantitative representation of the kinetics and transport phenomena has not been agreed upon. To help train our intuition and to test various assumptions we have build a progression of single particle models from the simple to more complex. We propose to eventually develop a rigorous multi-component model that can be used to test various hypotheses. Such models are suitable for integration with microstructure simulation tool-kits such as mic and those developed by the VCCTL and are vital inputs to other multi-scale formalisms including Population Balance Models (PBM).
*Presenter.