Master Project-1 (19634685)

Topic: Numerical Investigation on Self-healing Concrete using ABAQUS

Summary

Research Question

Analyse the effectiveness of different sealing materials on concrete strength uisng FEM
(ABAQUS)
Use different soils for this purpose
Soil 1 CaCO3 lime
Soil 2 SiO2 Slica sand
Soil 3 Al2O3:SiO2 Clay minerals

Self healing mechanism (Theoretical Concept)

CaCO3 +Concrete Crack ====

When we add CaCO3 as a solution in the form of Ca2+ +CO3(-2), them they will form solid
precipitate CaCO3

Look into literature for the use of each of these materials in self healing

Detail the change in strength of concrete if we use these materials to close the cracks (macro
cracks and micro cracks).
 Exper.
 FEM
Problem in concrete:
Nature of concrete is quasi-brittle and heterogeneous (4) resulting in the formation of micro-
cracks and its propagation on the cementitious media thereby building dense network to form
macro-cracks (5).
Solution through repairing
 Repairing open macro-cracks on concrete by injection of adhesive polyurethane or other
epoxy agent into cracks
 Effective repair is limited as the agent cant penetrate and effectively polymerize into
narrow crack path (i.e. partial and short-term sealing only to visually detected and easily
accessible cracks)
 Need of sustainable healing solution (5)
Solution through self-healing as per previous studies:
There are two types of self-healing processes in cement-based composites, i.e. autogenous
(Figure 2.2a) and autonomous (Figure 2.2bc)

Figure 1. Approaches used for the self-healing of concrete: (a) autogenous self-healing, (b)
bacteria-based autonomous self-healing (left – metabolic conversion mechanism, right –
enzymatic ureolysis), (c) capsule-based autonomous self-healing (Rajczakowska et al. 2019a)
1) Autogenous healing
This healing method is based on optimized mixed composition and it uses unhydrated
cement particles which is later used in self-healing. Materials that can be used for such
healing are mineral admixtures, fibers, nanofillers and curing agents (7)
The CaCO3 formation in the cracks was found to be the main reason of the autogenous healing
mechanism in concrete. The calcite formation in the area of water bearing cracks can be
formulated in the following way (Edvardsen, 1999):
Ca2+ + CO3 2− ↔ CaCO3 (pH water > 8)
Ca2+ + HCO3 − ↔ CaCO3 + H+ (7.5 < pH water < 8)
The location of the CaCO3 crystals depends on the temperature, the pH value, the CO2 partial
pressure, the saturation index of calcite and the concentration of Ca2+ and CO3 2- ions in the
solution (Edvardsen, 1999).
Two major types of self-healing products were distinguished, one crystal-like consisting of
portlandite/calcite and the other gel-like primarily made of calcium silicate hydrate (CS-H)
(Huang et al., 2013). The amount of formed portlandite was higher (~ 80%) than CS-H (< 15%)
in comparison with the surrounding binder matrix. It was observed that the self-healing process
tends to slow down after approximately 300 hours (Huang et al., 2013).

2) Autonomous healing-
 additionally incorporated capsules containing a healing agent and/or bacteria spores
 uses synthetical material or bacteria released into the crack
 methods include electrodeposition, shape memory alloys, capsules, vascular and
microbial technologies

 Concept of capsule based autonomous healing

Dry et al. (6)
 brittle fibrous tubes carrying sealing agent embedded into large concrete plates
 cracks formed due to surface shrinkage or other loads propagate through the tubes and
break them releasing the sealing agent into the crack void
 cracks get filled with sealing agent
The encapsulation of the healing agent is one of the most studied approaches. In contrast to
autogenous healing, the healing component is contained in microcapsules, which are added to the
concrete mix. After hardening, the repair occurs when the forming crack propagates through the
capsule, breaking it and releasing the healing agent. As a result, not only the crack propagation is
blocked but also the material is repaired by filling the crack with the healing agent. The
permeability is usually decreased and some regain of strength can occur (Wang et al., 2017).
This method was initially applied for structural polymers (White et al., 2001). The proposed
system consisted of a microcapsule with the healing agent and a catalytic chemical trigger
(Figure 2)
Figure 2. The mechanism of crack healing (White et al., 2001).

Healing agents
 Epoxy resin
  Two component PU foam
 Methyl Methacrylate MMA
 Sodium Silicate (Na2SiO3)
 Sodium Monfluorophosphate
 Cyanocrylates (CA)
 Silica Sol
 Tung oil
 Minerals and expansive powders
 Dicyclopentadiene (DCPD)
Agent carriers (Capsules)
 Borosilicate glass
 Ceramic
 Cementitious
 Polymeric
 Silica
 Urea formaldehyde
 Polystyrene resin
Capsules’ shape: optimal shape found to be tubular (increases chance of rupture in cracking
stage)
Capsules’ size:
 Yang recommends micro-capsules.
 Van Tittelboom recommends short 25-75 mm long tubes and diameter less than 5mm.
 Recently capsules longer upto 1m manufactured
Factors affecting self-healing efficiency
 Size of the crack
 Age of concrete and its crack
 Temperature, pressure and healing time
 Presence of water and air
 Dosage, size and dispersion of capsules
 Healing agent and its viscosity
 Concrete materials composition
 Expansive agents and mixed admixtures
 Ca2+ ions concentration
Self-healing efficiency increase with increase of capsules, narrower cracks, early age of concrete,
optimum amount of water, thin shell of capsules and higher concentration of calcium ions. (8)
Table 1 Summary of the limitations of autonomous and autogeneous self-healing strategies
(Rajczakowska et al. 2019a)

Autogenous self-healing
Area Autonomous self-healing methods
methods

• Low survival rate of capsules and bacteria •Loss of workability due to fibers
during the mixing process
• Bacteria nutrients slow down or even
completely hinder hydration of Portland
cement leading to lower strength values
• Higher amount of cement resulting
in an increased hydration heat, higheh
Young shrinkage, an increased crack risk
concrete

• Problems with proper fiber

dispersion and sensitivity to

mixing process
• Insufficient fiber-matrix bond
 • Glass capsules increase the risk of alkali
silica reaction
• Material incompatibility between the
capsule shell
and the binder matrix results in a negative
alteration
of microstructure and chemical composition
of the
surrounding binder matrix
• The increase of the volume fraction of
capsules, • The hydrophilic nature of PVA
decreases the compressive strength and the
fracture fibers causes their premature
Hardene
d
toughness of the matrix rupture under tension,
concrete • Reduction of the Young’s Modulus of
elasticity of • The use of fly ash decreases the
the binder matrix due to a lower Young’s
Modulus compressive strength
of the capsule material as well as the
presence of
voids left by ruptured capsules
• Higher volume fraction of bacteria leads to
a
strength loss
• SAP application greatly decreases the
strength of
concrete

• Too low stresses created by the

forming crack are
 not able to break the capsule shell
• Capsules with switchable
properties of the shell
are often not brittle enough to be
broken by the
forming crack
• Premature polymerization of the
healing agent
inside the capsule due to contact
with moisture • Age of the specimen
lowers the probability and at cracking
effectiveness of the has a great influence on
the
healing process

• Lack of water and oxygen hinders healing efficiency

the healing
• The healing process
might take
process in the case of bacteria-
based systems
Efficienc
y • Capsules might be debonded from several days/weeks
the surrounding • Exposure conditions
matrix causing crack formation might be a
around it instead of limitation for the
healing to occur
breaking the capsule • Only limited crack
• The high viscosity of the healing widths can
agent can cause

problems with efficient penetration be fully healed

of the crack
• The total maximum volume
fraction of capsules is
 limited due to workability issues
and loss of
strength which leads to a lower
healing efficiency
• Chemical interaction between
epoxy and hardener
or bacteria with nutrient can hinder
the healing
process
• Very high price in comparison to
the methods
Price and • Higher CO2 foot
full print due to
used for autogenous healing
higher amount of
scale binder
• Difficult to apply on the full scale

Finite Element Method Modelling (FEM)

The description of the laws of physics for space- and time-dependent problems are usually
expressed in terms of partial differential equations (PDEs). For the vast majority of geometries
and problems, these PDEs cannot be solved with analytical methods. Instead, an approximation
of the equations can be constructed, typically based upon different types of discretizations. These
discretization methods approximate the PDEs with numerical model equations, which can be
solved using numerical methods. The solution to the numerical model equations are, in turn, an
approximation of the real solution to the PDEs. The finite element method (FEM) is used to
compute such approximations (3).
ABAQUS/CAE (Complete Abaqus Environment) is an engineering program for simulation by
finite element analysis which is interactive and provide graphical environment. It is one of the
products of ABAQUS. In this program, models can be created very conveniently and quickly by
producing or importing the structure’s geometry that is to be analysed, then the geometry is
decomposed into meshable regions. Physical and material properties can be defined and assigned
to the defined geometry and loads & boundary conditions can also be defined. It has powerful
options like meshing the geometry and verifying the model analysis results. After the model is
completed, ABAQUS/CAE can submit, monitor and control the analysis jobs. To interpret the
results, the visualization module can be used (1). ABAQUS/CAE (Complete Abaqus
Environment) is an engineering program for simulation by finite element analysis which is
interactive and provide graphical environment. It is one of the products of ABAQUS. In this
program, models can be created very conveniently and quickly by producing or importing the
structure’s geometry that is to be analysed, then the geometry is decomposed into meshable
regions. Physical and material properties can be defined and assigned to the defined geometry
and loads & boundary conditions can also be defined. It has powerful options like meshing the
geometry and verifying the model analysis results. After the model is completed, ABAQUS/CAE
can submit, monitor and control the analysis jobs. To interpret the results, the visualization
module can be used (1) .
ABAQUS analysis usually consists of three distinct stages: pre-processing, simulation, and
postprocessing. i) Pre-processing In this stage, model is defined and an input file is created. ii)
Simulation This stage normally runs in the background. In this stage, the problem defined in the
model is being solved. The time required for this process depends upon the complexity of the
problem and the capacity of the computer. iii) Post-processing After simulation is completed, the
results can be observed in the visualisation mode. The visualisation module, which reads the
neutral binary output database file, has a variety of options for displaying the results, including
color contour plots, animations, deformed shape plots, and X– Y plots . (2)

Resources

Timeline

Gantt Chart
References
1) Getting Started with Abaqus 6.8: Interactive Edition n.d, Internet Manual, viewed 3
September 2019,
2) https://abaqus-docs.mit.edu/2017/English/SIMACAEGSARefMap/simagsa-
cabspresimulationpost.htm
3) N.a. "Detailed Explanation of the Finite Element Method (FEM)." Com,
<https://www.comsol.com/multiphysics/finite-element-method>. Accessed 10 Apr. 2020.
4) Mehta, PK & Mehta, PK 1986, Concrete: structure, properties, and materials,
Prentice-Hall.
5) Eleni Tsangouri. "A Decade of Research on Self-Healing Concrete |
IntechOpen." Intechopen.com, 14 Dec. 2018,
https://www.intechopen.com/books/sustainable-construction-and-building-materials/a-
decade-of-research-on-self-healing-concrete. Accessed 10 Apr. 2020.
6)  Dry C.M. Three designs for the internal release of sealants, adhesives, and waterproofing
chemicals into concrete to reduce permeability. Cem. Concr. Res. 2000;30:1969–1977. doi:
10.1016/S0008-8846(00)00415-4. 
7) Edvardsen C. Water permeability and autogenous healing of cracks in concrete. ACI Mater.
J. 1999;96:448–454.
8) Meharie, MG, Kaluli, JW, Abiero-Gariy, Z & Kumar, ND 2017, 'Factors affecting the self-
healing efficiency of cracked concrete structures', American Journal of Applied Scientific
Research, vol. 3, no. 6, p. 80.
9) Rajczakowska, M., Habermehl-Cwirzen, K., Hedlund, H., & Cwirzen, A. (2019a).
Autogenous SelfHealing: A Better Solution for Concrete. Journal of Materials in Civil
Engineering, 31(9), 03119001.
10) Edvardsen, C. (1999). Water permeability and autogenous healing of cracks in concrete. ACI
Materials Journal-American Concrete Institute, 96(4), 448-454.
11) Huang, H., Ye, G., & Damidot, D. (2013). Characterization and quantification of self-healing
behaviors of microcracks due to further hydration in cement paste. Cement and Concrete
Research, 52, 71-81.
12) White, S. R., Sottos, N. R., Geubelle, P. H., Moore, J. S., Kessler, M., Sriram, S. R., ... &
Viswanathan, S. (2001). Autonomic healing of polymer composites. Nature, 409(6822), 794.
13) Wang, X., Sun, P., Han, N., & Xing, F. (2017). Experimental Study on Mechanical
Properties and Porosity of Organic Microcapsules Based Self-Healing Cementitious Composite.
Materials, 10(1), 20.