2.

Structure of concrete
 2.1 concrete as three phase system
• Fresh paste acts like a plastic network of cement particle in
water while harden paste at any stage of hydration contains
various compound called C-S-H gel , Ca(OH)2, ettringite &
other compounds.
• The term macrostructure is generally used for the gross
microstructure visible to the human eye; the limit of
resolution of the unaided human eye is approximately one-
fifth of a millimeter (200 μm).
• At the macroscopic level (200μm), concrete may be
considered to be a two-phase material, consisting of
aggregate particles dispersed in a matrix of the cement
paste.
 concrete as three phase system
• The term microstructure is used for the
microscopically magnified portion of a
macrostructure. The magnification capability of
modern electron microscopes is of the order of
10^5 times.
• Normally concrete microstructure (<100 nm) is
divided as 3-phase system:
1. Aggregate Phase
2. Paste Phase
3. Transition Zone/ Phase

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 concrete as three phase system

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 concrete as three phase system
• First, there is the interfacial transition zone, which
represents a small region next to the particles of coarse
aggregate.
• Existing as a thin shell, typically 10 to 50 μm thick
around large aggregate,
• the interfacial transition zone is generally weaker than
either of the two main components of concrete,
namely, the aggregate and the bulk hydrated cement
paste;
• therefore, it exercises a far greater influence on the
mechanical behavior of concrete than is reflected by its
size.

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 concrete as three phase system
• Second, each of the three phases is itself a
multiphase in character.
• For instance, each aggregate particle may
contain several minerals in addition to
microcracks and voids.
• Similarly, both the bulk hydrated cement paste
and the interfacial transition zone generally
contain a heterogeneous distribution of different
types and amounts of solid phases, pores, and
microcracks
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 concrete as three phase system
• Third, unlike other engineering materials, the microstructure of
concrete is not an intrinsic characteristic of the material because
the two components of the microstructure, namely, the hydrated
cement paste and the interfacial transition zone, are subject to
change with time, environmental humidity, and temperature.
• Although concrete is the most widely used structural material, its
microstructure is heterogeneous and highly complex. The
microstructure-property relationships in concrete are not yet fully
developed; however, some understanding of the essential elements
of the microstructure would be helpful before discussing the factors
influencing the important engineering properties of concrete, such
as strength , elasticity, shrinkage, creep, cracking , and durability .

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 1.AGGREGATE PHASE
• The aggregate phase is predominantly responsible for
the unit weight, elastic modulus, and dimensional
stability of concrete.
• These properties of concrete depend to a large extent on
the bulk density and strength of the aggregate, which,
in turn, are determined by the physical rather than
chemical characteristics of the aggregate structure.
• In other words, the chemical or mineralogical
composition of the solid phases in aggregate is usually
less important than the physical characteristics such as
the volume, size, and distribution of pores.

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 1.AGGREGATE PHASE

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 2.STRUCTURE OF HYDRATED
CEMENT PASTE
• Anhydrous portland cement is a gray powder
that consists of angular particles typically in
the size range 1 to 50 μm.
• The chemical composition of the principal
clinker minerals corresponds approximately to
C3S, C2S, C3A, and C4AF; in ordinary
portland cement their respective amounts
usually range between 45 and 60, 15 and 30, 6
and 12, and 6 and 8 percent.

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 2.STRUCTURE OF HYDRATED
CEMENT PASTE

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 Solids in HCP
a) Calcium silicate hydrate
• The calcium silicate hydrate phase, abbreviated C-S-H,
makes up 50 to 60 percent of the volume of solids in a
completely hydrated portland cement paste and is,
therefore, the most important in determining the
properties of the paste.
• Although the exact structure of C-S-H is not known,
several models have been proposed to explain the
properties of the materials. According to the Powers-
Brunauer model, the material has a layer structure
with a very high surface area(100-700 sqm/gm).
• Strength is due to vander wall force.

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 Solids in HCP
b) Calcium hydroxide
• Calcium hydroxide crystals (also called portlandite)
constitute 20 to 25 percent of the volume of solids in the
hydrated paste.
• It tends to form large crystals with a distinctive hexagonal-
prism morphology.
• Compared with C-S-H, the strength-contributing potential
of calcium hydroxide is limited as a result of considerably
lower surface area.
• Also, the presence of a considerable amount of calcium
hydroxide in hydrated portland cement has an adverse effect
on chemical durability to acidic solutions because of the
higher solubility of calcium hydroxide than C-S-H.

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 Solids in HCP
C) Calcium sulfoaluminates
• Calcium sulfoaluminate compounds occupy 15 to
20 percent of the solids volume in the hydrated
paste.
• At early stages of hydration the sulfate/alumina
ionic ratio favours the formation of trisulphate
hydrate (ettrignite).
• Ettrignite eventually transforms to monosulphate
hydrate which forms hexagonal plate crystals.
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 Solids in HCP
D) Unhydrated clinker grains
• some unhydrated clinker grains may be found
in the microstructure of hcp, even long after
hydration.

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 Voids in HCP
a)Interlayer space in C-S-H
• It accounts for 28% porosity in solid C-S-H
• the space may vary from 5 to 25 A.
• This void size is too small to have an adverse
affect on the strength and permeability of the hcp.
• water in these small voids can be held by
hydrogen bonding, and its removal under certain
condition may contribute to drying shrinkage and
creep.

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 Voids in HCP
b) Capillary voids
• capillary voids are irregular in shape
• The capillary voids may range from 10 to 50nm
and more.
• larger than 50nm, referred to as macropores are
assumed to be detrimental to strength and
permeability.
• while voids smaller than 50nm, referred to as
micro-pores are assumed to be more important to
drying shrinkage and creep.

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 Voids in HCP
c) Air voids
• air voids are generally spherical
• Entrapped air voids : may be as large as 3mm
• Entrained air voids : usually 50 to 200micro
m.
• capable of adversely affecting its strength and
impermeability

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 Water in hcp
• The classification of water into several types is based on the
degree of difficulty or ease with which it can be removed from
hcp.
1. Capillary water
the water present in voids larger than about 50 Å
• Larger than 50nm, which may be considered as free water
because its removal does not cause any volume change
• Smaller than 50nm, the water held by capillary tension in
small capillaries which on removal may cause shrinkage of
the system

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 Water in hcp
2. Adsorbed water
• Water Close to the solid surface
• Under the influence of attractive forces, water
molecules are physically adsorbed onto the surface of
solids in the hcp.
• Up to 6 molecule layers of water(15A) can be
physically held by hydrogen bonding.
• A major portion of the adsorbed water can be lost by
drying the hcp to 30% relative humidity.
• Responsible for the shrinkage of the hcp on drying

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 Water in hcp
3. Interlayer water
• associated with the C-S-H structure
• monomolecular water layer between the layers of
C-S-H
• is strongly held by hydrogen bonding
4. Chemically combined water
• An integral part of the structure of various cement
hydration products
• This water is not lost on drying

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 The engineering properties are influenced not only by the
proportions but also by the properties of hcp.-
microstructural features.
Strength
• It should be noted that the principle source of strength
in the solid products of the hcp is the existence of the
van der Waals forces of attraction.
• The small crystals of C-S-H possess enormous surface
areas and adhesive capability tend to adhere strongly
not only to each other, but also to low surface area
solids such as calcium hydroxide, anhydrous clinker
grains, and fine and coarse aggregate particles.

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• There is an inverse relationship between porosity and strength
• Strength resides in the solid part of a material; therefore, voids are
detrimental to strength
• In the hcp, the interfacial space within the CSH structure and the small
voids cannot be considered detrimental to strength because stress
concentration and subsequent rupture on application of load begin at large
capillary voids and micro cracks that are invariably present
Dimensional stability
• Saturated hcp is not dimensionally stable.
• when exposed to environmental humidity, the material will begin to lose
water and shrink.
• As soon as the RH drops below 100%, the free water held in large
cavities(>50nm) begins escape to the environment.
• A saturated hcp exposed to slightly less than 100RH can lose a
considerable amount of water before undergoing any shrinkage.

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• the mechanisms which are responsible for drying
shrinkage are also responsible for creep of the
hcp.
• creep strain can occur even at 100% RH.
Durability
• The hcp is alkaline, therefore, exposure to acidic
water is detrimental.
• Under these conditions, impermeability also
called water-tightness becomes a primary factor
in determining durability.

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 Transition Zone
• A thin shell layer (10-50 μm thick) around large aggregate.
• Formation : Water films around large aggregate during mixing.
• Characteristic: Larger CH crystals and ettringite; more porous
framework; relatively weak.
• Structure: Not any proper structure
• Fraction of transition zone in size is much smaller than other
two phases, its influence on concrete properties is far greater.
• It lower the strength
• It increase the permeability
• It prompt non-linear behavior
• It favorites crack formation
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 Transition Zone
• In addition to the large volume of capillary voids and oriented
calcium hydroxide crystals, a major factor responsible for the poor
strength of the transition zone in concrete is the presence of micro
cracks.
• The amount of micro cracks depends on numerous parameters,
including aggregate size and grading, cement content, water/cement
ratio, degree of consolidation of fresh concrete, curing conditions,
environmental humidity, and thermal history of concrete.
• In other words, concrete has micro cracks in the transition zone
even before a structure is loaded.
• Due to transition phase concrete shows brittle nature in tension and
toughness in compression. So, compressive strength of concrete is
more than tension strength.

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