MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
CHAPTER 2
LUNA HASANI
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
The microstructure of concrete is heterogeneous and complex.
There are three distinguishable phases:
1. Aggregate particles of varying size and shape
2. The binding medium consisting of the binding cement paste.
3. The interfacial transition zone.
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
There are three unique features that distinguish the concrete
microstructure:
1. Interfacial transition zone:
- small thin shell (10 − 50𝜇𝑚 ) existing around coarse aggregates.
- Weaker than other two components: aggregates and hydrated cement paste.
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
2. Each of the three phases is a multiphase in itself. They are made up of
several minerals, pores and cracks.
3. The microstructure of concrete is not intrinsic of the material. Interfacial
transition zone and hydrated cement paste properties change with time,
humidity and temperature.
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
Microstructure of the aggregate phase:
- The aggregate phase is responsible for the unit weight, elastic modulus and
dimensional stability of concrete.
- The physical characteristics of aggregates (such as volume, size, distribution
of pores) are more important than their chemical composition.
- The size and shape of coarse aggregate can affect the strength of concrete:
the larger the size of aggregate the higher the tendency of water to
accumulate next to aggregate face. This weakens the interfacial transition
zone. This is known as bleeding.
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
Microstructure of the aggregate phase:
- The aggregate phase is responsible for the unit weight, elastic modulus and
dimensional stability of concrete.
- The physical characteristics of aggregates (such as volume, size, distribution
of pores) are more important than their chemical composition.
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
Microstructure of the aggregate
phase:
- The size and shape of coarse
aggregate can affect the strength of
concrete: the larger the size of
aggregate the higher the tendency of
water to accumulate next to
aggregate face. This weakens the Fig 2.1: Bleeding in concrete resulting in shear-
interfacial transition zone. This is bond failure. Taken from Concrete, Mehta and
Monteiro, 3rd edition.
known as bleeding.
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
Microstructure of the hydrated cement phase:
- Portland cement is a gray powder composed of particles with a size of 1 −
50𝜇𝑚 .
- It is produced by pulverizing clinker with calcium sulfate.
o Clinker is a mixture of several compounds produced by high-temperature
reactions between calcium oxide, silica, alumina, and iron oxide.
o Clinker composition: C3 S, C2 S, C3 A and C4 AF.
C = CaO; S = SiO2 ; A = Al2 O3 ; F = Fe2 O3 ; Sത = SO3 ; H = H2 O
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
There are four solid phases in the hydrated cement paste:
1. Calcium silicate hydrate: C-S-H, the most important phase as it determine the
properties of the cement paste. Makes up 50 to 60% of the paste.
2. Calcium hydroxide: constitutes 20 to 25% of the volume.
3. Calcium sulfoaluminates hydrates: makes up 15 to 20% of the volume. Plays a
minor role in the properties of the mix. It should be noted that first a trisulfate
hydrated known as ettringite is formed, and it eventually transforms to
monosulfate hydrate (makes concrete vulnerable to sulfate attacks).
4. Unhydrated clinker grains
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
Voids in the hydrated cement paste:
- Interlayer space in C-S-H:
o The width of this space is between 5 − 25Å 1Å = 1−10 𝑚 .
o The void size is too small to have a effect on strength and permeability of the cement
paste.
o Its removal may contribute to shrinkage and creep.
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
Voids in the hydrated cement paste:
- Capillary voids:
o Space not filled by solids in the hydrated cement paste (cement and hydration
products).
o Size between 10 − 50 𝑛𝑚. Method of calculation is known as porosity.
o Capillary voids larger than 50 𝑛𝑚 are known as macropores. Macropores have more
effect on strength and permeability.
o Capillary voids smaller than 50 𝑛𝑚 are known as micropores. Micropores have more
effect on drying shrinkage and creep.
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
Voids in the hydrated cement paste:
- Air voids:
o Spherical unlike capillary voids.
o Air gets trapped in concrete during mixing, or entrained due to the use of air-entraining
admixtures.
o Larger than capillary voids, where entrapped air voids can be as large as 3 𝑚𝑚 and
entrained air voids fall between 50 and 200 𝜇𝑚.
o They can adversely affect the strength.
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
Water in the hydrated cement paste:
- Water exists in the hydrated cement paste in many forms.
- The classification depends on the ease or difficulty with which the water can be
removed from the hydrated cement paste.
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
Water in the hydrated cement paste:
1. Capillary water:
- Water present in large voids (greater than 50Å)
- Can be divided into two categories:
1. Voids > 50 𝑛𝑚: free water whose removal does not cause any volume change.
2. Voids that are in the range of 5 and 50 𝑛𝑚: its loss may cause shrinkage.
- The volume of capillary voids depends on the amount of water mixed and the degree of
hydration.
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
Water in the hydrated
cement paste:
1. Capillary water:
- Effect of the degree of
hydration:
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
Water in the hydrated
cement paste:
1. Capillary water:
- Effect of amount of water
mixed:
• Assume that 1 𝑐𝑚3 of
cement produces 2 𝑐𝑚3 of
the hydration product.
• Specific gravity of cement is
3.14 and w/c ratio is given by
mass.
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
Water in the hydrated
cement paste:
1. Capillary water:
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
Water in the hydrated cement paste:
2. Adsorbed water:
- Water that is close to the solid surface.
- Water can be physically held by hydrogen bonding.
- The bond between water and solids decreases with distance from the solid
surface.
- The majority of adsorbed water can be lost at 30% relative humidity.
- Water loss is responsible for shrinkage of the hydrated cement paste.
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
Water in the hydrated cement paste:
3. Interlayer water:
- Water related to the C-S-H structure.
- Strongly held by hydrogen bonding.
- Lost at 11% relative humidity (extreme drying).
- Causes shrinkage of the C-S-H structure.
MICROSTRUCTURE OF CONCRETE
Water in the hydrated cement paste:
4. Chemically combined water:
- It is an integral part of the
microstructure of several cement
products.
- It can not be lost upon drying.
THE EFFECT OF MICROSTRUCTURE ON PROPERTIES
- Properties of concrete depend on the properties of the hydrated cement
paste.
- The properties of the hydrated cement paste depend on its microstructure
(type, amount and distribution of solids and voids), as well as on proportions.
- Properties affected include strength, dimensional stability, and durability.
THE EFFECT OF MICROSTRUCTURE ON PROPERTIES
Strength:
- Strength is adversely
affected by capillary
porosity.
THE EFFECT OF MICROSTRUCTURE ON PROPERTIES
Dimensional stability:
- When the saturated cement paste is exposed to environmental conditions where relative
humidity RH is less than 100%, shrinkage occurs due to water loss.
- When RH drops below 100%, capillary water is lost because it’s not affected by attractive
forces to the solid part as mentioned earlier.
- The loss of capillary water does not cause considerable shrinkage.
- When RH drops further, adsorbed water is lost causing considerable shrinkage.
- Due to severe drying (very low RH), interlayer water is lost causing further shrinkage.
- Creep also is responsible for the movement of adsorbed water and water held in small
capillaries, which causes creep strain even when RH = 100%.
THE EFFECT OF MICROSTRUCTURE ON PROPERTIES
Dimensional stability:
THE EFFECT OF MICROSTRUCTURE ON PROPERTIES
Durability:
- Exposure to acidic water adversely
affects the hydrated cement paste.
- Impermeability affects the hydrated
cement’s durability.
- Impermeable hydrated cement paste
results in impermeable concrete,
since aggregates are also
impermeable.