Nonlinear Kinetics Model of Concrete Damage Due to Delayed Ettringite Formation

Abstract

Delayed ettringite formation (DEF) in concrete is a deleterious process characterized by the expansion and cracking of concrete. Recent research has shown that concrete expansion occurs in three consecutive stages and can be fit into a nonlinear model (Feuze, Livingston, & Amde, 2019). This paper used data from tests conducted previously by the University of Maryland on concrete prisms with varying potassium contents, types of fine aggregates, and exposure conditions. Test results were fit into a nonlinear model developed by Feuze et al. (2019). The model, referred to in this research as “The Nonlinear Kinetics Model”, is a four-parameter model that conveys the time dependence of the expansion of concrete due to DEF. Results have shown the nonlinear kinetics model previously developed and tested by Feuze et al. (2019) in one set of conditions, can be applied to more DEF experiments with a variety of other conditions. Thus, the model parameters can provide a framework for comparing the effects of various factors that influence DEF.