Quantifying Anisotropic Properties of Old–New Concrete Interfaces Using X-Ray Computed Tomography and Homogenization
The interface between old and new concrete is a critical component in many construction practices, including concrete pavements, bridge decks, hydraulic dams, and buildings undergoing rehabilitation. Despite various treatments to enhance bonding, this interface often remains a weak layer that compro...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Infrastructures |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2412-3811/10/1/20 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832588342564225024 |
|---|---|
| author | Guanming Zhang Yang Lu |
| author_facet | Guanming Zhang Yang Lu |
| author_sort | Guanming Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The interface between old and new concrete is a critical component in many construction practices, including concrete pavements, bridge decks, hydraulic dams, and buildings undergoing rehabilitation. Despite various treatments to enhance bonding, this interface often remains a weak layer that compromises overall structural performance. Traditional design methods typically oversimplify the interface as a homogeneous or empirically adjusted factor, resulting in significant uncertainties. This paper introduces a novel framework for quantifying the anisotropic properties of old–new concrete interfaces using X-ray computed tomography (CT) and finite element-based numerical homogenization. The elastic coefficient matrix reveals that specimens away from the interface exhibit higher values in both normal and shear directions, with normal direction values averaging 33.15% higher and shear direction values 39.96% higher than those at the interface. A total of 10 sampling units along the interface were collected and analyzed to identify the “weakest vectors” in normal and shear directions. The “weakest vectors” at the interface show consistent orientations with an average cosine similarity of 0.62, compared with an average cosine similarity of 0.23 at the non-interface, which demonstrates directional features. Conversely, the result of average cosine similarity at the interface shows randomness that originates from the anisotropy of materials. The average angle between normal and shear stresses was found to be 88.64°, indicating a predominantly orthogonal relationship, though local stress distributions introduced slight deviations. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the anisotropic properties of old–new concrete interfaces to improve design and rehabilitation practices in concrete and structural engineering. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5504b5ea54114895b99197699711ddc1 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2412-3811 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Infrastructures |
| spelling | doaj-art-5504b5ea54114895b99197699711ddc12025-01-24T13:35:25ZengMDPI AGInfrastructures2412-38112025-01-011012010.3390/infrastructures10010020Quantifying Anisotropic Properties of Old–New Concrete Interfaces Using X-Ray Computed Tomography and HomogenizationGuanming Zhang0Yang Lu1Department of Civil Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83706, USADepartment of Civil Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83706, USAThe interface between old and new concrete is a critical component in many construction practices, including concrete pavements, bridge decks, hydraulic dams, and buildings undergoing rehabilitation. Despite various treatments to enhance bonding, this interface often remains a weak layer that compromises overall structural performance. Traditional design methods typically oversimplify the interface as a homogeneous or empirically adjusted factor, resulting in significant uncertainties. This paper introduces a novel framework for quantifying the anisotropic properties of old–new concrete interfaces using X-ray computed tomography (CT) and finite element-based numerical homogenization. The elastic coefficient matrix reveals that specimens away from the interface exhibit higher values in both normal and shear directions, with normal direction values averaging 33.15% higher and shear direction values 39.96% higher than those at the interface. A total of 10 sampling units along the interface were collected and analyzed to identify the “weakest vectors” in normal and shear directions. The “weakest vectors” at the interface show consistent orientations with an average cosine similarity of 0.62, compared with an average cosine similarity of 0.23 at the non-interface, which demonstrates directional features. Conversely, the result of average cosine similarity at the interface shows randomness that originates from the anisotropy of materials. The average angle between normal and shear stresses was found to be 88.64°, indicating a predominantly orthogonal relationship, though local stress distributions introduced slight deviations. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the anisotropic properties of old–new concrete interfaces to improve design and rehabilitation practices in concrete and structural engineering.https://www.mdpi.com/2412-3811/10/1/20concrete interfaceanisotropic propertiesX-ray computed tomographyfinite element-based numerical homogenizationmechanical weakness |
| spellingShingle | Guanming Zhang Yang Lu Quantifying Anisotropic Properties of Old–New Concrete Interfaces Using X-Ray Computed Tomography and Homogenization Infrastructures concrete interface anisotropic properties X-ray computed tomography finite element-based numerical homogenization mechanical weakness |
| title | Quantifying Anisotropic Properties of Old–New Concrete Interfaces Using X-Ray Computed Tomography and Homogenization |
| title_full | Quantifying Anisotropic Properties of Old–New Concrete Interfaces Using X-Ray Computed Tomography and Homogenization |
| title_fullStr | Quantifying Anisotropic Properties of Old–New Concrete Interfaces Using X-Ray Computed Tomography and Homogenization |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quantifying Anisotropic Properties of Old–New Concrete Interfaces Using X-Ray Computed Tomography and Homogenization |
| title_short | Quantifying Anisotropic Properties of Old–New Concrete Interfaces Using X-Ray Computed Tomography and Homogenization |
| title_sort | quantifying anisotropic properties of old new concrete interfaces using x ray computed tomography and homogenization |
| topic | concrete interface anisotropic properties X-ray computed tomography finite element-based numerical homogenization mechanical weakness |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2412-3811/10/1/20 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT guanmingzhang quantifyinganisotropicpropertiesofoldnewconcreteinterfacesusingxraycomputedtomographyandhomogenization AT yanglu quantifyinganisotropicpropertiesofoldnewconcreteinterfacesusingxraycomputedtomographyandhomogenization |