A free-boundary problem for concrete carbonation: front nucleation and rigorous justification of the \(\sqrt{{t}}\)-law of propagation (Q384170): Difference between revisions

Summary: We study a one-dimensional free-boundary problem describing the penetration of carbonation fronts (free reaction-triggered interfaces) in concrete. Using suitable integral estimates for the free boundary and involved concentrations, we reach a twofold aim: (1) We fill a fundamental gap by justifying rigorously the experimentally guessed \(\sqrt{t}\) asymptotic behavior. Previously we obtained the upper bound \(s(t)\leqslant C^{\prime}\sqrt{t}\) for some constant \(C^{\prime}\); now we show the optimality of the rate by proving the right nontrivial lower estimate, i.e. there exists \(C^{\prime\prime}>0\) such that \(s(t)\geqslant C^{\prime\prime}\sqrt{t}\). (2) We obtain weak solutions to the free-boundary problem for the case when the measure of the initial domain vanishes. In this way, we allow for the \textit{nucleation of the moving carbonation front} - a scenario that until now was open from the mathematical analysis point of view.