Prediction of cement paste elastic properties via computational homogenization using digital microstructures (Q6882999)

This paper is devoted to the homogenization of cement paste. Microstructure models obtained both by simulating hydration processes and using microtomography data are considered. A three-phase microstructure model based on the Mori-Tanaka approximation scheme is proposed. Note that Mori-Tanaka scheme was formulated with the assumption that dilute dispersion is a single inclusion in an infinite matrix medium. To evaluate the accuracy of the proposed model, computational homogenization based on the fast Fourier transform is performed. It is argued that the accuracy of the three-phase model is quite satisfactory for the problems under consideration. The proposed method allows one to determine local stresses due to the microstructure. The symmetry type of the obtained effective elastic tensors is investigated.