Modelling elasticity of a hydrating cement paste

Concrete is a complex multi-scale composite involving multi-physics processes. As it is the only evolving component of concrete, the cement paste has a major influence on the mechanical properties of concrete at early age. This paper focuses on the increase of the elastic properties of a cement paste during its hydration. The homogenization theory for disordered media is used in order to estimate the evolution of the effective elastic moduli of the hydrating paste. The morphological model refers to two types of C-S-H (calcium silicate hydrates, main hydration products of Portland cements) distinguished by many authors: inner products or high density C-S-H build up layers surrounding the anhydrous particles, while the outer products or low density C-S-H play the role of a porous matrix. The simulations of the effective Young's modulus at late age during hydration and at the end of hydration prove to be in excellent agreement with the experimental results available in the literature. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.