Hyeonggil Choi

Effective Crack Control of Concrete by Self-Healing of Cementitious Composites Using Synthetic Fiber

Although concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials, it is characterized by substantially low tensile strength in comparison to its compression strength, and the occurrence of cracks is unavoidable. In addition, cracks progress due to environmental conditions including damage by freezing, neutralization, and salt, etc. Moreover, detrimental damage can occur in concrete structures due to the permeation of deteriorating elements such as Cl− and CO2. Meanwhile, under an environment in which moisture is being supplied and if the width of the crack is small, a phenomenon of self-healing, in which a portion of the crack is filled in due to the rehydration of the cement particles and precipitation of CaCO3, is been confirmed. In this study, cracks in cementitious composite materials are effectively dispersed using synthetic fibers, and for cracks with a width of more than 0.1 mm, a review of the optimal self-healing conditions is conducted along with the review of a diverse range of self-healing performance factors. As a result, it was confirmed that the effective restoration of watertightness through the production of the majority of self-healing products was achieved by CaCO3 and the use of synthetic fibers with polarity, along with the effect of inducing a multiple number of hairline cracks. In addition, it was confirmed that the self-healing conditions of saturated Ca(OH)2 solution, which supplied CO2 micro-bubbles, displayed the most effective self-healing performance in the surface and internal sections of the cracks.

Effectiveness of Fiber Reinforcement on the Mechanical Properties and Shrinkage Cracking of Recycled Fine Aggregate Concrete

This paper presents an experimental study conducted to investigate the effect of fiber reinforcement on the mechanical properties and shrinkage cracking of recycled fine aggregate concrete (RFAC) with two types of fiber—polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and nylon. A small fiber volume fraction, such as 0.05% or 0.1%, in RFAC with polyvinyl alcohol or nylon fibers was used for optimum efficiency in minimum quantity. Additionally, to make a comparative evaluation of the mechanical properties and shrinkage cracking, we examined natural fine aggregate concrete as well. The test results revealed that the addition of fibers and fine aggregates plays an important role in improving the mechanical performance of the investigated concrete specimens as well as controlling their cracking behavior. The mechanical properties such as compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and flexural strength of fiber-reinforced RFAC were slightly better than those of non-fiber-reinforced RFAC. The shrinkage cracking behavior was examined using plat-ring-type and slab-type tests. The fiber-reinforced RFAC showed a greater reduction in the surface cracks than non-fiber-reinforced concrete. The addition of fibers at a small volume fraction in RFAC is more effective for drying shrinkage cracks than for improving mechanical performance.

A Fundamental Study on the Correlationship between Hydration Heat and Autogenous Shrinkage of High Strength Concrete at an Early Age

In this study, to analyze the correlation between hydration heat and autogenous shrinkage of high strength concrete at an early age, hydration heating velocity and autogenous shrinking velocity as quantitative coefficients which represent the main properties of hydration heat and autogenous shrinkage were proposed. Two coefficients were calculated by statistical analysis and were equal with the regression coefficient. The complemented semi-adiabatic temperature rise test as test method to evaluate the hydration heat and autogenous shrinkage of concrete were proposed. In results of proposed test and analysis method, it was possible that early age properties of hydration heat and autogenous shrinkage of concrete were expressed numerically, and autogenous shrinkage was represented by equation with coefficients of hydration heat.

Self-Healing Properties of Fiber-Reinforced Cement Composite (FRCC) Depending on Various Curing Conditions

In this study, the self-healing effect of a fiber-reinforced cement composite (FRCC) was examined using a drying-wetting test and an outdoor exposure test. The influence of various curing conditions on the self-healing effect of the FRCC was also investigated. The effect of self-healing was evaluated using a permeability coefficient and by investigating the cracks using a optical microscope. The results confirmed that the FRCC was capable of self-healing under a long wetting time and a low drying temperature. In addition, watertight performance by self-healing was shown to have a significant influence on wetting time. Meanwhile, this self-healing effect was enhanced by hydration as a result of rainfall when the FRCC was put under actual environmental conditions. Moreover, it was determined that cracking self-healing can be improved by using the appropriate admixture materials.

Suggestion for Non-Destructive Testing Equation to Estimate Compressive Strength of Early Strength Concrete

In construction field, it used various technique for concrete formwork. Part of them, non-destructive test has been conducted to estimate a compressive strength of concrete easily such as rebound method and ultrasonic pulse velocity method etc. Former research has recommend proposed equation based on experimental data to investigate strength of concrete but it was sometimes deferent actual value of that from in field because of the few of data in case of early strength concrete. In this study, an experiment was conducted to analyze strength properties for early strength concrete using cylinder mold and rectangular specimen. And compressive strength of concrete was tested by non-destructive test, and calculated by the equation proposed former research. As a result, the non-destructive test results showed approximately 70 percent of the failure test value for all conditions, and worse reliability was obtained for high strength concrete samples when the ultrasonic pulse velocity method was used. Based on the scope of this study, the experimental equation for estimating compressive strength of early strength concrete from 24MPa to 60MPa was proposed.

Estimation of Shrinkage Behavior and Stress of Expansive Concrete on Buildings

In this study, Based on the constructed model in advance, we suggested the macro prediction method of shrinkage cracking reduction in concrete using expansive additives, and the method was verified. In addition, extended application of model to building, the strain of walls and slabs on building was estimated by model and the generated stress was estimated thereby comparing this with the result by existing method to verify the model’s applicability and the validation of our model. From examination of theoretical model for concrete using expansive additives to examination for building levels, furthermore suggests the macro prediction method for shrinkage reduction and cracking control effects was can be supply practical data in application of expansive concrete and utility in the future.

Calculation of Constrained Stress in Expansive Mortar with a Composite Creep Model

The creep phenomenon of hardening cement paste mixed with an expansive additive was modeled by considering the creep performance of hydration products of cement and expansive additive. A new composite model that is appropriate for particle conditions is proposed by considering the balance of the hydration products of cement and expansive additive and the stress redistribution phenomenon of hydration products newly generated by the progress of hydration. The creep of mortar and concrete mixed with the expansive additive was evaluated using a composite model of the paste and aggregate. Under the assumption that the modeled creep deformation is proportional to the stress and the gel volume of the hydration products, which allows the law of superposition to be applied, the distribution stress was predicted by applying the step-by-step method at each time increment. By predicting the maximum tensile stress applied to an inner steel ring through a creep analysis based on the measured deformation of the inner steel ring, it is possible to predict the stress progression with age to some degree.

A Study on the Cracking Control Effects of Shrinkage Reduction Concrete

The aim of this study is to qualitatively evaluate the cracking control effects of expansive concrete used in reinforced concrete building. The result of experiments in laboratory shows that autogenous shrinkage and drying shrinkage are suppressed by using expansive additive. The tensile stress-strength ratio is lower in expansive concrete than normal concrete under fully restrained condition. Compression stress could be effectively generated in early age in the walls in buildings by the use of expansive additive, and tensile stress due to drying shrinkage at later age eventually decreased. Additionally, visual observation at long-term ages shows that the cracking area of expansive concrete was approximately 35% of normal concrete, which confirms that the use of expansive additive reduces concrete cracking in reinforced concrete buildings.