An Initial Study of Ultra High Performance Concrete as Reusable Mold Material for Aluminum Casting.

The initial investigation evaluates the feasibility of ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) as a material for reusable molds in aluminum casting. Two specific UHPC formulations were investigated: one based on ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and another utilizing alkali-activated materials (AAM). The study focused on investigating the surface through roughness measurements and the thermal durability through repeated casting cycles.

Fluorescence microscopic investigation of PCE superplasticiser adsorption in calcined clay blended cement.

Global efforts to minimise carbon dioxide emissions are also leading to attempts to use calcined clays (CC) as a partial substitute for cement in concrete. While the hydration mechanism of such CC blended cements is now well understood, the range of effective admixtures like polycarboxylate ethers (PCE) is limited. There are PCE types that promise relatively high effectiveness, but the mechanisms of action are not yet sufficiently understood.

Investigations on lightweight concrete by in situ compression tests using high-resolution computed tomography (μ-CT).

The fracture behaviour of concrete is studied in various micro- and macro-damage models. This is important for estimating serviceability and stability of concrete structures. However, a detailed understanding of the material behaviour under load is often not available.

Prediction Model Based on DoE and FTIR Data to Control Fast Setting and Early Shrinkage of Alkaline-Activated Slag/Silica Fume Blended Cementitious Material.

This study aims to develop a material-saving performance prediction model for fast-hardening alkali-activated slag/silica fume blended pastes. The hydration process in the early stage and the microstructural properties after 24 h were analyzed using design of experiments (DoE). The experimental results show that the curing time and the FTIR wavenumber of the Si-O-T (T = Al, Si) bond in the band range of 900-1000 cm after 24 h can be predicted accurately.

Potential of Fe-Mn-Al-Ni Shape Memory Alloys for Internal Prestressing of Ultra-High Performance Concrete.

Prestressing of concrete is a commonly used technique in civil engineering to achieve long spans, reduced structural thicknesses, and resource savings. However, in terms of application, complex tensioning devices are necessary, and prestress losses due to shrinkage and creep of the concrete are unfavourable in terms of sustainability. In this work, a prestressing method using novel Fe-Mn-Al-Ni shape memory alloy rebars as a tensioning system in UHPC is investigated.