Article by Zhao Chen, postdoctoral researcher at Université Laval, titled « Understanding the Time-Dependent Behavior of Concrete: Insights from Statistical Nanoindentation.»
6 November 2024
 As part of an international collaboration led by Professor Luca Sorelli, in partnership with the Institute of Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, we are pleased to present the article by Zhao Chen, postdoctoral researcher at Université Laval, titled « Understanding the Time-Dependent Behavior of Concrete: Insights from Statistical Nanoindentation.» This article sheds new light on the time-dependent behavior of concrete, which remains poorly understood due to the complexity of cement microstructure. Using statistical nanoindentation, the study examines the effect of relative humidity (33% and 86%) on the relaxation of calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H) in cement paste. The results show that increased humidity significantly enhances the indentation modulus and hardness of C-S-H, with relaxation behavior following a power law. This analysis also reveals distinct short- and long-term viscoelastic behaviors, providing new insights into concrete creep in response to humidity.
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Read the article here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cement.2024.100120
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 Authors: Chen, Z., Frech-Baronet, J., Tran, H., Sorelli, L.
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 The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support provided by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for this research.