Why should we simulate the

hardening process ?
Example of Temperature Calculations in
• In order to predict the risk of early-age cracking
4C-Temp (ver. 2.10) ƒ during the development of heat of hydration
ƒ during cooling after stripping of formwork
• To avoid early-age cracking by minimizing the
temperature gradients through planning
•
• To know the development of maturity and thereby the
A computational tool to predict the
hardening process of concrete structures strength development
• • To plan the duration of curing

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Computational Example

PROJECT EDITOR (PE):

• Define geometry of cross-section • Massive wall cast on hardened foundation
• Define thermal boundary conditions • Hydration generates heat within the wall
• Define material properties • Plane geometry assumed, thus, no flow of heat
perpendicular to the cross-section
• Perform calculations
• View results in Result Viewer
• First the geometry is drawn in the Project Editor

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 PE GEOMETRY:
• Wall modeled as • Hardening concrete PROJECT EDITOR (PE):
rectangle wall cast at t = 24 h
• Define geometry of cross-section
• Foundation • Line of symmetry
modeled as polygon • Define thermal boundary conditions
• Cast joint
• Grid size chosen • Define material properties
to 1 m • Previously cast foun-
dation (fully hardened) • Perform calculations
• View results in Result Viewer

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Thermal Boundary Conditions

THERMAL BOUNDARY
CONDITIONS:
• Wall is insulated by formwork (board) which is kept in place
for 7 days • Ambient T = 25°C (77°F) and
no wind
• Ambient temperature is assumed constantly equal to 25°C
(77°F) - varying temperature exposure is an option • No heat flux through line of
• Heat flows to the ambient environment through the formwork symmetry
due to convection • 19 mm form board
• The influence of ambient wind is omitted • Free surfaces on foundation
• Internal cooling pipes and heating wires may be added, but • Soil interface kept constantly at
this is omitted in the example 10°C (50°F)

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COEFFICIENT OF TRANS-
MITTANCE:
• Governs the heat flux to the PROJECT EDITOR (PE):
ambient environment
• Define geometry of cross-section
• Coefficient decreases with the
• Define thermal boundary conditions
degree of insulation
• Define material properties
• Coefficient increases with
ambient wind speed • Perform calculations
Form board kept
in place from 24 h • View results in Result Viewer
to 192 h

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The Heat of Hydration

THERMAL MATERIAL
PROPERTIES FOR CONCRETE:
• Several different concretes may
be defined in database by the user • is determined experimentally by means of calorimetry
• Constant thermal conductivity • develops over a week under laboratory conditions
• Constant specific heat • normally amounts to a final value of 2-400 kJ per kg cement,
• Heat of hydration from adiabatic depending on cement type and mix
testing
• is modeled analytically by a 3-parameter exponential
• Mechanical properties not neces-
expression as a function of maturity The maturity concept of
sary for temperature calculations
equivalent age is applied

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 PROJECT EDITOR (PE):
• Define geometry of cross-section
• Define thermal boundary conditions
These parameters
• Define material properties do not influence
• Perform calculations the temperature
calculations
• View results in Result Viewer

Only the parameters in the middle of the window

need to be chosen for a temperature calculation.
Especially the process time.
The mesh parameters define the fineness of the
4C-Temp Concrete 4C-Temp element mesh. Concrete
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The Result Viewer

PROJECT EDITOR (PE):

• Define geometry of cross-section • shows the element mesh
• presents the calculation results
• Define thermal boundary conditions
in terms of
• Define material properties
ƒ isocurves for temperature
• Perform calculations
and maturity
• View results in Result Viewer
ƒ diagrams showing the time
dependency

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 TEMPERATURE vs. TIME:
ISOTHERMS SHOWN AFTER 120 HOURS:
56°C (133°F)
• Average cross-sectional temperatures
• The max. temperature difference in the wall is
Wall calculated for 3 weeks of hardening
predicted to be 15 to 17°C (28°F) between the Central T =
• Formwork removed after 1 week central part and the surface. 66°C (151°F)
• Initial T = 20°C (68°F) • This difference should be kept below 20°C
(36°F) as a rule of thumb in order to avoid early-
• Ambient temperature Surface T =
age cracking.
50°C (122°F)

45°C (113°F)
Foundation 17°C (63°F) 28°C (82°F)

10°C (50°F)

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End of Presentation

•
For more information please ask for a product sheet
on 4C-Temp&Stress
•
Further information is found on
www.germann.org and www.teknologisk.com/concrete-tools
•

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