EMERGING TREND IN THE MEASUREMENT OF MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CEMENTITIOUS MATERIALS AT NANOSCALE AND COMPUTATIONAL CHALLENGES

Multiscale model used to predict the elastic modulus of cementitious material requires accurate prediction of elastic moduli and volume fractions of its nano-sized constituents. Both of these quantities may be conveniently determined by statistically analyzing the load-displacement data acquired from nanoindentation experiment. However, method based on elastic punch theory does not take proper shape of the indenter and material surface deflection into account and thus yield inaccurate results. On the other hand, analysis of loading curve using elastoplasticity has prospect of becoming the viable alternative for cementitious materials provided the factors affecting the indenter constants are fully understood. Energy based parameters can be meaningfully employed in the existing method so as to enhance their capability of analysing nanoindentation data.