A multi-scale percolation-based approach for the prediction of elasticity of early-age cement paste

As an evolving component of concrete, cement paste plays an important role in the mechanical properties of concrete. Cement paste has a random, complex and multi-scale composite structure and has mechanical characteristics that undergo rapid changes at early ages. This paper focuses on the evolution of the elasticity (e.g. Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio) of cement paste during hydration. The cement hydration model CEMHYD3D was used to capture an accurate cement paste microstructure. This paper proposed a homogenisation method that combined the percolation algorithm with the intrinsic elastic properties of the individual phases of the cement paste. Model results are accordance with experimental data and other numerical results in the literature.