Multi-scale creep analysis of cement paste - Indentation prediction and time correspondence of mechanisms

In this study, long-term uniaxial compression creep experiments and indentation tests were performed on cement paste (CP) under four relative humidity (RH) to investigate creep's multi-scale prediction and mechanism. The long-term creep kinetics of CP were predicted by homogenization calculations at two scales. The time corre-spondence between uniaxial compression creep and indentation creep of CP was studied by the discrete retar-dation spectrum (DRS). The results show that the multi-scale prediction of creep was more accurate than those measured by microindentation. DRS of macroscopic creep experiment and indentation test show there are two short-term and one long-term creep mechanisms. The peak time of the first mechanism occurs at 1.3 d of macroscopic uniaxial experiment and 1 s of indentation test, while the second mechanism occurs at 14 d and 10 s. The third mechanism is entered after 62 d in the uniaxial compression experiment and 22 s in the indentation test.