Experimental Study and Theoretical Modeling of Recycled Aggregate Concrete and Evaluation of Long-Term Performance of Reinforced Concrete Bridge Decks

Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation

Citations

Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/zw12z5638

Abstract

This dissertation covers two themes: one for experimental and theoretical studies of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) and the other for the performance evaluation of chemical sealers applied to reinforced concrete (RC) bridge decks.For the first theme, the research has found that a better mixing approach, better water to cement ratio, and more appropriate surface treatments can improve RAC's mechanical properties. We further checked its durability properties. Also, this research has developed a theoretical model for analyzing and predicting various properties of RACs such as bulk modulus, volume fraction, shear modulus, and shrinkage strain. One of the durability properties, drying shrinkage, was used to modify this multiscale and multiphase model. The second theme includes: (1) discovering the corrosion initiation time of the rebar embedded in RC bridge decks attacked by the chloride ions from deicers; (2) giving the rankings of four popular sealer products applied to RC bridge decks based on the results of long-term performance monitoring; and (3) deriving diffusion equation models in comparisons with field performance measurements and combining those with concrete composite damage model.

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