Title: Environmental effects modelling in thermal analysis of large concrete castings

Authors: C. Majorana, G. Zavarise

Addresses: Istituto di Scienza e Tecnica delle Costruzioni, University of Padova, Via F. Marzolo 9,35131 Padova, Italy. ' Istituto di Scienza e Tecnica delle Costruzioni, University of Padova, Via F. Marzolo 9,35131 Padova, Italy

Abstract: Numerical analysis of thermal transients in large concrete castings, such as occur in dam constructions, is discussed in this paper. Thermal exchanges between concrete and the surrounding environment are taken into account thus emphasising the influence of ambient factors. Moreover, different placement techniques are considered together with various curing approaches. The main purpose of the analysis is to test the influence of such factors on the temperature increase due to the heat of hydration of the cement paste, and on the corresponding decrease of the volumetric expansion effects. The procedure herein developed can be incorporated in any general-purpose finite element or boundary element code for solving thermal problems. Time varying temperature fields can also be used to perform a mechanical analysis.

Keywords: concrete castings; environmental effects modelling; finite element analysis; FEA; numerical analysis; thermal analysis; environmental impact; temperature.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCAT.1993.062624

International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology, 1993 Vol.6 No.4, pp.187 - 201

Published online: 10 Jun 2014 *

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