In the present work, concrete affected by alkali-silica reaction (ASR) is represented as a two-phase material made of a solid skeleton and an expanding gel, which exerts a pressure capable of severely damaging concrete. As suggested by the experimental results, degradation due to ASR is considered to be localized around the reactive sites and it is described through an isotropic chemical damage variable. Another internal variable is introduced to describe the mechanical damage induced by the external loads. The chemical damage evolution depends on the reaction extent and it is calibrated using the value of the gel pressure, estimated by applying the electrical double-layer theory to the experimental values of the surface charge density obtained from ASR gel specimens. The model is then employed to simulate compression and flexure tests results reported in the literature.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.