Microstructure of Concrete

MICROSTRUCTURE OF
CONCRETE
13-10-2020
Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur
1 By
Dr S. V. Deo
Associate professor
Civil Engg Deptt. NIT, Raipur
OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION
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 Microstructure of concrete
 Importance

 Complexities
 Conclusions
2
DEFINITION
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 Microstructure: The type,
amount, size, shape and

distribution of phases present in
concrete constitute its
microstructure.
 Macrostructure: It is gross
microstructure visible to human
eye.
3
SIGNIFICANCE
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 Even after years of use of concrete in
the field, the microstructure of

concrete is heterogenous and highly
complex.
 This makes concrete less reliable
than steel in RCC
 Understanding of microstructure
would be helpful in improving
engineering properties and reliability
of concrete
4
COMPLEXITIES
 At macroscopic level concrete may be
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considered as two phase system
Ist Phase: Cement paste

IInd phase: Aggregates
 At microscopic level, the two phases of
microstructure are neither
homogeneously distributed with respect
to each other nor they are themselves
homogenous.
5
CONCRETE CROSS-SECTION
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CP CA
dominated dominated
FA CA
dominated dominated
6
13-10-2020
 Some areas cement paste appears to be
dense, in comparison to others

 Some areas coarse aggregates are dominant
in comparison to others
 Some areas fine aggregates are dominant in
comparison to others
 W/C may also be varying (not possible to
judge from photograph)
 Formation of hydration product may also
vary as per curing condition (not possible to
judge from photograph) 7
 A continuous crack is seen in the rectangle.
This is connected with ITZ
13-10-2020
 Capillary voids may vary in the section
 In modeling behavior of concrete,

inhomogeneous distribution of solid and
voids can not be ignored
 The microstructure of hydrated cement
paste in the vicinity of large aggregates is
different than bulk cement paste or mortar
 Many aspects of concrete behavior can be
explained only when cement paste and
aggregate interface is treated as a third
phase 8
13-10-2020 Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur
9
CONCRETE
 General definition: Concrete is a
13-10-2020
mixture of cement, water,
aggregates, and in some cases,

admixtures.
 Advanced definition: Concrete is a
heterogeneous material and consists
of separate phases like hydrated
cement paste, transition zone and
aggregates.
10
CONCRETE AS THREE PHASE SYSTEM (MEHTA & MONTEIRO)
13-10-2020
10
11
10µ to 50 µ
MICROSTRUCTURE
13-10-2020
 Phase I: Interfacial transition zone is 10µ
to 50µ thick region around large

aggregates. ITZ is weaker than rest of
the two zones.
 Phase II: Bulk hydrated cement paste
depends on various parameters like W/C,
cement content, curing etc.
 Phase III: Aggregates depends on parent
rock, weathering, composition etc.
 Due to these zones predictability of
concrete is lesser. 12
BULK CEMENT PHASE
 Strength of concrete also depends on
13-10-2020
quality of solid hydration products
 Quality of hydration products depend

on W/C, type of binding material,
curing etc
 Small crystals of C-S-H, calcium
sulphoaluminate hydrates and
hexagonal calcium aluminate hydrates
possess enormous surface area and
adhesive capability
 They adhere strongly to each other 13
and fine and course aggregates

14
DURABILITY OF CONCRETE
15
(MEHTA & MONTEIRO)
AGGREGATE PHASE
13-10-2020
 Itis responsible for unit weight, elastic
modulus and dimensional stability of

concrete
 Better bulk density and strength of
aggregates improve the performance of
concrete up to certain extent
 The larger the size of aggregate in
concrete and higher the proportion of
elongated and flat particles, greater will
be the tendency for water film to
accumulate next to aggregate, thus 16
weakening the ITZ

INTERFACIAL TRANSITION ZONE
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 Bulk cement paste and aggregate
phase are solid phases with small

voids and cracks. Hence both these
phases are not considered detrimental
to strength
 ITZ is the weakest link in the three
phase system, hence may be the
deciding factor for strength and
durability of concrete
17
13-10-2020
 Information about the ITZ is scares, due
to experimental difficulties

 Some understanding of its
microstructural characteristics can be
obtained by following the sequence of its
development from fresh to hardened
state of concrete
 In freshly compacted concrete, water film
forms around the large aggregate
particles. This would account for higher
W/C closer to large aggregates than away 18
from it
13-10-2020
 In the next stage calcium, sulphate, hydroxyl
and aluminate ions, produced by the
dissolution of calcium sulphate and calcium

aluminate compounds combine to form
ettringite and calcium hydroxide. Due to high
W/C, these crystalline products in the vicinity
of coarse aggregate consists of relatively
larger crystals and therefore form a more
porous framework than in the bulk cement
paste
 The plate like calcium hydroxide crystals
tend to form in oriented layers perpendicular 19
to the aggregate surface
13-10-2020
 Finally with proper curing, poorly crystalline
C-S-H and second generation of smaller
crystals of ettringite and calcium hydroxide

start filling the empty space that exist
between the framework created by the large
ettringite and crystals.
 Addition of pozzolanic admixtures consumes
calcium hydroxide and forms low density
C-S-H gel
 Proper curing and addition of mineral
admixtures help to improve the density and 20
hence the strength of the ITZ
CONCRETE AS THREE PHASE SYSTEM (MEHTA & MONTEIRO)
13-10-2020
10
21
10µ to 50 µ
FACTORS AFFECTING ITZ
13-10-2020
 Water cement ratio:
1. lower the W/C stronger is ITZ

2. Lower capillary voids
3. Better hydration product
4. Higher viscosity of the mix hence
lower bleeding and segregation
5. Possibility of higher binding and finer
material
22
13-10-2020
 Cement content :
1. Higher cement content increases the

viscosity of concrete improving ITZ
2. Increases the presence of fine
binding particles in concrete
 Degree of consolidation of concrete :
1. Reduces voids and improves ITZ

(over consolidation and bleeding
must be avoided)
23
13-10-2020
 Quality of curing :
1. Quality of binding material affects the

ITZ
2. Better curing converts low surface
area binders to high surface area
binders improving ITZ
3. Better curing also reduces cracks
 Presence of microcracks :
1. Increase stress concentration and

deteriorates ITZ 24
13-10-2020
 Addition of pozzolanic materials :
1. Converts low surface area calcium

hydroxide to high surface area C-S-H
get
2. Reduce cracking due to lower heat of
hydration
3. Reduce ITZ due to better particle
packing
4. Improve ITZ due to better
compaction and reduced bleeding 25
13-10-2020
 Aggregate size :
1. Under similar conditions larger the size of

aggregates thicker is the water film below
aggregate, this deteriorates ITZ
2. Lower maximum aggregate size increases
the cement content, requiring better curing
 Grading of aggregates :
1. Better grading may reduce voids and

cement requirement reducing cracks and
improving ITZ
2. Better grading reduces bleeding of concrete 26
improving ITZ
 Environmental humidity :
1. Higher humidity increases the effectiveness
13-10-2020
of curing at site
a) Reducing cracks

b) Improving quality of hydration product
c) Finally improving ITZ
 Temperature :
1. Lower temperature during curing period

increases the effectiveness of curing at site
a) Reducing cracks
b) Improving quality of hydration product
c) Finally improving ITZ 27

INFLUENCE OF ITZ ON STRENGTH AND
13-10-2020
 ITZ is weakest phase in concrete
reducing strength and durability of

concrete
 At stress levels higher than 70% of
the ultimate strength, cracks from
mortar spread and join cracks
originating from ITZ
 When the crack system becomes
continuous, concrete ruptures
28
STEPS TO IMPROVE ITZ
13-10-2020
 Use lowest possible W/C
 Use pozzolanic materials

 Use well graded aggregates
 Use lower sized aggregates over

higher sized aggregates
 Cure concrete properly at least for 14
to 28 days
29
CONCLUSION
13-10-2020
 Good concrete always perform
better under all conditions.

 For improvement of quality of
concrete most important step is
to improve ITZ.
 Improvement is ITZ will lead to
better strength and durability pf
concrete
30
31
Thank you for
your interest

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MICROSTRUCTURE OF

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

and fine and course aggregates

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

weakening the ITZ

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

1. Reduces voids and improves ITZ

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

1. Increase stress concentration and

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

1. Better grading may reduce voids and

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

c) Finally improving ITZ

1. Lower temperature during curing period

b) Improving quality of hydration product

c) Finally improving ITZ 27

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

 Use lower sized aggregates over

Civil Engineering Department, NIT Raipur

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