COMPLAS 2023

The Application of a Coupled Finite Element Model to Simulate Healing in a Range Of Autonomic and Enhanced Autogenic Self- Healing Systems

  • Jefferson, Anthony (Cardiff University)
  • Freeman, Brubeck (Cardiff University)

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The research described in this contribution considers the ability of a coupled finite element model to simulate cracking and healing behaviour in cementitious samples for a range of enhanced autogenic and autonomic healing systems. The work is an enhancement of a recent coupled 3D finite element model which was first developed for simulating vascular self-healing systems with cyanoacrylate as the healing agent1-4. The model employs a cohesive zone constitutive model for simulating the damage-healing behaviour of an embedded interface within 3D continuum elements. Fluid flow is simulated using a mass balance equation and Darcy’s law. Healing is computed via a generalised curing front model that simulates the accumulation of healed material within a crack. The research reported here demonstrates that the curing front model can be calibrated and applied to predict healing in vascular systems with sodium silicate as the healing agent, autogenous healing in a cementitious specimen with and without crystalline admixtures, as well as healing derived from Microbially Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation. A set of simulations are presented that demonstrate the ability of the model to simulate the mechanical and transport behaviour observed in experiments for all these self-healing systems with good accuracy. REFERENCES [1] Freeman, B. L., Bonilla-Villalba, P., Mihai, I., Alnaas, W. and Jefferson, A. 2020. A specialised finite element for simulating self-healing quasi-brittle materials. Advanced Modeling and Simulation in Engineering Sciences 7, article number: 32. [2] Freeman, B. L. and Jefferson, T. 2020. The simulation of transport processes in cementitious materials with embedded healing systems. International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics 44(2), pp. 293-326. [3] Jefferson, A. D. and Freeman, B. L. 2022. A crack-opening-dependent numerical model for self-healing cementitious materials. International Journal of Solids and Structures 244-24, article number: 111601. [4] Freeman B.L. and Jefferson A.D. 2023 A 3D coupled finite element model for simulating mechanical regain in self-healing cementitious materials, J Engng Mech. ASCE, Final review stage.