Fractal Study on the Evolution of Micro-Pores in Concrete Under Freeze-Thaw

Abstract

After exposure to freeze-thaw cycles, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were used to test the four mixtures. The microstructure is qualitatively analyzed from the 2D SEM image and the 3D pore distribution curve before and after freezing and thawing. The fractal dimension is utilized to characterize the two-dimensional topography image and the three-dimensional pore distribution, quantitatively. The results reveal that the surface porosity and volume porosity increase as the freeze-thaw action increases. Self-similarity characteristics exist in micro-damage inside the concrete. In the fractal dimension, it is possible to characterize pore evolution quantitatively. The fractal dimension correlates with pore damage evolution. The fractal dimension effectively quantitatively characterizes micro-damage features at various scales from the local to the global level.

Keywords

fractal dimension / freeze-thaw cycle / concrete / SEM / NMR

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