Computer Simulation of Paricle Packing in Cementitious Systems

Abstract

A 'realistic' structural computer simulation system, SPACE, has been developed to assess the characteristics of dense random packings of particles in opaque materials like concrete. This paper presents a short introduction to the system, thereby only dealing with the essential design features. Next, some applications to particle packing problems will be demonstrated, in which use is made of the simulation system. It will be shown that it can be a useful tool to support or even to evaluate experimental studies. But most of all, it will be shown that it can offer information on structural details that can not be obtained in another way, or only at the expense of considerably more effort. These structural details provide insight into complicated packing situations, such as at interfaces at the macro-, or micro-level. It was assessed that interface discontinuities in a particulate composite will extend much further into the interior of the material body than suggested by density or porosity measurements near such interfaces.