Simulation on the self-compacting concrete by an enhanced Lagrangian particle method

Abstract

The industry has embraced self-compacting concrete (SCC) to overcome deficiencies related to consolidation, improve productivity, and enhance safety and quality. Due to the large deformation at the flowing process of SCC, an enhanced Lagrangian particle-based method, Smoothed Particles Hydrodynamics (SPH) method, though first developed to study astrophysics problems, with its exceptional advantages in solving problems involving fragmentation, coalescence, and violent free surface deformation, is developed in this study to simulate the flow of SCC as a non-Newtonian fluid to achieve stable results with satisfactory convergence properties. Navier-Stokes equations and incompressible mass conservation equations are solved as basics. Cross rheological model is used to simulate the shear stress and strain relationship of SCC. Mirror particle method is used for wall boundaries. The improved SPH method is tested by a typical 2D slump flow problem and also applied to L-box test. The capability and results obtained from this method are discussed.