Study on rheological model and characteristics of wet shotcrete

With the extensive use of manufactured sand and admixtures, it has been observed that as the shear rate increases, the shear rate–shear stress curve of some fresh wet shotcrete materials increasingly deviates from a linear correlation. It is necessary to study the rheological properties of wet shotcrete using a nonlinear model due to the large error when utilizing the Bingham model to describe the concrete. The torque-velocity curve of wet shotcrete was determined using an ICAR rheometer in this study. The experimental data was fitted using the Bingham model, Herschel-Bulkley (H-B) model, and modified Bingham (M-B) model, resulting in the determination of the associated rheological parameters. The M-B model exhibits the most optimal fitting effect, followed by the H-B model and the Bingham model. As the shear rate reaches a specific value, the M-B model consistently represents a higher degree of divergence from linearity compared to the H-B model. Furthermore, considering the limitations of the H-B model which includes varying dimension parameters, this study enhanced the calculation approach for determining the equivalent plastic viscosity based on Larrard et al.’s (Mat Struct 31:494–498, 1998) research. Ultimately, the impact of the mix parameters on the yield stress and plastic viscosity of the three rheological models was analyzed through the range approach. This study is beneficial for enhancing the comprehension of the rheological characteristics of wet shotcrete.

Graphical abstract