Title: Virtual Cement and Concrete Testing Laboratory for Quality Testing and Sustainability of Concrete

Author(s): J.W. Bullard, P.E. Stutzman, L.M. Ordoñez Belloc, E.J. Garboczi, and D.P. Bentz

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 266

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 27-36

Keywords: building technology; hydration; microstructure; strength; sustainability; virtual testing.

DOI: 10.14359/51663270

Date: 10/1/2009

Abstract:
The NIST-Industry Virtual Cement and Concrete Testing Laboratory (VCCTL) Consortium has developed an integrated software package for performing simulations of a number of engineering test measurements, including isothermal calorimetry, adiabatic temperature change, chemical shrinkage, elastic moduli, and compressive strength. In the last two years, the software interface has been redesigned to be easier to navigate, with online tutorials and documentation for easy reference. As a result, VCCTL is now ready to be integrated in industrial settings as a supplemental tool to accelerate research on mix designs and to streamline routine quality testing procedures. This paper will demonstrate the software interface, and two applications will be described to illustrate the utility of the software to help solve practical problems. In the first application, we address sustainability issues by investigating the replacement of coarse clinker particles with limestone and its effect on elastic moduli and compressive strength. In the second application, we illustrate VCCTL’s potential for screening the quality of incoming cement clinkers by providing rapid estimates of compressive strength development in mortar specimens.