Cement, the most widely used construction material
is very brittle and characterized by low tensile strength and strain
capacity. Macro to nano fibers are added to cement to provide
tensile strength and ductility to it. Carbon Nanotube (CNT), one of
the nanofibers, has proven to be a promising reinforcing material in
the cement composites because of its outstanding mechanical
properties and its ability to close cracks at the nano level. The
experimental investigations for CNT reinforced cement is costly,
time consuming and involves huge number of trials. Mathematical
modeling of CNT reinforced cement can be done effectively and
efficiently to arrive at the mechanical properties and to reduce the
number of trials in the experiments. Hence, an attempt is made to
numerically study the effective mechanical properties of CNT
reinforced cement numerically using Representative Volume
Element (RVE) method. The enhancement in its mechanical
properties for different percentage of CNTs is studied in detail.
[1] S. Iijima, "Helical microtubules of graphitic carbon", Nature, vol.
354, pp. 56-58, 1991
[2] Y. J. Liu, X. L. Chen, "Evaluations of the effective material properties
of carbon nanotube based composites using a nanoscale representative
volume element", Mechanics of materials, Vol. 35, Issue 1-2, pp. 69 -
81, 2003
[3] L. Y. Chan, B. Andrawes, "Characterization of the uncertainties in the
constitutive behavior of carbon nanotube/cement composites",
Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, vol. 10, 045007,
2009
[4] L. Y. Chan, B. Andrawes, "Finite element analysis of carbon
nanotube/cement composite with degraded bond strength",
Computational Materials Science, vol. 47, Issue 4, pp. 994-1004,
2010
[5] U. A. Joshi, P. Joshi, S. P. Harsha, S. C. Sharma, "Evaluation of the
Mechanical Properties of Carbon Nanotube Based Composites by
Finite Element Analysis", International Journal of Engineering
Science and Technology, vol. 2, Issue 5, pp. 1098 - 1107, 2010
[6] H. Ghasemzadeh, E. A. Jalalabad, E. A., "Computing the compressive
strength of CNT/cement composite", International Journal of Civil
Engineering, vol. 9, Issue 3, pp. 223 - 229, 2011
[7] M. F. Yu, O. Lourie, M. J. Dyer, K. Moloni, T. F. Kelly, R. S. Ruoff,
"Strength and breaking mechanism of multiwalled carbon nanotubes
under tensile loading", Science, vol. 287, Issue 5453, pp. 637-640,
2000
[8] B. Jalalahmadi, R. Naghdabadi, "Finite Element Modeling of single -
walled carbon nanotubes with introducing a new wall thickness",
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 61, Issue 1, pp. 497- 502, 2007
[9] B. S. Sindu, Saptarshi Sasmal and Smitha Gopinath, "Carbon
Nanotubes - Structure, Properties and Modelling Aspects",
Proceedings of International Conference on Structural and Civil
Engineering 2012, doi : 02.SCE.2012.02.510
[10] W. Chen, M. L. Auad, R. J. J. Williams, and S. R. Nutt, "Improving
the dispersion and flexural strength of multiwalled carbon nanotubes -
stiff epoxy composites through β-hydroxyester surface
functionalization coupled with the anionic homopolymerization of the
epoxy matrix." European Polymer Journal, vol. 42, Issue 10, pp.
2765-2772, 2006
[11] C. Grunlan, L. Liu, and O. Regev, "Weak polyelectrolyte control of
carbon nanotube dispersion in water." Journal of Colloid and
Interface Science, vol. 317, Issue 1, pp. 346-349, 2008
[12] X. L. Xie, Y. W. Mai and X. P. Zhou, "Dispersion and alignment of
carbon nanotubes in polymer matrix: A review." Materials Science
and Engineering, vol. 49, Issue 4, pp. 89-112, 2005
[13] Cwirzen, K. Habermehl-Cwizren, and V. Penttala, "Surface
decoration of carbon nanotubes and mechanical properties of
cement/carbon nanotube composites", Advances in cement research,
vol. 20, Issue 2, pp. 65 - 73, 2008
[14] Y. Wang, Z. Iqbal, and S. Mitra, "Rapidly functionalized, water
dispersed carbon nanotubes at high concentration", Journal of the
American Chemical Society, vol. 128, Issue 1, pp. 95-99, 2006
[15] G. Y. Li, P. M. Wang, X. Zhao, "Mechanical behavior and
microstructure of cement composites incorporating surface-treated
multi-walled carbon nanotubes", Carbon, vol. 33, Issue 6, pp. 1239 -
1245, 2005
[16] X.L. Chen, Y.J. Liu, "Square representative volume elements for
evaluating the effective material properties of carbon nanotube-based
composites", Computational Materials Science, vol. 29, pp.1-11,
2004
[17] T. H. Kuo, H. H. Pan and G. J. Weng, "Micromechanics-based
predictions on the overall stress-strain relations of cement-matrix
composites", Journal of Engineering Mechanics, vol. 134, Issue 12,
pp. 1045-1052, 2008
[1] S. Iijima, "Helical microtubules of graphitic carbon", Nature, vol.
354, pp. 56-58, 1991
[2] Y. J. Liu, X. L. Chen, "Evaluations of the effective material properties
of carbon nanotube based composites using a nanoscale representative
volume element", Mechanics of materials, Vol. 35, Issue 1-2, pp. 69 -
81, 2003
[3] L. Y. Chan, B. Andrawes, "Characterization of the uncertainties in the
constitutive behavior of carbon nanotube/cement composites",
Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, vol. 10, 045007,
2009
[4] L. Y. Chan, B. Andrawes, "Finite element analysis of carbon
nanotube/cement composite with degraded bond strength",
Computational Materials Science, vol. 47, Issue 4, pp. 994-1004,
2010
[5] U. A. Joshi, P. Joshi, S. P. Harsha, S. C. Sharma, "Evaluation of the
Mechanical Properties of Carbon Nanotube Based Composites by
Finite Element Analysis", International Journal of Engineering
Science and Technology, vol. 2, Issue 5, pp. 1098 - 1107, 2010
[6] H. Ghasemzadeh, E. A. Jalalabad, E. A., "Computing the compressive
strength of CNT/cement composite", International Journal of Civil
Engineering, vol. 9, Issue 3, pp. 223 - 229, 2011
[7] M. F. Yu, O. Lourie, M. J. Dyer, K. Moloni, T. F. Kelly, R. S. Ruoff,
"Strength and breaking mechanism of multiwalled carbon nanotubes
under tensile loading", Science, vol. 287, Issue 5453, pp. 637-640,
2000
[8] B. Jalalahmadi, R. Naghdabadi, "Finite Element Modeling of single -
walled carbon nanotubes with introducing a new wall thickness",
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 61, Issue 1, pp. 497- 502, 2007
[9] B. S. Sindu, Saptarshi Sasmal and Smitha Gopinath, "Carbon
Nanotubes - Structure, Properties and Modelling Aspects",
Proceedings of International Conference on Structural and Civil
Engineering 2012, doi : 02.SCE.2012.02.510
[10] W. Chen, M. L. Auad, R. J. J. Williams, and S. R. Nutt, "Improving
the dispersion and flexural strength of multiwalled carbon nanotubes -
stiff epoxy composites through β-hydroxyester surface
functionalization coupled with the anionic homopolymerization of the
epoxy matrix." European Polymer Journal, vol. 42, Issue 10, pp.
2765-2772, 2006
[11] C. Grunlan, L. Liu, and O. Regev, "Weak polyelectrolyte control of
carbon nanotube dispersion in water." Journal of Colloid and
Interface Science, vol. 317, Issue 1, pp. 346-349, 2008
[12] X. L. Xie, Y. W. Mai and X. P. Zhou, "Dispersion and alignment of
carbon nanotubes in polymer matrix: A review." Materials Science
and Engineering, vol. 49, Issue 4, pp. 89-112, 2005
[13] Cwirzen, K. Habermehl-Cwizren, and V. Penttala, "Surface
decoration of carbon nanotubes and mechanical properties of
cement/carbon nanotube composites", Advances in cement research,
vol. 20, Issue 2, pp. 65 - 73, 2008
[14] Y. Wang, Z. Iqbal, and S. Mitra, "Rapidly functionalized, water
dispersed carbon nanotubes at high concentration", Journal of the
American Chemical Society, vol. 128, Issue 1, pp. 95-99, 2006
[15] G. Y. Li, P. M. Wang, X. Zhao, "Mechanical behavior and
microstructure of cement composites incorporating surface-treated
multi-walled carbon nanotubes", Carbon, vol. 33, Issue 6, pp. 1239 -
1245, 2005
[16] X.L. Chen, Y.J. Liu, "Square representative volume elements for
evaluating the effective material properties of carbon nanotube-based
composites", Computational Materials Science, vol. 29, pp.1-11,
2004
[17] T. H. Kuo, H. H. Pan and G. J. Weng, "Micromechanics-based
predictions on the overall stress-strain relations of cement-matrix
composites", Journal of Engineering Mechanics, vol. 134, Issue 12,
pp. 1045-1052, 2008
@article{"International Journal of Architectural, Civil and Construction Sciences:59197", author = "B. S. Sindu and Saptarshi Sasmal and Smitha Gopinath", title = "Numerical Simulation of CNT Incorporated Cement", abstract = "Cement, the most widely used construction material
is very brittle and characterized by low tensile strength and strain
capacity. Macro to nano fibers are added to cement to provide
tensile strength and ductility to it. Carbon Nanotube (CNT), one of
the nanofibers, has proven to be a promising reinforcing material in
the cement composites because of its outstanding mechanical
properties and its ability to close cracks at the nano level. The
experimental investigations for CNT reinforced cement is costly,
time consuming and involves huge number of trials. Mathematical
modeling of CNT reinforced cement can be done effectively and
efficiently to arrive at the mechanical properties and to reduce the
number of trials in the experiments. Hence, an attempt is made to
numerically study the effective mechanical properties of CNT
reinforced cement numerically using Representative Volume
Element (RVE) method. The enhancement in its mechanical
properties for different percentage of CNTs is studied in detail.", keywords = "Carbon Nanotubes, Cement composites,
Representative Volume Element, Numerical simulation", volume = "6", number = "8", pages = "656-6", }
