Numerical Analysis of Flow and Segregation of Self-Consolidating Concrete During Casting of Reinforced Elements

It is well known that whether self-consolidating concrete (SCC) can be self-consolidated mainly depends on its flowability and segregation resistance. The shape and grading of coarse aggregate (CA) particles, as well as the arrangement of reinforcing bars, are two of the main factors influencing these properties. In this study, we developed a new meshless particle method that can reflect the influences of CA shape and rebar on concrete flow and segregation behavior during casting reinforced elements. Fresh concrete was represented by irregular CA particles and spherical mortar particles. CA particles were formed by small elementary particles (EP) to have their actual sizes and shape index. Then, the flow and segregation behaviors of two kinds of concrete in an L-shaped box with rebars were investigated experimentally and numerically, respectively. As a result, compared to the original double-phase & multi-particle (DPMP) method, the proposed numerical method improves the simulation accuracy by approximately 30% for flow behavior, and 20% for segregation behavior, respectively, during casting reinforced SCC using crushed stone as CA with poor shape, however, shows only a slight improvement when simulating the flow and segregation behaviors of SCC using artificial aggregate as CA with nearly spherical shape.