The Effect of Differential Mineral Shrinkage on Crack Formation and Network Geometry

Jeremy E. Trageser, Chven A. Mitchell, Reese E. Jones, Edward N. Matteo, Jessica M. Rimsza, and Laura J. Pyrak-Nolte

1.      Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

2.      Purdue University, West Layfette, Indiana, USA

Abstract:"

Development of low-carbon building materials based on ordinary Portland cement (OPC) will require the incorporation of additional materials that have lower carbon footprints than the OPC binders, including soil, clay, and biochar. The incorporation of these materials alter the properties of the resulting cement mix, including the drying and shrinkage properties that can influence cracking. Here, the incorporation of clay into geo-architected cement samples was evaluated for its role on crack formation, growth, and coalescence. The amount of clay shrinkage during drying relative to cement shrinkage during hydration controlled the formation of microcracks driven by debonding at the clay-cement interface, even when the clay was evenly distributed throughout the cement matrix. Therefore, differential shrinkage between multiple phases in cement-composites need to be considered when developing stable cement formulation with the incorporation of additional matrix materials.

Ref: Trageser, Jeremy E., Chven A. Mitchell, Reese E. Jones, Edward N. Matteo, Jessica M. Rimsza, and Laura J. Pyrak-Nolte. "The effect of differential mineral shrinkage on crack formation and network geometry." Scientific Reports 12, no. 1 (2022): 22264.

Publications and Presentations

  1. C.M. Sahana, Prabhath Ranjan Kumar Soda, Ashutosh Dwivedi, Sandeep Kumar, Abhishek Kumar, Aakanksha Pundir, Anjaneya Dixit, Souradeep Gupta. “3D printing with stabilized earth: Material development and effect of carbon sequestration on engineering performance”, Cement and Concrete Composites, Volume 152, 2024, 105653

  2. Moore, J., Akula, P., Ray, S., Bastola, A., Noell, P. J., & Rimsza, J. (2024). Carbon sequestration into lime-stabilized soils: Engineering and mineralogical characterization. Journal of Cleaner Production, 144613 1/25

    B/PR: Sandia National Laboratories “International Collaboration Investigates Low-Carbon Cement Technologies” https://energy.sandia.gov/international-collaboration-investigates-low-carbon-cement-technologies/  04/23

  3. Bastola, A., Tuinukuafe, A.A., Rimsza, J.M., and Akula, P. “Development of Low-Carbon Building Products Using CO2 Sequestered into Chemically Stabilized Soils” The 47th International Technical Conference on Clean Energy, Clearwater, FL USA 7/23

  4. Bastola, A., Tuinukuafe, A.A., Akula, P., Rimsza, J.M. “Development of Low-Carbon Building Products Using CO2 Sequestered into Chemically Stabilized Soils” GeoEnvironMeet 2024, Portland, OR