Modelo de elementos finitos para el análisis térmico de estructuras hormigonadas por etapas

Abstract

The temperature field inside a massive early aged concrete structure should be carefully studied and described, because the heat released during the hydration of the cement reaction can induce an unacceptable level of stresses. These stresses may lead to the concrete cracking and strength loss. The main objective of this paper is to propose a numerical method capable of evaluating the thermal state of concrete during the cement hydration reaction, and to be able to apply this methodology to the analysis of massive concrete structures. This simulation can be achieved by solving the differential heat equation using the Finite Element Method, adding a source term that represents the heat generation and, at the same time, setting a convection condition on the surfaces exposed to the air in order to study the variation in time of the environmental temperature. This model is properly validated by comparing with experimental results in concrete specimens, results from bibliography and numerical solutions obtained using commercial softwares.