Numerical simulation of the effect of curing temperature on the maximum strength of cement-based materials

Fig. 1 Effect of temperature on microstructural development - Schematic representation (after van Breugel (1991)).

For predicting the influence of temperature on strength development one should be able to quantify the effect of the curing temperature on the porosity or on the intensity of interparticle contact. The basic structure of a numerical model that is capable to quantify the temperature effects on microstructural development will be outlined in the next sections.