Irreversible desiccation shrinkage of cement paste caused by cement grain dissolution and hydrate precipitation

When cementitious materials are dried, internal stresses are generated that lead to desiccation shrinkage, a portion of which is irreversible. Previous research has indicated that, while a cementitious composite is subjected to a state of stress, dissolution of cement grains and precipitation of hydrates can yield irreversible creep strains, and it is hypothesized that the same process can lead to irreversible shrinkage during drying. To evaluate this hypothesis, a computationally implemented model integrating a microstructural evolution model with a finite element calculation routine was utilized. This computationally implemented model is capable of predicting the magnitude of shrinkage deformation of cement paste during drying conditions as a result of cement grain dissolution and hydrate precipitation. From the simulation results, the mechanism of cement grain dissolution and hydrate precipitation can lead to significant shrinkage behavior of cement paste, and it is also a potential mechanism resulting in the irreversible component of desiccation shrinkage at early ages (e.g., while the hydration rate is significant). The predicted irreversible shrinkage decreases with the age at which drying is initiated as a result of the decreasing hydration reaction rate.