Atomic-Scale Computational Modeling Of Cement And Concrete

Cement-based materials, often thought of as rather pedestrian and typically associated with low tech, are truly exceptionally complex composites in their chemical and structural make up. The chemical and structural distribution in these composites presents randomness from the nanometer to the millimeter scale. They are multisized, multimineral, multiphase materials that evolve substantially over time: quickly during the initial curing and then more slowly as they are exposed to weathering conditions and mechanical stresses. As a result, compared with other engineering materials, such as metals or ceramics, they are more difficult to describe and characterize comprehensively.