Experiment-based development of an engineering model to describe frost attack on future-oriented concretes

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Frank Dehn; Professor Dr.-Ing. Horst-Michael Ludwig
• Subject Area: Construction Material Sciences, Chemistry, Building Physics
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 505859222

Frost attack continues to be one of the most significant causes of damage to concrete structures. However, the descriptive design concept usually used to ensure sufficient frost resistance is increasingly reaching its limits. The use of new binders, as well as the change in climatic boundary conditions exceed the experience on which the descriptive concept is based. However, reliable, time-dependent descriptions of the damage progress are still missing for an alternative performance-based design for frost attack.Within the scope of this project, a time dependent and spatially resolved engineering model is to be developed, which will be the basis to predict frost-induced damage. In addition to classical mix designs, more innovative and sustainable concretes will be investigated in the frost test. The evaluation of frost deterioration will be expanded to include crack and porosity analyses in addition to established criteria. The test conditions shall vary in such a way that both a comparability between different test methods and a good transferability of the test results to practical conditions are achieved. The aim of this project is thus to enable a reliable service life assessment of frost-exposed concrete structures and in this way to ensure sufficient durability in the future.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants