Estimation of air void and aggregate spatial distributions in concrete under uniaxial compression using computer tomography scanning

Normal- and high-strength concrete cylinders (designed compressive strengths of 30 and 90 MPa at 28 days) were loaded uniaxially. Computer tomography (CT) scanning technique was used to examine the evolution of air voids inside the specimens at various loading states up to 85% of the ultimate compressive strength. The normal-strength concrete yielded a very different behaviour in changes of internal microstructure as compared to the high-strength concrete. There were significant instances of nucleation and growth in air voids in the normal-strength concrete specimen, while the increase in air voids in the high-strength concrete specimen was insignificant. In addition, CT images were used for mapping the aggregate spatial distributions within the specimens. No intrinsic anisotropy was detected from the fabric analysis.