Experimental Investigation on a Novel Temperature-Controlled Phase Change Aggregate Concrete: Thermo-Mechanical Properties and Hydration Heat Control

Abstract

To reduce the structural deterioration of mass concrete structures from temperature cracks, and lower energy consumption caused by the traditional mass concrete hydration heat cooling process, this paper reports the preparation of concrete temperature-controlled phase change aggregate (PCA) by a vacuum compaction method using light and high-strength black ceramite and No. 58 fully refined paraffin wax as phase change material (PCM), and the encapsulation technology of the aggregate by using superfine cement and epoxy resin. Further, through laboratory tests, the cylinder compressive strength, thermal stability and mixing breakage rate of the encapsulated PCA were tested, and the differences in mechanical properties such as compressive strength, flexural strength and splitting tensile strength between phase change aggregate concrete (PCAC) and ordinary concrete were studied. A test method was designed to test the heat storage effect of PCA, and the temperature control effect of PCAC was analyzed based on the law of conservation of energy. The research conclusions are as follows: (1) Both superfine cement and epoxy resin shells increase the strength of the aggregate, with the epoxy resin increasing it more than the superfine cement. The thermal stabilization of the PCA is good after encapsulation of superfine cement and epoxy resin. However, PCA encapsulated in superfine cement is more easily crushed than that encapsulated in epoxy resin. (2) Under the condition of water bath heating and semi-insulation, when the water bath temperature reaches 85 °C, the temperature difference between the PCA and the common stone aggregate can be up to 6 °C. Based on the law of energy conservation, the test results will be converted to mass concrete with the same volume of aggregate mixture;, the difference of PCAC and ordinary concrete temperature can be up to 10 °C, so the temperature control effect is significant. (3) The mechanical properties of PCAC with 100% aggregate replacement rate compared to ordinary concrete are reduced to varying degrees, and the performance decline of the epoxy-encapsulated PCA is smaller than that encapsulated with superfine cement; in an actual project, it is possible to improve the concrete grade to make up for this defect.