Hydration heat generation and dissipation in diaphragm walls

Abstract

This study focuses on the complex dynamics of heat dissipation within diaphragm walls during concrete hydration, crucial in construction engineering. Experimental measurements from three sites in Poland, featuring diaphragm walls of varying thicknesses, ranging from 1 to 1.5 meters, were compared to a numerical model. The model, using a Finite Difference Method, incorporated stages of execution of adjacent panels and their thermal influence. The results closely mirrored the measured temperatures, validating the accuracy of its predictions. Despite minor discrepancies, mostly within ±3°C, the method effectively approximated real-life scenarios. Suggestions for model enhancements include incorporating the effect of concrete admixtures and refining the modeling of sequential panel execution. The thermal soil parameters, their possible range, and their impact on hydration heat dissipation in deep foundations emerged as crucial insights. This research serves as a foundation for deeper investigations into early-age behavior in deep foundations, aiming to extend the analysis to stress and strain domains to unravel characteristic cracking patterns observed in diaphragm walls.