Numerical Model of Chloride Reactive Transport in Concrete—A Review

Abstract

The study reviews the theoretical models, numerical implementation and practical applications of chloride reactive transport in concrete. Thermodynamic modeling is capable of accurately predicting chloride binding behaviors across the entire concentration range. It also considers the impact of the pH variation in the pore solution. Thus, the reactive transport model, integrating thermodynamic calculations into transport equations, can provide a more comprehensive representation of chloride ingress in concrete. Furthermore, we discuss the effects of water transport and external stresses on chloride reactive transport. In addition to the well-known advection phenomenon, water transport has the ability to alter the effective transport pathway and influence chloride binding reactions. These three influences exhibit typical temporal and spatial characteristics. Capturing the temporal and spatial characteristics in chloride reactive transport model can be achieved by continuously updating the saturation degree and chloride diffusion coefficient at each finite element mesh node. The effect of stress on chloride reactive transport can be categorized into two scenarios based on the response of transport pathway to external loads: (1) high stress levels, which result in the formation of cracks in concrete, and (2) low stress levels, where concrete remains crack-free. Quantitating the influence of stress levels on the transport pathway is crucial for simulating chloride reactive transport.