Numerical simulation of three-dimensional crack features and chloride ion transport in unsaturated and damaged mortar

Both damage and unsaturated conditions accelerate the transport of erosive media inside concrete. However, their combined effects have not been fully investigated. A multiscale mortar model using representative volume elements is developed, capturing the number and distribution in each phase. Afterwards, mortar damage microstructure evolution is simulated in the tensile process. Finally, the unsaturated mortar transport is predicted and analysed. The results indicate that damage significantly affects the diffusion process in the early stage, while the transport performance is weakened due to the obstruction of the nontransport phase in the later stage. The higher the saturation and the more connected pores, the faster the diffusion rate of chloride ions. Chloride ions spread around the cracks in a tree-like manner along. The model can very well predict the chloride ion transport performance of unsaturated and damaged mortar.