Dear Colleagues,

The deterioration of concrete is a fundamental issue, and its complete understanding is, to date, an open task.

When subjected to increasing mechanical loads, this material initially develops distributed micro-cracks, some of which then, by coalescence, may lead to localized macro-cracks, while the rest of the micro-cracks unload. Its highly heterogeneous nature also plays a key role in the cracking process.

Over the past decades, several models have been proposed to describe these complex mechanisms, and many are currently under study. These include classical models based on the continuous approach, smeared and discrete cohesive crack models, and more recent techniques such as XFEM, phase field, etc. In addition, as mentioned above, since it is a highly heterogeneous material, multiscale models, such as micro- or meso-mechanical ones, have also been developed based on the physics of microstructures.

However, degradation is caused by mechanical as well as environmental loads, and the effect of the latter is crucial because of the interaction effects and the coupling of the properties of heat transport, humidity, and chemical agents with the mechanical response. Therefore, multiphysics models, including mechanical and creep/diffusion/transport equations, are needed for a proper understanding and evaluation of the potential degradation mechanisms that may affect concrete and act simultaneously.

Further, the addition of recycled materials, both as alternative binder or aggregates, increases the uncertainty of its response under mechanical and environmental loads, requiring proper experimental testing to calibrate and validate novel detailed and simplified models for reinforced concrete life cycle evaluation.

This Special Issue will gather contributions on all those and related topics, including experimental, theoretical, and numerical modeling of concrete degradation.

Dr. Giovanna Xotta
Dr. Flora Faleschini
Prof. Dr. Ignacio Carol
Guest Editor

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• concrete
• degradation
• modeling
• multiscale
• multiphysics
• recycled materials
• life cycle