TY - GEN
T1 - Reconstruction of Tricalcium Silicate Microstructures for Repeating Unit Cell Analysis
AU - Saseendran, Vishnu
AU - Yamamoto, Namiko
AU - Collins, Peter J.
AU - Radlińska, Aleksandra
AU - Pineda, Evan J.
AU - Bednarcyk, Brett A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA. All rights reserved.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - To realize large-scale habitats in extraterrestrial bodies, cement-like binders may be utilized along with in-situ materials such as lunar regolith. The hydration and morphology of cementitious systems formed in microgravity are not well understood. Previously, the size and morphology of a common cement binder was formed by hydration in the microgravity environment (10-6 or μg) aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Upon return to the ground, their micro-structures, including phase size and distribution, were visually inspected using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), in comparison with those of the samples hydrated on the ground in terrestrial gravity (1g). The sample hydrated in the μg environment showed larger porosity and larger calcium hydroxide (CH) crystals; air bubbles are trapped due to the lack of buoyancy, and CH crystals grew to fill in those pores. While the microstructures are well documented, their mechanical characterization has been a challenge due to size limitations and high porosity. Thus, in this study, such mechanical properties will be estimated using micromechanics-based modeling with the NASA Multiscale Analysis Tool (NASMAT). Micromechanics-based modeling requires 3D Repeating Unit Cell (RUCs) when used with highly porous samples. Representative 3D volumes for modeling are being constructed from the backscattered SEM images of the samples, available on NASA’s Physical Sciences Informatics database, using a deep learning-based sub-volume reconstruction. This reconstruction method successfully captured the unique microstructural development (phase composition and morphology) of high water-to-cement ratio tricalcium silicate (C3S) paste, which is the main mineral component of commercial Portland cement. The reconstructed volume was compared with a micro-CT scan of the samples. The reconstructed sub-volumes are then utilized as RUC in the NASMAT code. The workflow presented here can be applied to other multi-phase materials, beyond the space cement.
AB - To realize large-scale habitats in extraterrestrial bodies, cement-like binders may be utilized along with in-situ materials such as lunar regolith. The hydration and morphology of cementitious systems formed in microgravity are not well understood. Previously, the size and morphology of a common cement binder was formed by hydration in the microgravity environment (10-6 or μg) aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Upon return to the ground, their micro-structures, including phase size and distribution, were visually inspected using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), in comparison with those of the samples hydrated on the ground in terrestrial gravity (1g). The sample hydrated in the μg environment showed larger porosity and larger calcium hydroxide (CH) crystals; air bubbles are trapped due to the lack of buoyancy, and CH crystals grew to fill in those pores. While the microstructures are well documented, their mechanical characterization has been a challenge due to size limitations and high porosity. Thus, in this study, such mechanical properties will be estimated using micromechanics-based modeling with the NASA Multiscale Analysis Tool (NASMAT). Micromechanics-based modeling requires 3D Repeating Unit Cell (RUCs) when used with highly porous samples. Representative 3D volumes for modeling are being constructed from the backscattered SEM images of the samples, available on NASA’s Physical Sciences Informatics database, using a deep learning-based sub-volume reconstruction. This reconstruction method successfully captured the unique microstructural development (phase composition and morphology) of high water-to-cement ratio tricalcium silicate (C3S) paste, which is the main mineral component of commercial Portland cement. The reconstructed volume was compared with a micro-CT scan of the samples. The reconstructed sub-volumes are then utilized as RUC in the NASMAT code. The workflow presented here can be applied to other multi-phase materials, beyond the space cement.
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U2 - 10.2514/6.2023-2025
DO - 10.2514/6.2023-2025
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85193788702
SN - 9781624106996
T3 - AIAA SciTech Forum and Exposition, 2023
BT - AIAA SciTech Forum and Exposition, 2023
PB - American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA
T2 - AIAA SciTech Forum and Exposition, 2023
Y2 - 23 January 2023 through 27 January 2023
ER -