Numerical Prediction Model for Temperature Distributions in Concrete at Early Ages

A finite element-finite difference numerical model is developed for predicting non-uniform temperature development in hydrating concrete with respect to time and space. The results obtained from this model can be used by structural and construction engineers to predict critical thermal stresses induced due to differential temperatures between the core and the surface of the concrete at early ages and between the zero-stress temperatures and the minimum equilibrating ambient temperatures that the concrete experiences during its service life. The prediction of zero-stress temperatures also enables to quantify the extent of builtin curl developed in concrete structures. The finite element is used to space discretization while the finite difference is used to obtain transient solutions of the model. The numerical formulations are then programmed in Matlab. The numerical results were compared with experimental results found in literature and demonstrated very good agreement.