Experimental Insights into Concrete Flow-Regimes Subject to Shear-Induced Particle Migration (SIPM) during Pumping

In this paper, the authors have focused on shear-induced particle migration (SIPM), its effect on concrete flow patterns, and lubricating layer formation during pumping. For this purpose, various volume-fractions ϕ of aggregates were selected. The particle migration was analyzed by applying two methods: sampling hardened concrete exposed to pumping and performing X-ray microcomputed tomography (μCT) and image analysis to determine the thickness of the lubricating layer due to SIPM. The results indicate that the first approach is unsuitable due to the nearly equal molecular density of particles and matrix. The second approach indicated that the actual thickness of the lubricating layer depends on the discharge rate as well as on ϕ and viscosity of concrete bulk; hence, it cannot be defined as a constant parameter for all concrete mixtures. Additionally, the concrete pipe-flow pattern, i.e., plug versus shear flow, was captured and studied while considering pumping pressure and discharge rate. It was concluded that particle migration is essential in the cases of both flowable and very flowable concretes with a high volume-fraction of solids. The changes in rheological properties caused by SIPM are severe enough to influence the definition of the flow pattern as plug or shear and the discharge rate of pumped concrete as well.