Computational Analysis of Concrete Flow in a Reinforced Bored Pile Using the Porous Medium Approach

In this paper, the flow of concrete in a reinforced bored pile is analysed using computational simulations. In order to reduce the computational time, a porous medium that equally mimics the presence of the reinforcement is used. Experimental measurements are used as bounds on the material parameters describing the flow of fresh concrete. The influence of rheological properties of fresh concrete and the thickness of the porous medium that represents the reinforcements is analysed with a classical U-box simulation. Finally, casting of a bored pile is analysed using computational simulation implementing a porous medium representing the reinforcement cage. The concrete flow behavior and especially the filling of the concrete cover zone is analyzed for casting scenarios with different concretes varying in their rheological behavior. Simulations using the porous medium approach is 10x faster than simulations that explicitly model the reinforcements. Simulation results show that a good workability (low viscosity and low yield stress) of the initial batches of concrete must be maintained throughout pouring to avoid the risk of defect formation in the cover zone.