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<p>High-Performance Sand Concrete (HPSC) is an innovative material composed mainly of 60–80% sand, Portland cement and additives like silica fume (SF) and crushed limestone (CL). These additions notably improve the compressive strength and crack resistance of the material, making it a promising solution for regions rich in sand, like southern Algeria. The originality of this study lies in developing HPSC as a substitute for traditional concrete in sand-rich, arid environments, particularly for structural elements like columns, beams, and walls. Previous research has addressed sand-based concrete and the impact of additives like silica fume and crushed limestone. In contrast, this work achieves higher compressive strength, reaching 53–56&#xa0;MPa at 28&#xa0;days, placing HPSC in the C45/55 strength class. Advanced techniques such as Response Surface Methodology (RSM), Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and numerical modeling were used to optimize crack resistance and overall structural performance, marking a major advancement compared to existing studies. The mix design, compressive strength, and flexural strength of HPSC were evaluated using laboratory experiments and RSM with a Central Composite Design (CCD). The key parameters such as water-to-binder ratio (W/B), superplasticizer (SUP), sand content (S), and sand-to-gravel ratio (S/G) were tested. The highest experimental compressive strength obtained among the CCD mixtures reached 56&#xa0;MPa (Mixture HPSC17), whereas the RSM multi-objective optimization predicted a balanced mix with a compressive strength of approximately 30–32&#xa0;MPa, a flexural strength of 4.1&#xa0;MPa, and a slump of 11&#xa0;cm, with a strong statistical correlation (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.97, F = 38.85). This study also examined cracking behavior and showed that mixtures incorporating SF and CL generally displayed higher resistance to crack initiation and propagation. Numerical modeling using the Finite Element Method (FEM) and Extended Finite Element Method (X-FEM) confirmed the reliability of the experimental findings and showed that the fixed additions of 15% SF and 10% CL exhibited better mechanical performance and reduced crack propagation compared to the reference mix without SF and CL. These improvements should be interpreted as overall trends observed in the experimental comparisons and supported qualitatively by the numerical analysis, rather than as exact values predicted directly by the RSM or numerical models. Overall, the findings highlight the significant potential of HPSC as a reliable and durable material for demanding structural applications.</p>

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RSM-based mix optimization and FEM/X-FEM crack modeling of HPSC elements

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月27日

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  • Kheira Camellia Nehar,
  • Dalila Benamara,
  • Sharif Y. Gushgari

摘要

High-Performance Sand Concrete (HPSC) is an innovative material composed mainly of 60–80% sand, Portland cement and additives like silica fume (SF) and crushed limestone (CL). These additions notably improve the compressive strength and crack resistance of the material, making it a promising solution for regions rich in sand, like southern Algeria. The originality of this study lies in developing HPSC as a substitute for traditional concrete in sand-rich, arid environments, particularly for structural elements like columns, beams, and walls. Previous research has addressed sand-based concrete and the impact of additives like silica fume and crushed limestone. In contrast, this work achieves higher compressive strength, reaching 53–56 MPa at 28 days, placing HPSC in the C45/55 strength class. Advanced techniques such as Response Surface Methodology (RSM), Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and numerical modeling were used to optimize crack resistance and overall structural performance, marking a major advancement compared to existing studies. The mix design, compressive strength, and flexural strength of HPSC were evaluated using laboratory experiments and RSM with a Central Composite Design (CCD). The key parameters such as water-to-binder ratio (W/B), superplasticizer (SUP), sand content (S), and sand-to-gravel ratio (S/G) were tested. The highest experimental compressive strength obtained among the CCD mixtures reached 56 MPa (Mixture HPSC17), whereas the RSM multi-objective optimization predicted a balanced mix with a compressive strength of approximately 30–32 MPa, a flexural strength of 4.1 MPa, and a slump of 11 cm, with a strong statistical correlation (R2 = 0.97, F = 38.85). This study also examined cracking behavior and showed that mixtures incorporating SF and CL generally displayed higher resistance to crack initiation and propagation. Numerical modeling using the Finite Element Method (FEM) and Extended Finite Element Method (X-FEM) confirmed the reliability of the experimental findings and showed that the fixed additions of 15% SF and 10% CL exhibited better mechanical performance and reduced crack propagation compared to the reference mix without SF and CL. These improvements should be interpreted as overall trends observed in the experimental comparisons and supported qualitatively by the numerical analysis, rather than as exact values predicted directly by the RSM or numerical models. Overall, the findings highlight the significant potential of HPSC as a reliable and durable material for demanding structural applications.