The goal of this project is to evaluate and predict degradation and durability of shotcrete in cold region using accelerated conditioning and fracture tests and damage mechanics models. The objectives of the proposed study are four-fold: (1) To conduct a combined accelerated freeze/thaw (F/T) conditioning, nano-CT and cohesive fracture tests to characterize the long term performance of shotcrete (Task A); (2) To evaluate damage accumulation in shotcrete due to low temperature and F/T cycling using phenomenological-based damage mechanics models and understand the failure mechanisms and potential for long-term deterioration of shotcrete (Task B); (3) In collaboration with the WSDOT and AKDOT&PF, to correlate and validate the prediction models with the field data and establish the baseline criteria for long term performance (Task C), and (4) To develop recommendations for test methods on long term performance characterization of shotcrete in cold regions and provide guidelines for DOTs to evaluate shotcrete performance and safety in the cold regions (Task D).
