LAUSR

Abstract A three-dimensional (3D) lattice type model was developed to simulate the concrete carbonation at the meso-scale. To construct the meso-scale concrete model, the 3D reconstruction technique was applied to obtain the shape of real coarse aggregates. Experimental data obtained from prior publications on cement paste, mortar, and concrete specimens were used to validate the developed lattice model of concrete carbonation. Based on a parametric study, it was then found that (1) the type and irregularity of the lattice network do not show obvious effects based on the simulation results of carbonation front, (2) a coarser lattice mesh will overestimate the carbonation process but the effect of the lattice mesh can be decreased by its refinement, (3) a two-dimensional (2D) simulation will underestimate the carbonation depth and the degree of underestimation increases as a function of the aggregate content, (4) the carbonation depth obtained from a 3D simulation can be 8–15% larger than that from a 2D simulation.