Kinetic simulation of the logarithmic creep of cement

Many amorphous materials display a logarithmic creep behavior, driven by the rare occurrence of complex, hardly detectable, microscopic, structural rearrangements. Following recent developments in experimental techniques and modeling, we develop here a new approach based on transition state theory and on activation energies computed from molecular simulations of shear tests. Our results predict the logarithmic creep of an amorphous, model structure of cement at the molecular and meso- scales. We investigate the interplay of cooperative processes at the different length-scales and establish connections with creep phenomena in other materials. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.