Bridging molecular dynamics simulations and experimental results via peridynamics for multiscale analysis of geopolymer mechanicsShow others and affiliations
2026 (English)In: Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment, ISSN 2352-3808, Vol. 46, article id 100841
Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Geopolymers are promising sustainable materials for structural and geotechnical applications. However, their pronounced multiscale structural heterogeneity complicates the direct linkage between atomistic mechanisms and macroscopic mechanical performance. In this study, a hierarchical multiscale molecular dynamics (MD) —peridynamics (PD) framework is developed, in which PD serves as an intermediate bridge connecting MD simulations with experimental observations of geopolymer mechanics. This framework enables the transfer of material characteristics across scales and allows the effects of Si/Al ratio and porosity on mechanical behavior to be systematically evaluated. The simulations indicate that Young’s modulus decreases with increasing Si/Al ratio, while the maximum tensile strength is achieved at a Si/Al ratio of 2. Under zero-porosity conditions, the PD-predicted Young’s modulus closely matches the MD results, whereas in the presence of porosity, the PD predictions fall within the experimental range. These findings demonstrate that PD effectively extends the applicability of MD simulations to the mesoscale and provides a practical multiscale framework for the design and optimization of geopolymers.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier Ltd , 2026. Vol. 46, article id 100841
Keywords [en]
Molecular dynamics, Peridynamics, Multiscale modeling, Si/Al ratio, Porosity
National Category
Applied Mechanics
Research subject
Structural Engineering
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-117724DOI: 10.1016/j.gete.2026.100841Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105039003471OAI: oai:DiVA.org:ltu-117724DiVA, id: diva2:2064190
Note
For funding, see link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352380826000560?via%3Dihub#ack0005
2026-06-012026-06-012026-06-01Bibliographically approved