Characterization and modelling of a carbon ramming mix used in high-temperature industry

This paper is devoted to the modelling of a specific ramming mix mainly used in the high-temperature industry due to its high-compacting behaviour. This material has the ability to absorb the deformation of parts submitted to high thermal loads. Triaxial and instrumented die compaction tests were carried out in order to identify the shear and hardening behaviours, respectively. Tests on the ramming mix were led for a temperature range between 20 °C and 80 °C. The temperature effect is particularly observed on the material response when it is compacted. The main features of the behaviour of the ramming mix can be represented by the theoretical framework of the Modified Cam-Clay model. A single variable allows to accurately reproduce the hardening behaviour depending on the temperature. Moreover, an extension of the model for the hardening behaviour at high pressures is proposed. A good agreement between the experimental data and numerical tests is reached with this model.