Currently, Nano-materials are gaining popularity in the building industry due to their high performance in terms of sustainability and smart functionality. In order to reduce cement production and CO2 emissions, nano-silica (NS) has been frequently utilized as a cement alternative and concrete addition. The influence of Nano-silica-containing hydrogels on the mechanical strength, electrical resistivity, and autogenous shrinkage of cement pastes was investigated. The goal of this study was to identify the main structure-property relationships of water-swollen polymer hydrogel particles used as internal curing agents in cementitious admixtures, as well as to report a unique synthesis process to combine pozzolanic materials with hydrogel particles and determine the replenishment of hydrogel void space. Experiments were designed to measure the absorption capacity and kinetics of hydrogel particles immersed in pure water and cementitious pore solution, as well as to precisely analyze the data derived from the tests using hybridized soft computing models such as Extreme learning machine (ELM) and Adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). The models were developed, and the findings were measured using regression indices (RMSE and R2). The findings indicated that combining nano-silica with polymeric hydrogel particles creates a favorable environment for the pozzolanic reaction to occur, and that nano-silica assists in the refilling of hydrogel void space with hydrated cement phases.
Keywords: ELM-ANFIS; concrete; hydrogel; nano-silica; void space.