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Durability Depends On

This document discusses factors that influence the durability and permeability of concrete, including quality of materials, curing, and water-to-cement ratio. It specifically examines sulfate attack as a common form of chemical degradation. Sulfate attack occurs through reactions that cause expansion and cracking as sulfates penetrate concrete. To control sulfate attack, the document recommends making dense, low permeability concrete using mineral admixtures or blended cements to reduce calcium hydroxide and control expansion reactions.

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Steven Kua
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43 views

Durability Depends On

This document discusses factors that influence the durability and permeability of concrete, including quality of materials, curing, and water-to-cement ratio. It specifically examines sulfate attack as a common form of chemical degradation. Sulfate attack occurs through reactions that cause expansion and cracking as sulfates penetrate concrete. To control sulfate attack, the document recommends making dense, low permeability concrete using mineral admixtures or blended cements to reduce calcium hydroxide and control expansion reactions.

Uploaded by

Steven Kua
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Durability

• Durability depends on
– concrete quality
– service environment
– design service life
• Premature failure
– ignorance in design
– poor specification
– poor workmanship
• Quality of concrete related to
– permeability
– strength
– type of cementitious material: OPC, SRC, blended
cements
Permeability of Concrete
• Depends on
– porosity
– pore size distribution – dominated by large capillary
pores
– continuity of pores
• W/C (w/cm) has the most significant influence on
permeability and durability
– w/c , porosity , permeability , strength 
• Lower w/c reduces capillary porosity, reduce penetration of
water and harmful substances
• Lower w/c increases strength, improve concrete resistance
to cracking from internal stresses
• Permeability is also reduced by
– use of mineral admixtures
– increase in the length of moist curing
Porosity
• Capillary pores – remnants of water filled space that exists
between the partially hydrated cement grains
• Gel pores – regarded as an intrinsic part of the C-S-H
• Capillary pore system is the interconnected network of
pores through which bulk water flow & ion diffusion
occur easily
Sulfate Attack
• Most widespread & common form of chemical attack
• Sulfates
– Natural origins: ground water, sea water
– Industrial sources: mine tailings

D. Hooton
Sulfate Attack
• Mechanism of sulfate attack
– Dissolved sulphate penetrate into concrete
– Gypsum corrosion

• Accompanied by an expansion in volume by~120%

– Sulfoaluminate corrosion

• Accompanied by 55% increase in solid volume


• Volume expansion may be  due to water absorption
when ettringite is in microcrystalline form
Sulfate Attack
• Consequence
– expansion
– cracking
– loss of strength due to the loss of cohesion in the
cement paste and its bond with aggregate
– damage usually starts at edges and corners followed by
progressive cracking and spalling which reduce the
concrete to a friable or even soft state
Control of Sulfate Attack
• Make dense concrete
– Reduce w/c
– Use mineral admixtures (SF,
GGBFS, Class F FA) or blended
cements
• Reduce Ca(OH)2
– Use mineral admixtures
• Minimise C3A content
– Use sulphate resistant cements (Verbeck 1969)

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