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Durability 1

Concrete structures can deteriorate due to chemical reactions or corrosion of steel reinforcement. Chemical reactions include leaching, sulfate attack, alkali-silica reaction, and alkali-carbonate reaction. Physical damage includes frost attack, fire damage, and thermal cycles. Corrosion is an electrochemical process that can cause cracking and spalling. Proper mix design, reducing cracking, adequate cover and curing can increase concrete durability.

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19 views

Durability 1

Concrete structures can deteriorate due to chemical reactions or corrosion of steel reinforcement. Chemical reactions include leaching, sulfate attack, alkali-silica reaction, and alkali-carbonate reaction. Physical damage includes frost attack, fire damage, and thermal cycles. Corrosion is an electrochemical process that can cause cracking and spalling. Proper mix design, reducing cracking, adequate cover and curing can increase concrete durability.

Uploaded by

Dhaarini Sri
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Durability of Concrete Structures

Damage of Concrete

Concrete structures can be damaged as a


result of:

• Deterioration of concrete due to chemical


reactions or physical phenomena within the
material.

• Corrosion of the steel reinforcement.


Deterioration due to Chemical Reactions
• Leaching due to exposure to soft (acidic) water
• Calcium hydroxide is dissolved and reacts with
carbon dioxide to be deposited as (white) calcium
carbonate within the concrete and on the surface.
• Sulphate attack
• Sulphates react with the calcium hydroxide to form
gypsum. The gypsum reacts with the hydrated
compounds to form ettringite. This results in
expansion and cracking of the concrete.
• In addition, attack by magnesium sulphate is more
damaging since the magnesium hydroxide that is
formed in the reaction with the C-S-H replaces the
Ca2+ ions with Mg2+, which destroys the cementing
effect.
Reactions in Suphate Attack

(Type II ≤ 7% C3A; Type V ≤ 5% C3A)

Expansion after
exposure in sulphate
solution for one year

Young et al.
Deterioration due to Chemical Reactions
• Alkali-silica reaction
• Hydroxides of sodium and potassium present in the
cement can react with fine-grained porous silica
aggregates. The product is a silicate gel that absorbs
water and expands. When all the pores are filled,
further expansion causes cracking. Dehydration of
the gel leaves open cracks.
• When the silica has high surface area (as in silica
fume) or the concentration of alkalis is low, non-
swelling gels are formed and there is no damage.
• Alkali-carbonate reaction
• Dolomitic limestone (CaCO3.MgCO3) aggregates can
react with alkalis resulting in the loss of bond
strength and microcracking.
Alkali-Silica Reactions

Potentially reactive forms of silica

Young et al.
Deterioration due to Chemical Reactions
The entry of aggressive chemicals into concrete depends on:
• Permeability (ease with which water can flow into and
through concrete)
• Governed by the volume and size of capillary pores
• Low w/c and extended curing lowers permeability
• Addition of a mineral admixture also decreases the
permeability due to more C-S-H formation (and a
discontinuous pore structure)
• Diffusion of ions and gases through the empty pores and
the pore solution in saturated pores
• w/c and curing are again of primary importance
• Cracking
• Facilitates the entry of water and other aggressive
substances
Deterioration due to Physical Effects
• Frost (Freeze-Thaw) Attack

• Fire Damage
• Heat penetrates concrete slowly so inner layers are
not much affected.

• Thermal Cycles

• Shrinkage Stresses
Frost Attack (Freeze-Thaw Cycles)
• When the temperature of concrete drops to below 0°C, the
water does not all freeze immediately.

• Water in smaller pores will need a lower temperature to


freeze (e.g., water in 10 nm pores will not freeze until
-5°C, and pores of 3.5 nm will not freeze until -20°C; gel
water will not freeze until -78°C).

• As the water freezes, it dilates and compresses the


remaining water. The pressure is relieved if the water
diffuses to open voids. If no voids are available near
enough, the pressure may build up and cause rupture.

• In air-entrained concrete, the bubbles relieve the pressure


and prevent damage from occurring. Instead of dilation,
there is contraction on freezing.
Frost Attack (Freeze-Thaw Cycles)

Mehta and Monteiro


Corrosion: An Electrochemical Process
• Corrosion involves the formation of a cathode and an
anode, with electric current flowing in a loop between the
two.
• In the anode, iron atoms are oxidized to Fe2+ ions, which
dissolve in the surrounding solution. At a distance, cathodic
reactions occur with the consumption of electrons and the
formation of OH- ions.
• For the cathodic reaction to occur moisture must be present
and there should be supply of oxygen.
• The ions formed at the cathode and anode migrate through
the aqueous solution present in the pores of the surrounding
concrete.
Corrosion
Chemical reactions
and charge
movements

Parameters
controlling the
corrosion rate
- resistivity and
diffusivity of O2

Young et al.
Effect of Corrosion

• The Fe2+ and OH- ions in the pore solution interact


near the anode to produce iron oxide (rust).

• The corrosion of the steel in the concrete results in:


• Expansion created by the rust, which can
lead to cracking and spalling of the concrete.
(Rust has a volume that is two to six times
that of the steel.)
• Reduction of the cross-section of the steel
bar.
Corrosion Protection
• In general, the high pH of concrete is sufficient to maintain
the steel in a passivated state. This leads to the
spontaneous formation of a stable protective iron oxide film
around the steel. Corrosion occurs only when these
conditions are changed and pH drops.
• Depassivation of the concrete can occur when:
• The calcium hydroxide has been carbonated by the
penetration of CO2 into the concrete (and the pH
becomes lower than 11).
• Chloride ions are present in the concrete (more than
0.2-0.4%), even though the pH is high.
• Moisture and oxygen are necessary for corrosion to be
sustained. Porous concrete and cracks permit the ingress of
water and oxygen, and promote corrosion.
Increasing the Durability of Concrete

• Proper mix design

• Reduction of cracking

• Optimum cover thickness

• Adequate compaction and curing

• Quality of construction

• Correct maintenance
Durability Imposed Requirements

Young et al.
References
• Cement and Concrete, M.S.J. Gani, Chapman & Hall,
London, 1997
• Concrete, S. Mindess and J.F. Young, Prentice-Hall,
USA, 1981
• Properties of Concrete, A.M. Neville, Pearson Education,
Delhi, 2004
• The Science and Technology of Civil Engineering
Materials, J.F. Young, S. Mindess, R.J. Gray and
A. Bentur, Prentice Hall, 1998
• Concrete: Microstructure, properties and materials,
P.K. Mehta and P.J.M. Monteiro, Indian Concrete
Institute, Chennai, 1999

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