UNIVERSITY OF ENGINEERING &

T E C H N O L O G Y, TA X I L A

PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE

LECTURE 06
Concrete Durability:
Concrete is considered as one of the most non-
homogeneous and demanding engineering material.
The durability of concrete is defined as the ability to
withstand damaging effects of environment without
deterioration for a certain period of time.
The durability of concrete involves resistance to
frost, corrosion, permeation, carbonation, chemical
attack, and so on.
Causes of Inadequate Durability
Concrete deterioration can be due to adverse
mechanical, physical, or chemical causes.
In fact, in terms of deterioration of concrete due
to physical or chemical causes, the mobility of
fluids or gases through the concrete are nearly
always involved.
The overall penetrability of a concrete structure,
especially when compounded by additional
environmental or exposure challenges, is the key to
its ultimate serviceability and durability.
Causes of Inadequate Durability
Low porosity / permeability /
penetrability of concrete to moisture and
gas is the first line of defense against:
acid attack, sulfate attack, corrosion of
steel reinforcements, carbonation, alkali-
aggregate reaction, and efflorescence
to name a few of the most prominent
concrete ailments.
Alkali Silica Reaction Damage in Bridge
Alkali-silica reaction
(ASR)
Internal Sulphate Attack
Damage to Precast Beams
Corrosion Damage to Highway Bridge Column
Alkali-silica reaction
(ASR)
 ALKALI SILICA REACTION (ASR)
A chemical reaction develops between the
reactive silica contained in the aggregates
and the alkalis (Na2O and K2O) within the
cement paste known as Alkali-Silica
Reaction.

ASR also known as “Concrete Cancer”

INTRODUCTION
In most concrete, aggregates are more or less chemically inert.
However, some aggregates react with the alkali hydroxides in
concrete, causing expansion and cracking over a period of many
years. This alkali-aggregate reaction has two forms—alkali-
silica reaction (ASR) and alkali-carbonate reaction (ACR).

ASR is the most common form of alkali-aggregate reaction

(AAR) in concrete.
How ASR takes place…..???
Alkali-silica reaction is one of the most recognized deleterious
phenomena in concrete.
Various types of silica present in aggregates react with the
hydroxyl ions present in the pore solution in concrete. The silica,
now in solution, reacts with the sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+)
alkalis to form a volumetrically unstable alkali silica gel.
Water absorbed by the gel can be water not used in the hydration
reaction of the cement, free water from rain, snowmelt, rivers, or
water condensed from air moisture .
ADVERSE EFFECTS OF ASR

The reaction is followed by expansion / swelling of

the aggregate particles due to the formation of
alkali-silicate gel that absorbs water and tends to
increase in volume. Since the gel is confined by the
cement paste, it builds up pressure causing
expansion, due to which multidirectional cracking
(map cracking) appears on surface of concrete.
In general, the reaction can be viewed as a two-step process
:
Step 1:

Silica + alkali alkali-silica gel (sodium silicate)

SiO2 + 2NaOH + H2O Na2SiO3.2H2O (2KOH
can replace 2NaOH)
Step 2
Gel reaction product + water expansion

Since the gel is restrained by the surrounding mortar,

an internal pressure is generated by the swelling. Once
that pressure is larger than the tensile strength of the
concrete, cracks occur leading to additional water
migration or absorption and additional gel swelling.
 Conditions required for
ASR…..
The conditions required for ASR to occur are:

A sufficiently high alkali content of the cement (or alkali

from other sources)
A reactive aggregate, such as chert
Water - ASR will not occur if there is no available water
in the concrete, since alkali-silica gel formation requires
water.
SYMPTOMS OF ASR
√ Visual examination of those concrete structures
that are affected will generally show :-

map or pattern cracking

a general appearance that indicates that the
concrete is swelling.
Alkali Silica Gel Fracturing Aggregate And Paste
ASR MITIGATION
MEASURES…….
ASR MITIGATION MEASURES
Preventing deleterious expansions caused by the alkali-
silica reaction can be achieved by
1. Limiting moisture
2. Selecting Non-Reactive Aggregates
3. Minimizing Alkalis
4. Mineral Admixtures
5. Chemical Admixtures
6. Air Entrainment
 1. Limiting moisture:
 The alkali-silica reaction will not take place in a concrete
structure if the internal relative humidity of the concrete is
lower than 80%.
As a result, keeping the concrete dry will prevent the
reaction from occurring. However, this is practically
impossible for exterior structures.
Lowering the permeability of concrete by reducing the
water-cement ratio reduces the internal moisture and delays
the reaction. However, a low water-cement ratio results in a
higher cement content, higher alkali content, and a reduced
pore space which could lead to higher expansions .
1. Limiting moisture:
Lowering the permeability of concrete using
mineral admixtures is a more viable approach
to reduce the deleterious effects of ASR.
Applying a protective coating to concrete is a
good solution provided that the coating is
correctly installed. Because of the high cost of
concrete coatings, this method has been used
on a limited basis.
2. Selecting Non-Reactive Aggregates:
Using a non-reactive aggregate in concrete and
avoiding reactive aggregates will prevent ASR
damage. This demands an accurate testing
correctly predicting the ASR reactivity of
aggregates.
Such tests exist but need more refining and
improvements . This is not economical in some
regions where all locally available aggregates
are considered reactive.
 3. Minimizing Alkalis:
 The most commonly used mitigation method is to
control the alkali content in the concrete.
 Cement is the major source of alkali in the concrete.
Alkalis are also provided, in smaller amounts, from fly
ash, mixing water, chemical admixtures, aggregates, and
external sources such as seawater.
 Controlling the alkali content of the cement has been
proved to decrease the expansions caused by ASR. A
proposed limit of 0.60% has been recommended for the
alkali content of cement to be used in concrete to reduce
ASR expansions.
 4. Mineral Admixtures:
Ever since the alkali-silica reaction was discovered, researchers
have reported on the effectiveness of mineral admixtures in
reducing its deleterious effects on concrete.
Effective mineral admixtures include fly ash, silica fume, ground
granulated slag, and calcined clay reduce ASR expansions by
one or more of the following mechanisms:

1. Reducing the alkali content of the concrete mix.

2. Reducing the pH of the concrete pore solution.
3. Consuming the calcium hydroxide, which might result in
lower swelling.
4. Reducing concrete permeability.
 How is ASR
Detected…???
 ASR test…..
The concrete microbar test was proposed by Grattan-Bellew et
al. (2003) as a universal accelerated test for alkali-aggregate
reaction.
The Portland Cement Association recommends analyzing
the aggregate according to ASTM C 295, "Standard Guide
for Petrographic Examination of Aggregates for Concrete

Petrographic examinations provide for the identification,

mineral content, geological characteristics and systematic
description of rocks and other materials.
 If the aggregate contains more than the following quantities
of any of these reactive minerals, it is considered potentially
reactive:
Optically strained, microfractured, or microcrystalline quartz
exceeding 5.0%
Chert or chalcedony exceeding 3.0%
Tridymite or crystobalite exceeding 1.0%
Opal exceeding 0.5%
Natural volcanic glass in volcanic rocks exceeding 3.0%
Standard tests for alkali-
silica reactivity (ASR)
Test Methods for Alkali-Silica Reactivity
ASTM C 227,
Potential alkali-reactivity of cement-aggregate
combinations (mortar-bar method)
ASTM C 289,
Potential alkali-silica reactivity of aggregates
ASTM C 294,
Constituents of natural mineral aggregates
ASTM C 295,
Petrographic examination of aggregates for concrete
Thank You