By Mengesha Beyene, Richard J.

Lee, and Michael Silsbee

Floor Coating
Failure
Gel found beneath a blistered coating
may not always be NSAR.

ear-surface alkali reaction normally sodium or potassium; and 3) within the slab, and ASR gel within or

N (NSAR) gel has been reported

as the cause of debonding and
blistering of epoxy coatings. In
this article, we describe blister-
ing in a low-permeance floor coating
system where lithium silicate was ap-
plied to a shot-blasted concrete surface.
moisture. When these conditions are
present, ASR gel formation is possible.
However, the presence of ASR gel does
not necessarily mean concrete damage
will occur or that the gel is responsible
for any degradation. Damage can be
caused as the ASR gel absorbs moisture
on the reactive aggregates.
Recently, a new degradation mecha-
nism called NSAR has been proposed
(see sidebar, pg 36). NSAR occurs closer
to the surface, involves smaller aggre-
gates, takes less time to develop, and is
associated with a low-permeance floor
The initial analysis, based solely on op- and swells, causing extreme pressure coating. Like ASR, it requires the pres-
tical studies, suggested that alkali-silica from expansion. ASR typically takes ence of reactive silica or silicates, avail-
reaction (ASR) was the cause. Without many years to develop and results in able alkali, and moisture to form the gel.
additional, specialized analysis, such “map cracking,” cracked aggregates The failure appears as blistering in the
as scanning electron microscopy and
electron dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/ Figure 1.
EDS), lithium silicate residue or its
gel can mistakenly be identified as
ASR gel. Although lithium cannot be
detected by EDS, other alkalis found in
ASR gel, such as sodium and potas-
sium, can be identified. It is possible
to inadvertently assume the residue or
reaction product of lithium silicate ap-
plied on shot-blasted concrete surface
is an ASR byproduct.

Alkali-silica reaction
ASR is a well-known type of concrete
degradation. Three conditions are neces-
sary for ASR to occur: 1) a reactive form Both core samples (side view) from the failed floor had near-surface parallel
of silica or silicates; 2) available alkali, cracks. PHOTOS: RJ LEE GROUP

www.concreteconstruction.net CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION September 2012 33

Figure 2. Failed floor
The floor investigated was a 5.5-inch
thick slab with no vapor barrier be-
tween the slab and subgrade. Three to 4
years after construction, a floor cover-
ing was installed and blisters developed.
A year later, it was removed and the
surface was shot-blasted, a concrete
hardener and ASR mitigating coating of
lithium silicate was applied, followed by
an epoxy adhesive, underlayment, and
tile. Within 1 year, blistering was again
reported throughout the new floor.
Core samples were taken and found
to have fine cracks parallel to the surface
The layers of the floor system with ar- low permeability surface coating applied (Fig. 1, pg 33). The surface was irregular
rows pointing to the white areas (silica to the concrete. The fluid build-up under with concave upward micro-cracks near
gels) on the surface of the concrete. the coating is said to be caused by osmo- the surface of the cores, which is charac-
sis. The presence of excess alkali from teristic of a shot-blasted surface.
NSAR at the concrete surface creates an A micrograph of a core sample
imbalance of solute that generates an cross-section (Fig. 2) shows the layered
osmotic cell leading to attraction of more components of the floor system: tile,
water. The water is pulled through the underlayment, epoxy, silicate gel, and
concrete, which acts as a semi-permeable shot-blasted concrete surface. Our ini-
membrane, and collects on the concrete tial conclusion was that the near surface
surface. The presence of the relatively im- cracks were a result of distress from
permeable coating covering the concrete NSAR gel, instead of from shot-blasting
surface traps the excess moisture and the and poor surface preparation. Lithium
result is blistering of the coating. silicate, applied to the shot-blasted
surface, was assumed to have been ap-
Mitigation plied to arrest ASR in the near-surface
Lithium compounds have been used in concrete. This lithium reaction is similar
concrete to prevent ASR from causing to those of other alkalis. Unlike in ASR,
degradation and to protect the surface however, lithium silicate gel does not
by aiding in the concrete densification. absorb excess moisture, thereby pre-
When applying in the field, the concrete venting harmful gel expansion, stress,
is shot-blasted to remove any previous
Figure 3.
IF A GEL IS coating, contamination, and laitance.
This also provides a better mechanical
OBSERVED profile for improved bonding.
There must be sufficient calcium hy-
AND LITHIUM droxide in the concrete with which the
SILICATE HAS lithium can react, forming calcium sili-
cate hydrate (C-S-H). Two things are ac-
BEEN APPLIED, complished by this reaction: the C-S-H
acts to densify the concrete and fill the
ADDITIONAL pores; and the lithium finds available
ANALYSIS IS reactive silica to form lithium silicate
gel. This lithium gel prevents the forma-
WARRANTED tion of ASR gels but it does not absorb
water and expand. It is important that
PRIOR TO the lithium compound not be applied
DRAWING ANY excessively since it could produce an
unstable film that will adversely affect
The surface of the lab sample shows
lithium silicate applied to the sand-
CONCLUSIONS. the adhesion of coatings and epoxies. blasted concrete surface.

34 September 2012 CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION www.concreteconstruction.net

Figure 4. Figure 5.

This cross section, left, of the lab and degradation. The gel in this in- cross-section of the laboratory sample
sample shows lithium silicate along stance, initially misidentified as coming to show that the hardened gel has a
the sand-blasted concrete surface. from NSAR, may have been a residue similar appearance and the same opti-
Note the gel in the depressions created
by sand blasting. This thin-section of lithium silicate or the non-expansive cal properties as ASR gels. We then ran
photomicrograph shows lithium silicate lithium silicate gel that simply occupied EDS to determine which elements were
gel on the undulating, sand-blasted surface defects and fine cracks created present in the gel. Note that there is no
concrete surface. by shot-blasting. lithium peak since lithium is not detect-
able using EDS. Sodium and potassium,
Laboratory replication however, which can be detected using
The gel in the failed floor appeared EDS, are present at only extremely low
identical to ASR but could be lithium levels. Sodium and potassium are ele-
gel instead. To address this, we did ments that are associated with ASR and
some work in the lab. We used a 3-inch NSAR. So knowing that lithium is not
diameter concrete core with a finished detectable using EDS, and that lithium
surface and sand-blasted it to create a silicate was applied to the surface, we
concrete surface without any pre-exist- conclude that the gel is lithium silicate
ing laitance or contaminants. We then and not NSAR gel.
applied a commercial lithium silicate
solution uniformly on the sand-blasted Conclusions
concrete surface and allowed it to dry When performing investigations of
overnight. Figure 3 (pg 34) shows the blistering and other failures of concrete
irregular surface from shot-blasting and flooring systems, it is important to
NSAR the lithium silicate coating. observe and take into account a number
There is growing evidence Next, we cut a cross-section to study of factors, such as:
that suggests an alkali- the penetration of the solution into the 1. Lithium silicate was applied to the
related reaction called ASR
can occur in the near-surface concrete and to determine if it occupied concrete surface. Its primary uses are
region of a concrete slab. pre-existing defects and micro-cracks in to arrest ASR or to promote concrete
When it occurs, the reac- the concrete. A thin cross-section was densification, and it has not been
tion can contribute to the prepared from the top portion of the shown to contribute to NSAR.
blistering and disbondment core and was analyzed using optical and 2. The cracks present in the field core
of low-permeance coating
systems. To differentiate this scanning electron microscopy. Figures 4 samples were parallel or sub-parallel
near-surface reaction from and 5 show photographs from the opti- to the surface. ASR cracks typically
conventional ASR, we have cal microscopy examination. form in a “map cracking” pattern, as
named this condition near- The presence of the applied lithium popouts, or as cracks radiating from
surface alkali reaction (NSAR). silicate is evident along the undulating the aggregate to the surface. None
Excerpt from NSAR in surface. Note the similarity in gel loca- of these ASR-related features were
Concrete Slabs by Peter Craig, tion and appearance in the laboratory observed in the field failure.
Dennis Pinelle, Mauro Scali,
and Matt Sherman, CONCRETE
sample and field sample (Fig. 2, pg 34). 3. The alkali concentration was found
SURFACES, Spring 2008 To complete the study we used the to be several times higher at the
scanning electron microscope on a surface of the concrete than in the

36 September 2012 CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION www.concreteconstruction.net

 Figure 6.

At the top are scanning electron microscope images of a cross-section of the

laboratory sample. At the bottom is the electron dispersive spectroscopy spectrum
showing the elemental composition of the lithium silicate gel along the surface.

interior, consistent with a semi-per- tion product of non-expansive lithium

meable concrete slab without a vapor silicate gel from the commercial product
barrier between it and the soil. This applied to the concrete surface. A care-
high alkali concentration, together ful integration of analytical methods,
with high moisture content in the such as SEM/EDS, is necessary to tell
concrete, would provide the chemical the difference between NSAR/ASR gel
imbalance needed to create osmotic and lithium silicate gel. Be sure to keep
pressure, a well-known cause of fail- in mind that if a gel is observed along
ure in epoxy flooring systems. near-surface micro-cracks and surface
4. Field blisters were reportedly filled defects, and a surface treatment, such
with fluid, and we recognize that hy- as lithium silicate, has been applied,
drostatic pressure would have been a then additional analysis is warranted to
contributing cause to their formation. confirm the elemental identity prior to
5. Elevated surface alkali concentra- drawing any conclusions. CC
tions would be expected to attack
residual lithium silicate weakening Richard J. Lee is founder and CEO of
the epoxy bond. RJ Lee Group Monroeville, Pa., Michael
6. The aggregates were uniformly dis- Silsbee is acting director of sustain-
tributed, and small aggregates were able infrastructure and mining at RJ
not preferentially present near the Lee Group. Mengesha A. Beyene is an
surface as noted in NSAR. aggregate technologist and petrographic
In this case, the mistakenly reported laboratory expert at the Turner-Fair-
NSAR gel along surface defects is, in bank Highway Research Center/FHWA,
fact, lithium silicate residue or the reac- McLean, Va.

38 September 2012 CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION www.concreteconstruction.net

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