Durability-Physical and Chemical Causes: MS Lecture 6
Durability-Physical and Chemical Causes: MS Lecture 6
Durability-Physical and Chemical Causes: MS Lecture 6
MS Lecture 6
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Abraison
• Hardened cement paste does not possess a high resistance to attrition or
wearing.
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Abraison Process
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Erosion
• When a fluid containing suspended solid particles is in contact with
concrete, the impinging, sliding, or rolling action of particles will cause
surface wear.
• If the quantity and size of solids is small, such as, silt in an irrigation
canal, the erosion loss will be negligible at bottom velocities up to 1.8
m/s (velocity at or above which a given particle can be transported).
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Abraison & Erosion
• Where additional measures for improving the durability of concrete to
abrasion or erosion are needed, it is worth remembering that the process
of physical attrition of concrete occurs at the surface; therefore,
particular attention should be paid to ensure that, at least, the concrete
at the surface is of high quality.
• The solutions most commonly used for this purpose are magnesium and
zinc fluosilicate, or sodium silicate, which react with calcium hydroxide
present in the Portland cement paste to form insoluble reaction products,
thus sealing the capillary pores at or near the surface.
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Cavitation
• While good-quality concrete shows excellent resistance to steady flow of clear
water, nonlinear flow at velocities exceeding 12 m/s (7 m/s in closed conduits)
may cause severe damage to concrete through cavitation.
• In flowing water, vapor bubbles form when the local absolute pressure at a given
point is reduced to ambient vapor pressure of water corresponding to the ambient
temperature. As the vapor bubbles flowing downstream with water enter a region
of high pressure, they implode with great impact because of the entry of high-
velocity water into the previously vapor-occupied space, causing severe local
shock or pressure waves resulting in pitting.
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Cavitation Process
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Crystallization of Salts in the Pores
• Under certain environmental conditions, for example, when one side of a retaining
wall or slab of a permeable solid is in contact with a salt solution and the other
sides are subject to loss of moisture by evaporation, the material can deteriorate
by stresses caused by crystallization of salts in the pores.
• A number of salts are known to cause cracking and spalling type of damage to rocks
and stone monuments. This phenomenon was attributed to the large pressures
produced by crystallization of salts from their supersaturated solutions.
• The extent of damage, due to crystallization of salts into the pores, depends on
the site of the salt crystallization, which is determined by a dynamic balance
between the rate of evaporation of water from the exposed surface of the material
and the rate of supply of the salt solution to that site.
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Flaking or Spalling of Concrete due to Salt
Crystallization in Pores
• Only when the rate of migration of the salt solution through the
interconnected pores of the material is slower than the rate of
replenishment, the drying zone occurs substantially beneath the
surface. Salt crystallization under such conditions may result in
sufficient expansion to cause flaking or spalling.
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Frost Action
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Explanation of Fig.5-6
(c) Concrete scaling or flaking of the finished surface from freezing and
thawing generally starts as localized small patches which later on may
merge and extend to expose large areas.
Light scaling does not expose the coarse aggregate. Moderate scaling
exposes the coarse aggregate and may involve loss of up to 3 to 9 mm
of the surface mortar In severe scaling, more surface has been lost and
the aggregate is clearly exposed and stands out. Most scaling is caused
by (i) inadequate air entrainment, (ii) application of calcium and
sodium chloride deicing salts, (iii) performing finishing operations while
bleed water is still on the surface, and (iv) insufficient curing before
exposure of the concrete to frost action in the presence of moisture
and deicing salts.
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*Air-entraining admixtures are used to purposely introduce
and stabilize microscopic air bubbles in concrete.
*Air Entraining
Admixtures
Fig. 6-2. Frost damage (crumbling) at joints of a pavement
(top), frost induced cracking near joints (bottom), and
enlarged view of cracks (inset). (61621, 67834, 67835)
* Entrained air greatly improves concrete’s resistance to
surface scaling caused by chemical deicers (Fig. 6-3).
*Air-Entraining
Admixtures
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Figure 5-7 Response of saturated cement
paste to freezing and thawing with and
without entrained air.
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Fig.5-8c
In Fig. 5-8c, ice crystals can be seen forming inside an air void, providing
an important open space for the crystals to develop. Had these crystals
formed in the cement paste, the matrix would have expanded, leading to
cracking and loss of stiffness.
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LDA PLAZA FIRE 09 MAY 2013
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* Reinforcement in concrete remains passive
against corrosion, if pH of Concrete is 12.5 or
over as no galvanic cells are produced on
reinforcement.
* As pH is down from12.5,due to any reason e.g.
carbonation, or chloride ion penetration,
galvanic cells are produced on reinforcement,
mass increases due to formation of rust. This
generates pressure in the concrete leading to
spalling and damaging the concrete.
* Corrosion of Reinforcement
in Concrete
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