Increased Durability of Concrete Made with Fine Recycled Concrete Aggregates Using Superplasticizers

PubMed Central

Cartuxo, Francisco; de Brito, Jorge; Evangelista, Luis; Jiménez, José Ramón; Ledesma, Enrique F.

2016-01-01

This paper evaluates the influence of two superplasticizers (SP) on the durability properties of concrete made with fine recycled concrete aggregate (FRCA). For this purpose, three families of concrete were tested: concrete without SP, concrete made with a regular superplasticizer and concrete made with a high-performance superplasticizer. Five volumetric replacement ratios of natural sand by FRCA were tested: 0%, 10%, 30%, 50% and 100%. Two natural gravels were used as coarse aggregates. All mixes had the same particle size distribution, cement content and amount of superplasticizer. The w/c ratio was calibrated to obtain similar slump. The results showed that the incorporation of FRCA increased the water absorption by immersion, the water absorption by capillary action, the carbonation depth and the chloride migration coefficient, while the use of superplasticizers highly improved these properties. The incorporation of FRCA jeopardized the SP’s effectiveness. This research demonstrated that, from a durability point of view, the simultaneous incorporation of FRCA and high-performance SP is a viable sustainable solution for structural concrete production. PMID:28787905

Increased Durability of Concrete Made with Fine Recycled Concrete Aggregates Using Superplasticizers.

PubMed

Cartuxo, Francisco; de Brito, Jorge; Evangelista, Luis; Jiménez, José Ramón; Ledesma, Enrique F

2016-02-08

This paper evaluates the influence of two superplasticizers (SP) on the durability properties of concrete made with fine recycled concrete aggregate (FRCA). For this purpose, three families of concrete were tested: concrete without SP, concrete made with a regular superplasticizer and concrete made with a high-performance superplasticizer. Five volumetric replacement ratios of natural sand by FRCA were tested: 0%, 10%, 30%, 50% and 100%. Two natural gravels were used as coarse aggregates. All mixes had the same particle size distribution, cement content and amount of superplasticizer. The w/c ratio was calibrated to obtain similar slump. The results showed that the incorporation of FRCA increased the water absorption by immersion, the water absorption by capillary action, the carbonation depth and the chloride migration coefficient, while the use of superplasticizers highly improved these properties. The incorporation of FRCA jeopardized the SP's effectiveness. This research demonstrated that, from a durability point of view, the simultaneous incorporation of FRCA and high-performance SP is a viable sustainable solution for structural concrete production.

Study on Strength and Durability Characteristics of Concrete with Ternary Blend

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nissi Joy, C.; Ramakrishnan, K.; Snega, M.; Ramasundram, S.; Venkatasubramanian, C.; Muthu, D.

2017-07-01

In the present scenario to fulfill the demands of sustainable construction, concrete made with multi-blended cement system of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and different mineral admixtures is the wise choice for the construction industry. In this research work, M20 grade mix of concrete (with water - binder ratio as 0.48) is adopted with glass powder (GP) and Sugar Cane Bagasse Ash (SCBA) as partial replacement of cement. GP is an inert material, they occupy the landfill space for considerable amount of time unless there is a potential for recycling. Such glass wastes in the crushed form have a good potential in the infrastructure industry. Replacement of cement by GP from 30% to 0% by weight of cement in step of 5% and by SCBA from 0% to 30% in step of 5% respectively was adopted. In total, seven different combinations of mixes were studied at two different ages of concrete namely 7 and 28 days. Compressive strength of cubes for various percentage of replacement were investigated and compared with conventional concrete to find out the maximum mix ratio. Flexural strength of concrete for the maximum mix ratio was found out and durability parameters viz., water absorption and sorptivity were studied. From the experimental study, 20% SCBA and 10% GP combination was found to be the maximum mix ratio.

Freeze-thaw durability of microwave cured air-entrained concrete

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pheeraphan, T.; Leung, C.K.Y.

1997-03-01

The strength development of concrete can be greatly accelerated by curing with microwave energy. Microwave curing can therefore be beneficial to construction operations such as concrete precasting and repair. To provide freeze-thaw durability for infrastructure applications, air entrainment has to be introduced. In this investigation, the freeze-thaw resistance of microwave cured air-entrained concrete is measured, and compared to that of air-entrained concrete under normal curing. Their compressive strength at 14 days and air-void characteristics are also measured and compared. The test results indicate that microwave curing can impair the freeze-thaw durability of high w/c concrete but not for low w/cmore » concrete. Also, under microwave curing, the decrease in strength due to air entrainment becomes more significant. Based on these observations, it is recommended that for microwave cured air-entrained concrete, a low w/c ratio should be employed.« less

Mechanical properties and durability of crumb rubber concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chylík, Roman; Trtík, Tomáš; Fládr, Josef; Bílý, Petr

2017-09-01

This paper is focused on concrete with admixture of rubber powder, generally called crumb rubber concrete (CRC). The inspiration was found in Arizona, where one of the first CRCs has been created. However, Arizona has completely different climates than Central Europe. Could we use the crumb rubber concrete on construction applications in the Central European climate too? The paper evaluates the influence of the rubber powder on material characteristics and durability of CRC. CRCs with various contents of fine and coarse crumb powder were compared. The tested parameters were slump, air content, permeability, resistance of concrete to water with deicing chemicals, compressive and splitting tensile strength. The tests showed that workability, compressive strength and permeability decreased as the amount of rubber increased, but the air content increased as the rubber content increased. Photos of air voids in cement matrix from electron microscope were captured. The results of laboratory tests showed that admixture of rubber powder in concrete could have a positive impact on durability of concrete and concurrently contribute to sustainable development. Considering the lower compressive strength, CRC is recommended for use in applications where the high strength of concrete is not required.

Use of recycled fine aggregate in concretes with durable requirements.

PubMed

Zega, Claudio Javier; Di Maio, Angel Antonio

2011-11-01

The use of construction waste materials as aggregates for concrete production is highly attractive compared to the use of non-renewable natural resources, promoting environmental protection and allowing the development of a new raw material. Several countries have recommendations for the use of recycled coarse aggregate in structural concrete, whereas the use of the fine fraction is limited because it may produce significant changes in some properties of concrete. However, during the last decade the use of recycled fine aggregates (RFA) has achieved a great international interest, mainly because of economic implications related to the shortage of natural sands suitable for the production of concrete, besides to allow an integral use of this type of waste. In this study, the durable behaviour of structural concretes made with different percentage of RFA (0%, 20%, and 30%) is evaluated. Different properties related to the durability of concretes such as absorption, sorptivity, water penetration under pressure, and carbonation are determined. In addition, the results of compressive strength, static modulus of elasticity and drying shrinkage are presented. The obtained results indicate that the recycled concretes have a suitable resistant and durable behaviour, according to the limits indicated by different international codes for structural concrete. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Study on the Durability of Submerged Structure Displacement due to Concrete Failure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohd, M.; Zainon, O.; Rasib, A. W.; Majid, Z.

2016-09-01

Concrete structures that exposed to marine environments are subjected to multiple deterioration mechanisms. An overview of the existing technology for submerged concrete, pressure resistant, concrete structures which related such as cracks, debonds, and delamination are discussed. Basic knowledge related to drowning durability such as submerged concrete structures in the maritime environment are the durability of a concrete and the ability to resist to weathering, chemical attack, abrasion or other deterioration processes. The measuring techniques and instrumentation for geometrical monitoring of submerged structural displacements have traditionally been categorized into two groups according to the two main groups, namely as geodetic surveying and geotechnical structural measurements of local displacements. This paper aims to study the durability of submerged concrete displacement and harmful effects of submerged concrete structures.

Durable fiber reinforced self-compacting concrete

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Corinaldesi, V.; Moriconi, G

2004-02-01

In order to produce thin precast elements, a self-compacting concrete was prepared. When manufacturing these elements, homogenously dispersed steel fibers instead of ordinary steel-reinforcing mesh were added to the concrete mixture at a dosage of 10% by mass of cement. An adequate concrete strength class was achieved with a water to cement ratio of 0.40. Compression and flexure tests were carried out to assess the safety of these thin concrete elements. Moreover, serviceability aspects were taken into consideration. Firstly, drying shrinkage tests were carried out in order to evaluate the contribution of steel fibers in counteracting the high concrete strainsmore » due to a low aggregate-cement ratio. Secondly, the resistance to freezing and thawing cycles was investigated on concrete specimens in some cases superficially treated with a hydrophobic agent. Lastly, both carbonation and chloride penetration tests were carried out to assess durability behavior of this concrete mixture.« less

Application of microorganisms in concrete: a promising sustainable strategy to improve concrete durability.

PubMed

Wang, Jianyun; Ersan, Yusuf Cagatay; Boon, Nico; De Belie, Nele

2016-04-01

The beneficial effect of microbially induced carbonate precipitation on building materials has been gradually disclosed in the last decade. After the first applications of on historical stones, promising results were obtained with the respect of improved durability. An extensive study then followed on the application of this environmentally friendly and compatible material on a currently widely used construction material, concrete. This review is focused on the discussion of the impact of the two main applications, bacterial surface treatment and bacteria based crack repair, on concrete durability. Special attention was paid to the choice of suitable bacteria and the metabolic pathway aiming at their functionality in concrete environment. Interactions between bacterial cells and cementitious matrix were also elaborated. Furthermore, recommendations to improve the effectiveness of bacterial treatment are provided. Limitations of current studies, updated applications and future application perspectives are shortly outlined.

Experimental Investigation of the Mechanical and Durability Properties of Crumb Rubber Concrete.

PubMed

Liu, Hanbing; Wang, Xianqiang; Jiao, Yubo; Sha, Tao

2016-03-07

Recycling waste tire rubber by incorporating it into concrete has become the preferred solution to dispose of waste tires. In this study, the effect of the volume content of crumb rubber and pretreatment methods on the performances of concrete was evaluated. Firstly, the fine aggregate and mixture were partly replaced by crumb rubber to produce crumb rubber concrete. Secondly, the mechanical and durability properties of crumb rubber concrete with different replacement forms and volume contents had been investigated. Finally, the crumb rubber after pretreatment by six modifiers was introduced into the concrete mixture. Corresponding tests were conducted to verify the effectiveness of pretreatment methods as compared to the concrete containing untreated crumb rubber. It was observed that the mechanical strength of crumb rubber concrete was reduced, while durability was improved with the increasing of crumb rubber content. 20% replacement of fine aggregate and 5% replacement of the total mixture exhibited acceptable properties for practical applications. In addition, the results indicated that the modifiers had a positive impact on the mechanical and durability properties of crumb rubber concrete. It avoided the disadvantage of crumb rubber concrete having lower strength and provides a reference for the production of modified crumb rubber concrete.

Experimental Investigation of the Mechanical and Durability Properties of Crumb Rubber Concrete

PubMed Central

Liu, Hanbing; Wang, Xianqiang; Jiao, Yubo; Sha, Tao

2016-01-01

Recycling waste tire rubber by incorporating it into concrete has become the preferred solution to dispose of waste tires. In this study, the effect of the volume content of crumb rubber and pretreatment methods on the performances of concrete was evaluated. Firstly, the fine aggregate and mixture were partly replaced by crumb rubber to produce crumb rubber concrete. Secondly, the mechanical and durability properties of crumb rubber concrete with different replacement forms and volume contents had been investigated. Finally, the crumb rubber after pretreatment by six modifiers was introduced into the concrete mixture. Corresponding tests were conducted to verify the effectiveness of pretreatment methods as compared to the concrete containing untreated crumb rubber. It was observed that the mechanical strength of crumb rubber concrete was reduced, while durability was improved with the increasing of crumb rubber content. 20% replacement of fine aggregate and 5% replacement of the total mixture exhibited acceptable properties for practical applications. In addition, the results indicated that the modifiers had a positive impact on the mechanical and durability properties of crumb rubber concrete. It avoided the disadvantage of crumb rubber concrete having lower strength and provides a reference for the production of modified crumb rubber concrete. PMID:28773298

Evaluation of Durability Parameters of Concrete with Manufacture Sand and River Sand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sangoju, Bhaskar; Ramesh, G.; Bharatkumar, B. H.; Ramanjaneyulu, K.

2017-09-01

Most of the states in our country have banned sand quarrying from the river beds, causing a scarcity of natural river sand for the construction sector. Manufacture sand (M-sand) is one of the alternate solutions to replace the river sand (R-sand) in concrete. The main aim of the present study is to evaluate the durability parameters of concrete with M-sand when compared to that of concrete with R-sand. Corrosion of reinforcement is one of the main deteriorating mechanisms of reinforced concrete due to the ingress of chloride ions or carbon-di-oxide. For comparative evaluation of durability parameters, accelerated tests such as Rapid Chloride Permeability Test, Rapid Chloride Migration Test and accelerated carbonation test were carried out on specimens of R-sand and M-sand. All tests were carried out after 90 days of casting. Test results reveal that the durability parameters of the concrete with M-sand in chloride induced environment is relatively better than that of concrete with R-sand and hence is recommended to use M-sand as a replacement to R-sand.

Study on the durability of concrete using granulated blast furnace slag as fine aggregate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Dongsheng; Liu, Qiang; Xue, Xinxin; He, Peiyuan

2018-03-01

In order to assessing the durability of concrete using granulated blastfurnace slag (GBS) as fine aggregate and compare it with natural river sand concrete, three different size of specimen were produced by using the same mix proportion with 3 different water cement ratios and 3 replacement ratios, and using it to measure the three aspects on the durability of concrete including freeze-thaw performance, dry-shrinkage performance and anti-chloride-permeability performance. In this paper. The test results show that using GBS as fine aggregate can slightly improve anti-chloride-permeability performance and dry-shrinkage performance of concrete in the condition of low water cement ratio, on the other hand, using GBS or natural river sand as fine aggregate has almost similar durability of concrete.

Concrete pavement mixture design and analysis (MDA) : assessment of air void system requirements for durable concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-06-01

Concrete will suffer frost damage when saturated and subjected to freezing temperatures. Frost-durable concrete can be produced if a : specialized surfactant, also known as an air-entraining admixture (AEA), is added during mixing to stabilize micros...

Multi-factor Effects on the Durability of Recycle Aggregate Concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Huan; Cui, Yu-Li; Zhu, Wen-Yu; Xie, Xian-Jie

2016-05-01

Recycled Aggregate Concrete (RAC) was prepared with different recycled aggregate replacement ratio, 0, 30%, 70% and 100% respectively. The performances of RAC were examined by the freeze-thaw cycle, carbonization and sulfate attack to assess the durability. Results show that test sequence has different effects on the durability of RAC; the durability is poorer when carbonation experiment was carried out firstly, and then other experiment was carried out again; the durability is better when recycled aggregate replacement ratio is 70%.

Thermo-mechanical simulations of early-age concrete cracking with durability predictions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Havlásek, Petr; Šmilauer, Vít; Hájková, Karolina; Baquerizo, Luis

2017-09-01

Concrete performance is strongly affected by mix design, thermal boundary conditions, its evolving mechanical properties, and internal/external restraints with consequences to possible cracking with impaired durability. Thermo-mechanical simulations are able to capture those relevant phenomena and boundary conditions for predicting temperature, strains, stresses or cracking in reinforced concrete structures. In this paper, we propose a weakly coupled thermo-mechanical model for early age concrete with an affinity-based hydration model for thermal part, taking into account concrete mix design, cement type and thermal boundary conditions. The mechanical part uses B3/B4 model for concrete creep and shrinkage with isotropic damage model for cracking, able to predict a crack width. All models have been implemented in an open-source OOFEM software package. Validations of thermo-mechanical simulations will be presented on several massive concrete structures, showing excellent temperature predictions. Likewise, strain validation demonstrates good predictions on a restrained reinforced concrete wall and concrete beam. Durability predictions stem from induction time of reinforcement corrosion, caused by carbonation and/or chloride ingress influenced by crack width. Reinforcement corrosion in concrete struts of a bridge will serve for validation.

Mechanical and Durability Properties of Fly Ash Based Concrete Exposed to Marine Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kagadgar, Sarfaraz Ahmed; Saha, Suman; Rajasekaran, C.

2017-06-01

Efforts over the past few years for improving the performance of concrete suggest that cement replacement with mineral admixtures can enhance the strength and durability of concrete. Feasibility of producing good quality concrete by using alccofine and fly ash replacements is investigated and also the potential benefits from their incorporation were looked into. In this study, an attempt has been made to assess the performance of concrete in severe marine conditions exposed upto a period of 150 days. This work investigates the influence of alccofine and fly ash as partial replacement of cement in various percentages (Alccofine - 5% replacement to cement content) and (fly ash - 0%, 15%, 30%, 50% & 60% to total cementitious content) on mechanical and durability properties (Permit ion permeability test and corrosion current density) of concrete. Usage of alccofine and high quantity of fly ash as additional cementitious materials in concrete has resulted in higher workability of concrete. Inclusion of alccofine shows an early strength gaining property whereas fly ash results in gaining strength at later stage. Concrete mixes containing 5% alccofine with 15% fly ash replacement reported greater compressive strength than the other concrete mixes cured in both curing conditions. Durability test conducted at 56 and 150 days indicated that concrete containing higher percentages of fly ash resulted in lower permeability as well lesser corrosion density.

Durability of conventional concretes containing black rice husk ash.

PubMed

Chatveera, B; Lertwattanaruk, P

2011-01-01

In this study, black rice husk ash (BRHA) from a rice mill in Thailand was ground and used as a partial cement replacement. The durability of conventional concretes with high water-binder ratios was investigated including drying shrinkage, autogenous shrinkage, depth of carbonation, and weight loss of concretes exposed to hydrochloric (HCl) and sulfuric (H(2)SO(4)) acid attacks. Two different replacement percentages of cement by BRHA, 20% and 40%, and three different water-binder ratios (0.6, 0.7 and 0.8) were used. The ratios of paste volume to void content of the compacted aggregate (γ) were 1.2, 1.4, and 1.6. As a result, when increasing the percentage replacement of BRHA, the drying shrinkage and depth of carbonation reaction of concretes increased. However, the BRHA provides a positive effect on the autogenous shrinkage and weight loss of concretes exposed to hydrochloric and sulfuric acid attacks. In addition, the resistance to acid attack was directly varied with the (SiO(2) + Al(2)O(3) + Fe(2)O(3))/CaO ratio. Results show that ground BRHA can be applied as a pozzolanic material and also improve the durability of concrete. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

THERMAL PROPERTIES AND HEATING AND COOLING DURABILITY OF REACTOR SHIELDING CONCRETE (in Japanese)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hosoi, J.; Chujo, K.; Saji, K.

1959-01-01

A study was made of the thermal properties of various concretes made of domestic raw materials for radiation shields of a power reactor and of a high- flux research reactor. The results of measurements of thermal expansion coefficient, specific heat, thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity, cyclical heating, and cooling durability are described. Relationships between thermal properties and durability are discussed and several photographs of the concretes are given. It is shown that the heating and cooling durability of such a concrete which has a large thermal expansion coefficient or a considerable difference between the thermal expansion of coarse aggregate and themore » one of cement mortar part or aggregates of lower strength is very poor. The decreasing rates of bending strength and dynamical modulus of elasticity and the residual elongation of the concrete tested show interesting relations with the modified thermal stress resistance factor containing a ratio of bending strength and thermal expansion coefficient. The thermal stress resistance factor seems to depend on the conditions of heat transfer on the surface and on heat release in the concrete. (auth)« less

Physical-durable performance of concrete incorporating high loss on ignition-fly ash

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huynh, Trong-Phuoc; Ngo, Si-Huy; Hwang, Chao-Lung

2018-04-01

This study investigates the feasibility of using raw fly ash with a high loss on ignition in concrete. The fly ash-free concrete samples were prepared with different water-to-binder (w/b) ratios of 0.35, 0.40, and 0.45, whereas the fly ash concrete samples were prepared with a constant w/b of 0.40 and with various fly ash contents (10%, 20%, and 30%) as a cement substitution. The physical properties and durability performance of the concretes were evaluated through fresh concrete properties, compressive strength, strength efficiency of cement, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and resistance to sulfate attack. Test results show that the w/b ratio affected the concrete properties significantly. The incorporation of fly ash increased the workability and reduced the unit weight of fresh concrete. In addition, the fly ash concrete samples containing up to 20% fly ash exhibited an improved strength at long-term ages. Further, all of the fly ash concrete samples showed a good durability performance with ultrasonic pulse velocity value of greater than 4100 m/s and a comparable sulfate resistance to the no-fly ash concrete.

Effect of wet curing duration on durability parameters of hydraulic cement concretes.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-01-01

Hydraulic cement concrete slabs were cast and stored outdoors in Charlottesville, Virginia, to study the impact of wet curing duration on durability parameters. Concrete mixtures were produced using portland cement, portland cement with slag cement, ...

Research on durability of a concrete continuous rigid frame bridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Jing-xian; Ran, Zhi-hong

2018-05-01

The research on the durability of concrete structures has also become one of the most important topics for discussion at international academic institutions and conferences. This paper summarizes and reviews the current research on the durability of bridge structure of the bridge at the index relationship between state lifetime and structure durability. According to the actual situation in this paper on a continuous rigid frame bridge China of Yunnan as an example, this bridge was completed and opened to traffic during the first half of the year, a series of tests are carried out for the durability problem. It is found that all the indicators are good within six months after the bridge opened to traffic, but durability issues should be further studied in future monitoring efforts.

Primer on Durability of Nuclear Power Plant Reinforced Concrete Structures - A Review of Pertinent Factors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Naus, Dan J

The objective of this study was to provide a primer on the environmental effects that can affect the durability of nuclear power plant concrete structures. As concrete ages, changes in its properties will occur as a result of continuing microstructural changes (i.e., slow hydration, crystallization of amorphous constituents, and reactions between cement paste and aggregates), as well as environmental influences. These changes do not have to be detrimental to the point that concrete will not be able to meet its performance requirements. Concrete, however, can suffer undesirable changes with time because of improper specifications, a violation of specifications, or adversemore » performance of its cement paste matrix or aggregate constituents under either physical or chemical attack. Contained in this report is a discussion on concrete durability and the relationship between durability and performance, a review of the historical perspective related to concrete and longevity, a description of the basic materials that comprise reinforced concrete, and information on the environmental factors that can affect the performance of nuclear power plant concrete structures. Commentary is provided on the importance of an aging management program.« less

Durability of saw-cut joints in plain cement concrete pavements : [technical summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

The main objective of this study was to evaluate factors influencing the durability of the joints in portland cement concrete pavement in the state of Indiana. : The scope of the research included the evaluation of the absorption of water in concrete...

Overview of ORNL/NRC programs addressing durability of concrete structures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Naus, D.J.; Oland, C.B.

1994-06-01

The role of reinforced concrete relative to its applications as either safety-related structures in nuclear power or engineered barriers of low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities is described. Factors that can affect the long-term durability of reinforced concrete are identified. Overviews are presented of the Structural Aging Program, which is addressing the aging management of safety-related concrete structures in nuclear power plants, and the Permeability Test Methods and Data Program, which is identifying pertinent data and information for use in performance assessments of engineered barriers for low-level radioactive waste disposal.

An expert system for the evaluation of reinforced concrete structure durability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berra, M.; Bertolini, L.; Briglia, M.C.

1999-11-01

A user-friendly expert system has been developed to evaluate primarily the durability of reinforced concrete structures, either in the design phase or during service life related to reinforcement corrosion. Besides the durability module, the ES has been provided with three other expert modules in order to support the user during the following activities: inspections, corrosion diagnosis and repair strategy (of concrete and reinforcement). Corrosion induced by carbonation and chlorides penetration and caused by concrete degradation such as sulfate attack, freeze/thaw cycles, alkali silica reaction are considered. The knowledge used for the expert system is based both on open literature andmore » international standards as well as on specific experiences and proprietary databases. The paper describes main features of the system, including the modeling of the knowledge, input data, the algorithms, the rules and the outputs for each module.« less

Freeze-thaw durability of concrete: Ice formation process in pores

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cai, H.; Liu, X.

1998-09-01

Freeze-thaw durability of concrete is of great importance to hydraulic structures in cold areas. Study of ice formation process in concrete pores is necessary to evaluate the damages in concrete caused by freezing. In this paper, freezing of pore solution in concrete exposed to a freeze-thaw cycle is studied by following the change of concrete electrical conductivity with freezing temperatures. Concretes were subjected to freeze-thaw cycles with temperature varying between {minus}0 C and {minus}20 C. In the freezing process, the changing rate of concrete electrical conductivity obviously decreases at about {minus}10 C, indicating that more pore solution in concrete freezesmore » above {minus}10 C than below {minus}10C. According to Powers` static hydraulic pressure hypothesis, it is thought that frost damage mainly occurs between 0 C and {minus}100 C. To ordinary concrete, frost damages below {minus}10 C are negligible.« less

Durability reliability analysis for corroding concrete structures under uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hao

2018-02-01

This paper presents a durability reliability analysis of reinforced concrete structures subject to the action of marine chloride. The focus is to provide insight into the role of epistemic uncertainties on durability reliability. The corrosion model involves a number of variables whose probabilistic characteristics cannot be fully determined due to the limited availability of supporting data. All sources of uncertainty, both aleatory and epistemic, should be included in the reliability analysis. Two methods are available to formulate the epistemic uncertainty: the imprecise probability-based method and the purely probabilistic method in which the epistemic uncertainties are modeled as random variables. The paper illustrates how the epistemic uncertainties are modeled and propagated in the two methods, and shows how epistemic uncertainties govern the durability reliability.

Durability of recycled aggregate concrete using pozzolanic materials.

PubMed

Ann, K Y; Moon, H Y; Kim, Y B; Ryou, J

2008-01-01

In this study, pulverized fuel ash (PFA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) were used to compensate for the loss of strength and durability of concrete containing recycled aggregate. As a result, 30% PFA and 65% GGBS concretes increased the compressive strength to the level of control specimens cast with natural granite gravel, but the tensile strength was still lowered at 28 days. Replacement with PFA and GGBS was effective in raising the resistance to chloride ion penetrability into the concrete body, measured by a rapid chloride ion penetration test based on ASTM C 1202-91. It was found that the corrosion rate of 30% PFA and 65% GGBS concretes was kept at a lower level after corrosion initiation, compared to the control specimens, presumably due to the restriction of oxygen and water access. However, it was less effective in increasing the chloride threshold level for steel corrosion. Hence, it is expected that the corrosion time for 30% PFA and 65% GGBS concrete containing recycled aggregate mostly equates to the corrosion-free life of control specimens.

Durability of saw-cut joints in plain cement concrete pavements.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

The objective of this project was to evaluate factors influencing the durability of the joints in portland cement concrete : pavement in the state of Indiana. Specifically this work evaluated the absorption of water, the absorption of deicing solutio...

Evaluation of curing compound application time on concrete surface durability : [brief].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-05-01

Roadways that are both durable and aesthetically pleasing are primary goals of Wisconsin : Department of Transportation (WisDOT) paving projects. Recently, Portland Cement Concrete : (PCC) pavement projects constructed by WisDOT have experienced incr...

Durability of an inorganic polymer concrete coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wasserman, Kenneth

The objective of the research program reported in this thesis is to evaluate the durability of an inorganic polymer composite coating exposed to freeze/thaw cycling and wet-dry cycling. Freeze/thaw cycling is performed following ASTM D6944-09 Standard Practice for Resistance of Cured Coatings to Thermal Cycling and wet/dry cycling is performed following guidelines set forth in a thesis written by Ronald Garon at Rutgers University. For both sets of experiments, four coating mixture proportions were evaluated. The variables were: silica/alumina ratio, mixing protocol using high shear and normal shear mixing, curing temperatures of 70 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit and use of nano size constituent materials. The mix with highest silica/alumina ratio was designated as Mix 1 and mixes with lower ratios were designated as Mix 2 and Mix 3. Mix 4 had nano silica particles. Four prisms were used for each variable including control that had no coating. The performance of the coating was evaluated using adhesion strength measured using: ASTM D7234 Test Method for Pull-Off Strength of Coatings on Concrete Using Portable Adhesion Testers. Tests were performed after every five consecutive cycles of thermal conditioning and six consecutive cycles of wet-dry exposure. Results from the thermal cycling and wet-dry testing demonstrate that all coating formulations are durable. The minimum adhesion strength was 300 psi even though a relatively weak base concrete surface was chosen for the study. The weak surface was chosen to simulate aged concrete surfaces present in actual field conditions. Due to the inherent nature of the test procedure the variation in test results is high. However, based on the test results, high shear mixer and high temperature curing are not recommended. As expected nano size constituent materials provide better performance.

Durability of certain configurations for providing skid resistance on concrete pavements.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1974-01-01

The main objective of this study was to establish the factors that influence the durability of the surface configurations that are used or can be used to provide high and long lasting skid resistance for portland cement concrete pavements. In the dev...

Reactive powder based concretes: Mechanical properties, durability and hybrid use with OPC

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cwirzen, A.; Penttala, V.; Vornanen, C.

2008-10-15

The basic mechanical properties, frost durability and the bond strength with normal strength concretes of the ultra high strength (UHS) mortars and concretes were studied. The produced mixes had plastic or fluid-like consistency. The 28-day compressive strength varied between 170 and 202 MPa for the heat-treated specimens and between 130 and 150 MPa for the non-heat-treated specimens. The shrinkage values were two times higher for the UHS mortars in comparison with the UHS concretes. After the initial shrinkage, swelling was noticed in the UHS mortars. The lowest creep values were measured for the non-heat-treated UHS concretes. The frost-deicing salts durabilitymore » of the UHS mortars and concretes appeared to be very good even despite the increased water uptake of the UHS concretes. The study of the hybrid concrete beams indicated the formation of low strength transition zone between the UHS mortar and normal strength concrete.« less

Durability assessments of concrete using electrical properties and acoustic emission testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Todak, Heather N.

Premature damage deterioration has been observed in pavement joints throughout the Midwestern region of the United States. Over time, severe joint damage creates a transportation safety concern and the necessary repairs can be an extreme economic burden. The deterioration is due in part to freeze-thaw damage associated with fluid accumulation at the pavement joints. This very preventable problem is an indication that current specifications and construction practices for freeze-thaw durability of concrete are inadequate. This thesis serves to create a better understanding of moisture ingress, freeze-thaw damage mechanisms, and the effect of variations in mixture properties on freeze-thaw behavior of concrete. The concepts of the nick point degree of saturation, sorptivity rates, and critical degree of saturation are discussed. These factors contribute to service life, defined in this study as the duration of time a concrete element remains below levels of critical saturation which are required for damage development to initiate. A theoretical model and a simple experimental procedure are introduced which help determine the nick point for a series of 32 concrete mixtures with unique mixture proportions and air entrainment properties. This simple experimental procedure is also presented as a method to measure important electrical properties in order to establish the formation factor, a valuable measure of concrete transport properties. The results of freeze-thaw testing with acoustic emission monitoring are presented to help understand and quantify damage development in concrete specimens when conditioned to various degrees of saturation. This procedure was used to study the relationship between air entrainment properties and the critical degree of saturation. Applying the concepts of degree of saturation and sorptivity, a performance-based model is proposed as a new approach to specifications for freeze-thaw durability. Finally, a conceptual model is presented to

Performance and durability of concrete made with demolition waste and artificial fly ash-clay aggregates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zakaria, M.; Cabrera, J.G.

1996-12-31

Demolition aggregates and artificial aggregates made with waste materials are two alternatives being studied for replacement of natural aggregates in the production of concrete. Natural aggregate sources in Europe are increasingly scarce and subject to restrictions based on environmental regulations. In many areas of the developing world sources of good quality aggregates are very limited or practically not available and therefore it has become necessary to study alternative materials. This paper presents a laboratory study on the use of demolition bricks and artificial aggregates made from fly ash-clay as coarse aggregates to make concrete. The concretes made either with demolitionmore » bricks or artificial aggregates are compared with a control mix made with natural gravel aggregates. The strength and durability characteristics of these concretes are evaluated using as a criteria compressive strength and transport properties, such as gas and water permeability. The results show clearly that concretes of good performance and durability can be produced using aggregates from demolition rubble or using artificial aggregates made with wastes such as fly ash.« less

Probabilistic durability assessment of concrete structures in marine environments: Reliability and sensitivity analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Bo; Ning, Chao-lie; Li, Bing

2017-03-01

A probabilistic framework for durability assessment of concrete structures in marine environments was proposed in terms of reliability and sensitivity analysis, which takes into account the uncertainties under the environmental, material, structural and executional conditions. A time-dependent probabilistic model of chloride ingress was established first to consider the variations in various governing parameters, such as the chloride concentration, chloride diffusion coefficient, and age factor. Then the Nataf transformation was adopted to transform the non-normal random variables from the original physical space into the independent standard Normal space. After that the durability limit state function and its gradient vector with respect to the original physical parameters were derived analytically, based on which the first-order reliability method was adopted to analyze the time-dependent reliability and parametric sensitivity of concrete structures in marine environments. The accuracy of the proposed method was verified by comparing with the second-order reliability method and the Monte Carlo simulation. Finally, the influences of environmental conditions, material properties, structural parameters and execution conditions on the time-dependent reliability of concrete structures in marine environments were also investigated. The proposed probabilistic framework can be implemented in the decision-making algorithm for the maintenance and repair of deteriorating concrete structures in marine environments.

Modeling the long-term durability of concrete barriers in the context of low-activity waste storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Protière, Y.; Samson, E.; Henocq, P.

2013-07-01

The paper investigates the long-term durability of concrete barriers in contact with a cementitious wasteform designed to immobilize low-activity nuclear waste. The high-pH pore solution of the wasteform contains high concentration level of sulfate, nitrate, nitrite and alkalis. The multilayer concrete/wasteform system was modeled using a multiionic reactive transport model accounting for coupling between species, dissolution/ precipitation reactions, and feedback effect. One of the primary objectives was to investigate the risk associated with the presence of sulfate in the wasteform on the durability of concrete. Simulation results showed that formation of expansive phases, such as gypsum and ettringite, into the concrete barrier was not extensive. Based on those results, it was not possible to conclude that concrete would be severely damaged, even after 5,000 years. Lab work was performed to provide data to validate the modeling results. Paste samples were immersed in sulfate contact solutions and analyzed to measure the impact of the aggressive environment on the material. The results obtained so far tend to confirm the numerical simulations.

Investigation on Flexure Test of Composite Beam of Repair Materials and Substrate Concrete for Durable Repair

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pattnaik, Rashmi R.; Rangaraju, Prasada Rao

2014-12-01

An experimental study was conducted on composite beam of repair materials and substrate concrete to investigate the failures of concrete repair due to differences in strength of repair materials and substrate concrete. In this investigation the flexural strength, load-deflection curves and failure patterns of the composite beam specimens are studied for the durability of the concrete repair. Flexure test was conducted to simulate tensile stress in the concrete repair material. Compressive strength and split tensile strength of the repair materials and substrate concrete are investigated to aid in the analysis of the concrete repair. It was observed that the repair materials of higher compressive strength than the substrate concrete are causing an incompatible failure in the concrete repair.

E-Area Vault Concrete Material Property And Vault Durability/Degradation Projection Recommendations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Phifer, M. A.

2014-03-11

Subsequent to the 2008 E-Area Low-Level Waste Facility (ELLWF) Performance Assessment (PA) (WSRC 2008), two additional E-Area vault concrete property testing programs have been conducted (Dixon and Phifer 2010 and SIMCO 2011a) and two additional E-Area vault concrete durability modeling projections have been made (Langton 2009 and SIMCO 2012). All the information/data from these reports has been evaluated and consolidated herein by the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) at the request of Solid Waste Management (SWM) to produce E-Area vault concrete hydraulic and physical property data and vault durability/degradation projection recommendations that are adequately justified for use within associated Specialmore » Analyses (SAs) and future PA updates. The Low Activity Waste (LAW) and Intermediate Level (IL) Vaults structural degradation predictions produced by Carey 2006 and Peregoy 2006, respectively, which were used as the basis for the 2008 ELLWF PA, remain valid based upon the results of the E-Area vault concrete durability simulations reported by Langton 2009 and those reported by SIMCO 2012. Therefore revised structural degradation predictions are not required so long as the mean thickness of the closure cap overlying the vaults is no greater than that assumed within Carey 2006 and Peregoy 2006. For the LAW Vault structural degradation prediction (Carey 2006), the mean thickness of the overlying closure cap was taken as nine feet. For the IL Vault structural degradation prediction (Peregoy 2006), the mean thickness of the overlying closure cap was taken as eight feet. The mean closure cap thicknesses as described here for both E-Area Vaults will be included as a key input and assumption (I&A) in the next revision to the closure plan for the ELLWF (Phifer et al. 2009). In addition, it has been identified as new input to the PA model to be assessed in the ongoing update to the new PA Information UDQE (Flach 2013). Once the UDQE is approved, the SWM Key I

Assessment of the long-term durability of concrete in radioactive waste repositories

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Atkinson, A.; Goult, D.J.; Hearne, J.A.

1986-01-01

A preliminary assessment of the long-term durability of concrete in a repository sited in clay is presented. The assessment is based on recorded experience of concrete structures and both field and laboratory studies. It is also supported by results of the examination of a concrete sample which had been buried in clay for 43 years. The engineering lifetime of a 1 m thick reinforced concrete slab, with one face in contact with clay, and the way in which pH in the repository as a whole is likely to vary with time have both been estimated from available data. The estimatesmore » indicate that engineering lifetimes of about 10/sup 3/ years are expected (providing that sulfate resisting cement is used) and that pH is likely to remain above 10.5 for about 10/sup 6/ years.« less

Strength and Durability of Fly Ash-Based Fiber-Reinforced Geopolymer Concrete in a Simulated Marine Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez Rivera, Francisco Javier

This research is aimed at investigating the corrosion durability of polyolefin fiberreinforced fly ash-based geopolymer structural concrete (hereafter referred to as GPC, in contradistinction to unreinforced geopolymer concrete referred to as simply geopolymer concrete), where cement is completely replaced by fly ash, that is activated by alkalis, sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate. The durability in a marine environment is tested through an electrochemical method for accelerated corrosion. The GPC achieved compressive strengths in excess of 6,000 psi. Fiber reinforced beams contained polyolefin fibers in the amounts of 0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5% by volume. After being subjected to corrosion damage, the GPC beams were analyzed through a method of crack scoring, steel mass loss, and residual flexural strength testing. Fiber reinforced GPC beams showed greater resistance to corrosion damage with higher residual flexural strength. This makes GPC an attractive material for use in submerged marine structures.

Monitoring the Durability Performance of Concrete in Nuclear Waste Containment. Technical Progress Report No. 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ulm, Franz-Josef

2000-03-31

OAK-B135 Monitoring the Durability Performance of Concrete in Nuclear Waste Containment. Technical Progress Report No. 3(NOTE: Part II A item 1 indicates ''PAPER'', but a report is attached electronically)

Combinations of pozzolans and ground, granulated blast-furnace slag for durable hydraulic cement concrete

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-08-01

Hydraulic cement concretes were produced using pozzolans and ground, granulated, blast-furnace slag to investigate the effect of these materials on durability. The pozzolans used were an ASTM C 618 Class F fly ash with a low lime content and a dry, d...

Durability of a reinforced concrete designed for the construction of an intermediate-level radioactive waste disposal facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duffó, G. S.; Arva, E. A.; Schulz, F. M.; Vazquez, D. R.

2012-01-01

The National Atomic Energy Commission of the Argentine Republic is developing a nuclear waste disposal management programme that contemplates the design and construction of a facility for the final disposal of intermediate-level radioactive wastes. The repository is based on the use of multiple, independent and redundant barriers. The major components are made in reinforced concrete so, the durability of these structures is an important aspect for the facility integrity. This work presents an investigation performed on a reinforced concrete specifically designed for this purpose, to predict the service life of the intermediate level radioactive waste disposal facility from data obtained with several techniques. Results obtained with corrosion sensors embedded in a concrete prototype are also included. The information obtained will be used for the final design of the facility in order to guarantee a service life more or equal than the foreseen durability for this type of facilities.

Laboratory freeze-thaw durability of pervious concrete with respect to curing time and addition of sand, slag, silica fume, and saltguard.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-11-22

Concerns persist regarding pervious concrete durability in cold climates related to freeze-thaw : and exposure to salt. This study was conducted as an extension to previous work regarding pervious : concrete in Vermont, to further investigate freeze-...

Durability of visitable concrete sewer gallery under the effect of domestic wastewater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salhi, Aimed; Kriker, Abdelouahed; Tioua, Tahar; Abimiloud, Youcef; Barluenga, Gonzalo

2016-07-01

The durability of concrete structures for the disposal of wastewater depends on their behavior when faced to different aggressions such as mechanics, chemical and biological, causing a deterioration often cementing matrix. The deterioration of recent evacuations wastewater infrastructure, made of reinforced concrete less than 15 years ago, has become an important concern. The aim of this study was to investigate the degradation and the factors responsible for the deterioration of the concrete visitable gallery of sewage from the town of Touggourt (south-east of Algeria). Thus, samples from different parts of the gallery were extracted and unaltered samples were selected as a reference. A degraded sample exposed to H2S gas and another sample of the gallery submerged into wastewater were analyzed to characterize the internal and external damage to the gallery as well as the chemical and mineralogical changes. These tests were complemented by a physical and mechanical characterization of the samples. The experimental results showed the strong anisotropy of both internal and external damage.

Laboratory freeze-thaw durability of previous concrete with respect to curing time and addition of sand, slag, silica fume, and saltguard.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-11-22

Concerns persist regarding pervious concrete durability in cold climates related to freeze-thaw and exposure to salt. This study was conducted as an extension to previous work regarding pervious concrete in Vermont, to further investigate freeze-thaw...

Durability and Strength of Sustainable Self-Consolidating Concrete Containing Fly Ash

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, O.; Hawat, W. Al

2018-03-01

In this paper, the durability and strength of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) is assessed through development and testing of six binary mixes at fixed water-to-binder (w/b) ratio of 0.36. In each of the six SCC mixes, a different percentage of cement is replaced with fly ash. The development of compressive strength for each of the mixes is assessed by testing samples after 3, 7, and 28 days of curing. Durability of each of the six SCC mixes is assessed by measuring the charge passed in Rapid Chloride Permeability (RCP) test. Charge passed was measured in samples cured for 1, 3, 7, 14, 28, and 40 days of curing. All mixes out-performed the control mix in terms of resistance to chloride penetration. Binary mix in which 20% of cement is replaced with fly ash exhibited 28-day strength slightly surpassing the control mix.

Integrated approach for investigating the durability of self-consolidating concrete to sulfate attack

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bassuoni, Mohamed Tamer F.

The growing use of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) in various infrastructure applications exposed to sulfate-rich environments necessitates conducting comprehensive research to evaluate its durability to external sulfate attack. Since the reliability and adequacy of standard sulfate immersion tests have been questioned, the current thesis introduced an integrated testing approach for assessing the durability of a wide scope of SCC mixtures to external sulfate attack. This testing approach involved progressive levels of complexity from single to multiple damage processes. A new series of sulfate attack tests involving multiple field-like parameters and combined damage mechanisms (various cations, controlled pH, wetting-drying, partial immersion, freezing-thawing, and cyclic cold-hot conditions with or without sustained flexural loading) were designed to evaluate the performance (suitability) of the SCC mixtures under various sulfate attack exposure scenarios. The main mixture design variables of SCC included the type of binder (single, binary, ternary and quaternary), air-entrainment, sand-to-aggregate mass ratio and hybrid fibre reinforcement. The comprehensive database and knowledge obtained from this research were used to develop smart models (fuzzy and neuro-fuzzy inference systems) based on artificial-intelligence to evaluate and predict the performance of the SCC mixtures under various sulfate attack exposure regimes implemented in this study. In full immersion tests involving high concentration sodium and magnesium sulfate solutions with controlled pH, the low penetrability of SCC was responsible for the high durability of specimens. Ternary and quaternary cementitious systems with or without limestone materials provided a passivating layer, with or without acid neutralization capacity, which protected SCC from severe damage in the aggressive sulfuric acid and ammonium sulfate solutions. In contrast to conclusions drawn from the sodium sulfate immersion

Durability of lightweight concrete : Phase II : wetting and drying tests, Phase III : freezing and thawing tests.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1966-12-01

This report describes a laboratory research program on the durability of lightweight concrete. Two phases of a three phase study are covered by this report, while the remaining phase is still under study. The two phases being reported are Phase II - ...

Strength and durability studies on concrete with partial replacement over burnt brick bat waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanchidurai, S.; Bharani, G.; Saravana Raja Mohan, K.

2017-07-01

This paper presents the partial and complete replacement of over burnt brick bat (OBB) 20-30mm as coarse aggregate in the concrete. OBB are formed at extreme heating to a temperature not less than 1600 degree Celsius. The burnt bricks change from red to blue-black ceramics color. The series of tests are conducted to study the effect of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% replacement of coarse aggregate with over burnt bricks. Totally 36numbers of 150mm concrete cube with 5 different percentage replacement mix are cast and tested and three numbers of the flexural beam. In durability aspects, water absorption and sorptivity were tested. Experimental results found 25-50% of overburnt brick bat wastes can be replaced with the normal and mass concrete without quality compromisation.

Environmental Durability of Reinforced Concrete Deck Girders Strengthened for Shear with Surface-Bonded Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-05-01

"This research investigated the durability of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites (CFRP) used for shear strengthening reinforced concrete deck girders. Large beams were used to avoid accounting for size effects in the data analysis. The effort...

Investigation of the impact of nanotechnology on the freeze-thaw durability of concrete containing d-cracking aggregates.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-05-01

Freezing and thawing damage is the most common cause of distress in Kansas pavements. Many : locally available aggregates in Kansas do not meet current standards for use in concrete pavements because : of poor freeze-thaw durability. The use of nanot...

The durability of concrete containing recycled tyres as a partial replacement of fine aggregate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syamir Senin, Mohamad; Shahidan, Shahiron; Syazani Leman, Alif; Othman, Nurulain; Shamsuddin, Shamrul-mar; Ibrahim, M. H. W.; Zuki, S. S. Mohd

2017-11-01

Nowadays, uncontrolled disposal of waste materials such as tyres can affect the environment. Therefore, careful management of waste disposal must be done in order to conserve the environment. Waste tyres can be use as a replacement for both fine aggregate and coarse aggregate in the production of concrete. This research was conducted to assess the durability of concrete containing recycled tyres which have been crushed into fine fragments to replace fine aggregate in the concrete mix. This study presents an overview of the use of waste rubber as a partial replacement of natural fine aggregate in a concrete mix. 36 concrete cubes measuring 100mm × 100mm × 100mm and 12 concrete cubes measuring 150mm × 150mm × 150mm were prepared and added with different percentages of rubber from recycled tyres (0%, 3%, 5% and 7%) as fine aggregate replacement. The results obtained show that the replacement of fine aggregate with 7% of rubber recorded a compressive strength of 43.7MPa while the addition of 3% of rubber in the concrete sample recorded a high compressive strength of 50.8MPa. This shows that there is a decrease in the strength and workability of concrete as the amount of rubber used a replacement for fine aggregate in concrete increases. On the other hand, the water absorption test indicated that concrete which contains rubber has better water absorption ability. In this study, 3% of rubber was found to be the optimal percentage as a partial replacement for fine aggregate in the production of concrete.

Enhancement of durability properties of heat-treated oil palm shell species lightweight concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yew, Ming Kun; Yew, Ming Chian; Saw, Lip Huat; Ang, Bee Chin; Lee, Min Lee; Lim, Siong Kang; Lim, Jee Hock

2017-04-01

Oil palm shell (OPS) are non-hazardous waste materials and can be used as alternative coarse aggregates to substitute depleting conventional raw materials. A study on preparing the OPS species (dura and tenera) lightweight concrete (LWC) using with and without heat-treated OPS aggregate has been investigated. Two different species of OPS coarse aggregate are subjected to heat treatment at 65 and 130 °C with duration of 1 hour. The results reveal that the slump value of the OPSC increases significantly with an increase in temperature of heat treatment of the tenera OPS aggregates. It is found that the maximum achievable 28-days and 180-days compressive strength is 45.6 and 47.5 MPa, respectively. Furthermore, rapid chloride penetration test (RCPT) and water absorption tests were performance to signify the effects of heat-treated on OPS species LWC. The use of heat-treated OPS LWC induced the advantageous of reducing the permeability and capillary porosity as well as water absorption. Hence, the findings of this study are of primary importance as they revealed the heat treatment on OPS species LWC can be used as a new environmentally friendly method to enhance the durability of OPSLWC.

Extending the Season for Concrete Construction and Repair. Phase II - Defining Engineering Parameters

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-04-01

dosages, seemed to improve the freeze –thaw durability of concrete. Phase II found what appears to be a maximum dosage after which freeze –thaw...durability becomes a concern. That is because cement hydration can only create a finite amount of space to absorb these chemicals. Thus, for freeze ...protection, admixture dosages should be designed according to water content as specified in Phase I, while, for freeze –thaw durability, admixture dosages

Pozzolanic activity and durability of nano silica, micro silica and silica gel contained concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al Ghabban, Ahmed; Al Zubaidi, Aseel B.; Fakhri, Zahraa

2018-05-01

This paper aims to investigate the influence of replacement of cement with nano silica, micro silica and silica gel admixtures on pozzolanic activity, the replacement ratio was10% for all admixture, silica gel used in two forms (beads and crushed powder). Also, the water absorption test was investigated for obtaining the durability properties of concrete, in specimens for this test admixtures were added in four different dosages 1%, 2%, 3% and 4% by weight of the cementitious material into the concrete mixture. Experimental investigations of modified concrete were conducted after 28 days of water curing. Results showed that mixes of nano silica and crushed silica gel showed a higher pozzolanic activity index. For the water absorption test, all mixes incorporating nano silica, micro silica and silica gel showed lower absorption than control mixes best result were noticed with crushed silica gel and nano silica mixes. DTA analysis confirms the results for both poisonous activity and water absorption.

Environmental durability of reinforced concrete deck girders strengthened for shear with surface-bonded carbon fiber-reinforced polymer : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-05-01

This research investigated the durability of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites (CFRP) used for shear strengthening reinforced concrete deck girders. Large beams were used to avoid accounting for size effects in the data analysis. The effort ...

Environmental durability of reinforced concrete deck girders strengthened for shear with surface bonded carbon fiber-reinforced polymer : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-05-01

This research investigated the durability of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites (CFRP) used for shear strengthening reinforced : concrete deck girders. Large beams were used to avoid accounting for size effects in the data analysis. The effor...

Stiffness of reinforced concrete walls resisting in-place shear -- Tier 2: Aging and durability of concrete used in nuclear power plants. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Monteiro, P.J.M.; Moehle, J.P.

1995-12-01

Reinforced concrete walls are commonly used in power-plant construction to resist earthquake effects. Determination of wall stiffness is of particular importance for establishing design forces on attached equipment. Available experimental data indicate differences between the measured and calculated stiffness of walls in cases where concrete mechanical properties are well defined. Additional data indicate that in-situ concrete mechanical properties may differ significantly from those specified in design. The work summarized in this report was undertaken to investigate the mechanical properties of concrete considering aging and deterioration. Existing data on mechanical properties of concrete are evaluated, and new tests are carried outmore » on concrete cylinders batched for nuclear power plants and stored under controlled conditions for up to twenty years. It is concluded that concretes batched for nuclear power plants commonly have 28-day strength that exceeds the design value by at least 1000 psi. Under curing conditions representative of those in the interior of thick concrete elements, strength gain with time can be estimated conservatively using the expression proposed by ACI Committee 209, with strengths at 25 years being approximately 1.3 times the 28-day strength. Young`s modulus can be estimated using the expression given by ACI Committee 318. Variabilities in mechanical properties are identified. A review of concrete durability identified the main causes and results of concrete deterioration that are relevant for the class of concretes and structures commonly used in nuclear power plants. Prospects for identifying the occurrence and predicting the extent of deterioration are discussed.« less

Effects of maximum aggregate size on UPV of brick aggregate concrete.

PubMed

Mohammed, Tarek Uddin; Mahmood, Aziz Hasan

2016-07-01

Investigation was carried out to study the effects of maximum aggregate size (MAS) (12.5mm, 19.0mm, 25.0mm, 37.5mm, and 50.0mm) on ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) of concrete. For investigation, first class bricks were collected and broken to make coarse aggregate. The aggregates were tested for specific gravity, absorption capacity, unit weight, and abrasion resistance. Cylindrical concrete specimens were made with different sand to aggregate volume ratio (s/a) (0.40 and 0.45), W/C ratio (0.45, 0.50, and 0.55), and cement content (375kg/m(3) and 400kg/m(3)). The specimens were tested for compressive strength and Young's modulus. UPV through wet specimen was measured using Portable Ultrasonic Non-destructive Digital Indicating Tester (PUNDIT). Results indicate that the pulse velocity through concrete increases with an increase in MAS. Relationships between UPV and compressive strength; and UPV and Young's modulus of concrete are proposed for different maximum sizes of brick aggregate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experimental evaluation and design of unfilled and concrete-filled FRP composite piles : Task 5 : laminate durability testing : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-05-01

The overall goal of this project is the experimental evaluation and design of unfilled and concrete-filled FRP composite piles for load-bearing in bridges. This report covers Task 5, Laminate Durability Testing. : Mechanical properties of the FRP mat...

Investigation of the impact of nanotechnology on the freeze-thaw durability of concrete containing d-cracking aggregates : [technical summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-05-01

Freezing and thawing damage is the most common cause of distress in : Kansas pavements. Many locally available aggregates in Kansas do not : meet current standards for use in concrete pavements because of poor : freeze-thaw durability. The use of nan...

Effect of Lime on Mechanical and Durability Properties of Blended Cement Based Concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acharya, Prasanna Kumar; Patro, Sanjaya Kumar; Moharana, Narayana C.

2016-06-01

This work presents the results of experimental investigations performed to evaluate the effect of lime on mechanical and durability properties of concrete mixtures made with blended cement like Portland Slag Cement (PSC) and Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) with lime content of 0, 5, 7 and 10 %. Test result indicated that inclusion of hydraulic lime on replacement of cement up to 7 % increases compressive strength of concrete made with both PSC and PPC. Flexural strength increased with lime content. Highest flexural strength is reported at 7 % lime content for both PSC and PPC. Workability is observed to decrease with lime addition which could be compensated with introduction of super plasticizer. Acid and sulphate resistance increase slightly up to 7 % of lime addition and is found to decrease with further addition of lime. Lime addition up to 10 % does not affect the soundness of blended cements like PSC and PPC.

Strength and durability of concrete: Effects of cement paste-aggregate interfaces. Part 1: Theoretical study on influence of interfacial transition zone on properties of concrete materials; Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Y.; Chen, W.F.

1998-08-01

This research was based on a two-part basic research investigation studying the effects of cement paste-aggregate interfaces (or interfacial transition zones-ITZ) on strength and durability of concrete. Part 1 dealt with the theoretical study and Part 2 dealt with the experimental.

Steam Cured Self-Consolidating Concrete and the Effects of Limestone Filler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aqel, Mohammad A.

The purpose of this thesis is to determine the effect and the mechanisms associated with replacing 15% of the cement by limestone filler on the mechanical properties and durability performance of self-consolidating concrete designed and cured for precast/prestressed applications. This study investigates the role of limestone filler on the hydration kinetics, mechanical properties (12 hours to 300 days), microstructural and durability performance (rapid chloride permeability, linear shrinkage, sulfate resistance, freeze-thaw resistance and salt scaling resistance) of various self-consolidating concrete mix designs containing 5% silica fume and steam cured at a maximum holding temperature of 55°C. This research also examines the resistance to delayed ettringite formation when the concrete is steam cured at 70°C and 82°C and its secondary consequences on the freeze-thaw resistance. The effect of several experimental variables related to the concrete mix design and also the curing conditions are examined, namely: limestone filler fineness, limestone filler content, cement type, steam curing duration and steam curing temperature. In general, the results reveal that self-consolidating concrete containing 15% limestone filler, steam cured at 55°C, 70°C and 82°C, exhibited similar or superior mechanical and transport properties as well as long term durability performance compared to similar concrete without limestone filler. When the concrete is steam cured at 55°C, the chemical reactivity of limestone filler has an important role in enhancing the mechanical properties at 16 hours (compared to the concrete without limestone filler) and compensating for the dilution effect at 28 days. Although, at 300 days, the expansion of all concrete mixes are below 0.05%, the corresponding freeze-thaw durability factors vary widely and are controlled by the steam curing temperature and the chemical composition of the cement. Overall, the material properties indicate that the use

Modeling reinforced concrete durability : [summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-06-01

Many Florida bridges are built of steel-reinforced concrete. Floridas humid and marine : environments subject steel in these structures : to corrosion once water and salt penetrate the : concrete and contact the steel. Corroded steel : takes up mo...

The effect of curing conditions on the durability of high performance concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bumanis, G.; Bajare, D.

2017-10-01

This study researches compressive strength and durability of the high strength self-compacting concrete (SCC) impacted at early stage by the curing conditions. The mixture compositions of metakaolin containing waste and cenospheres as partial cement replacement (15 wt%) were compared to reference SCC with 100% cement. The specimens prepared in advance were demoulded 24h after casting of the SCC and the specific curing conditions were applied for up to 28 days: standard water curing at 20°C (i); indoor curing at 20°C, RH 60% (ii) and low temperature air curing (2°C) at RH 60% (iii). Results indicate that at early stage (14 days) indoor curing conditions increase compressive strength of the SCC whilst no strength loss has been detected even at a low temperature curing. The further strength gain has been substantially reduced for samples cured indoor and at a low temperature with significant variation observed for long term compressive strength (180 days). The metakaolin containing waste has proved to be an effective partial cement replacement and it has improved strength gain even at a low temperature curing. Meanwhile cenospheres have reduced the SCC strength and with no positive effect on strength observed within the standard term. Freeze-thaw durability and resistance to the chloride penetration have been improved for the SCC cured at low temperature. The SCC with metakaolin containing waste has proved to be the most durable thus demonstrating importance of effective micro filler use.

The durability of concrete containing a high-level of fly ash or a ternary blend of supplementary cementing materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilbert, Christine M.

The research for this study was conducted in two distinct phases as follows: Phase 1: The objective was to determine the effect of fly ash on the carbonation of concrete. The specimens made for this phase of the study were larger in size than those normally used in carbonation studies and were are meant to more accurately reflect real field conditions. The results from early age carbonation testing indicate that the larger size specimens do not have a measured depth of carbonation as great as that of the smaller specimens typically used in carbonation studies at the same age and under the same conditions. Phase 2: The objective was to evaluate the performance of ternary concrete mixes containing a ternary cement blend consisting of Portland cement, slag and Type C fly ash. It was found that concrete mixtures containing the fly ash with the lower calcium (CaO) content (in binary or ternary blends) provided superior durability performance and resistance to ASR compared to that of the fly ash with the higher CaO content. Ternary blends (regardless of the CaO content of the fly ash) provided better overall durability performance than binary blends of cementing materials or the control.

Experimental data on compressive strength and durability of sulfur concrete modified by styrene and bitumen.

PubMed

Dehestani, M; Teimortashlu, E; Molaei, M; Ghomian, M; Firoozi, S; Aghili, S

2017-08-01

In this data article experimental data on the compressive strength, and the durability of styrene and bitumen modified sulfur concrete against acidic water and ignition are presented. The percent of the sulfur cement and the gradation of the aggregates used are according to the ACI 548.2R-93 and ASTM 3515 respectively. For the styrene modified sulfur concrete different percentages of styrene are used. Also for the bitumen modified sulfur concrete, different percentages of bitumen and the emulsifying agent (triton X-100) are utilized. From each batch three 10×10×10 cm cubic samples were casted. One of the samples was used for the compressive strength on the second day of casting, and one on the twenty-eighth day. Then the two samples were put under the high pressure flame of the burning liquid gas for thirty seconds and their ignition resistances were observed. The third sample was put into the acidic water and after twenty eight days immersion in water was dried in the ambient temperature. After drying its compressive strength has been evaluated.

Durability of lightweight concrete : Phase I : concrete temperature study.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1968-08-01

This report describes a study conducted to determine the temperature gradient throughout the depth of a six inch concrete bridge deck. The bridge deck selected for study was constructed using lightweight concrete for the center spans and sand and gra...

Durability of crystalline phase in concrete microstructure modified by the mineral powders: evaluation by nanoindentation tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajczakowska, Magdalena; Łydżba, Dariusz

2016-03-01

This paper presents the nanoindentation investigation of the evolution of concrete microstructure modified by the Internal Crystallization Technology mineral powders. The samples under study were retrieved from a fragment of a circular concrete lining of the vertical mine shaft at a depth of approximately 1,000 m. Due to the aggressive environment and exposure to contaminated water, the internal surface of the structure was deteriorated, decreasing its strength significantly. The mineral powders were applied directly on the surface lining. The specimens were investigated one month, three months and one year after the application of the aforementioned substance in order to verify the time dependence of the strengthening processes and durability of the crystalline phase. The microstructural changes of concrete were assessed with the use of nanoindentation technique. The testing procedure involved including the previously cut specimens in the epoxy resin and grinding and polishing in order to reduce the surface roughness. As a result of the nanoindentation tests the hardness as well as Young's modulus of the material were evaluated. The results were then compared and statistically analyzed. As a consequence, the disintegration time of the crystalline network in the pores of concrete was identified.

High performance concrete bridges

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-08-01

This compilation of FHWA reports focuses on high performance concrete bridges. High performance concrete is described as concrete with enhanced durability and strength characteristics. Under the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP), more than 40...

Durable high strength cement concrete topping for asphalt roads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vyrozhemskyi, Valerii; Krayushkina, Kateryna; Bidnenko, Nataliia

2017-09-01

Work on improving riding qualities of pavements by means of placing a thin cement layer with high roughness and strength properties on the existing asphalt pavement were conducted in Ukraine for the first time. Such pavement is called HPCM (High Performance Cementitious Material). This is a high-strength thin cement-layer pavement of 8-9 mm thickness reinforced with metal or polymer fiber of less than 5 mm length. Increased grip properties are caused by placement of stone material of 3-5 mm fraction on the concrete surface. As a result of the research, the preparation and placement technology of high-strength cement thin-layer pavement reinforced with fiber was developed to improve friction properties of existing asphalt pavements which ensures their roughness and durability. It must be emphasized that HPCM is a fundamentally new type of thin-layer pavement in which a rigid layer of 10 mm thickness is placed on a non-rigid base thereby improving riding qualities of asphalt pavement at any season of a year.

Chemical, Mechanical, and Durability Properties of Concrete with Local Mineral Admixtures under Sulfate Environment in Northwest China.

PubMed

Nie, Qingke; Zhou, Changjun; Shu, Xiang; He, Qiang; Huang, Baoshan

2014-05-13

Over the vast Northwest China, arid desert contains high concentrations of sulfate, chloride, and other chemicals in the ground water, which poses serious challenges to infrastructure construction that routinely utilizes portland cement concrete. Rapid industrialization in the region has been generating huge amounts of mineral admixtures, such as fly ash and slags from energy and metallurgical industries. These industrial by-products would turn into waste materials if not utilized in time. The present study evaluated the suitability of utilizing local mineral admixtures in significant quantities for producing quality concrete mixtures that can withstand the harsh chemical environment without compromising the essential mechanical properties. Comprehensive chemical, mechanical, and durability tests were conducted in the laboratory to characterize the properties of the local cementitious mineral admixtures, cement mortar and portland cement concrete mixtures containing these admixtures. The results from this study indicated that the sulfate resistance of concrete was effectively improved by adding local class F fly ash and slag, or by applying sulfate resistance cement to the mixtures. It is noteworthy that concrete containing local mineral admixtures exhibited much lower permeability (in terms of chloride ion penetration) than ordinary portland cement concrete while retaining the same mechanical properties; whereas concrete mixtures made with sulfate resistance cement had significantly reduced strength and much increased chloride penetration comparing to the other mixtures. Hence, the use of local mineral admixtures in Northwest China in concrete mixtures would be beneficial to the performance of concrete, as well as to the protection of environment.

Chemical, Mechanical, and Durability Properties of Concrete with Local Mineral Admixtures under Sulfate Environment in Northwest China

PubMed Central

Nie, Qingke; Zhou, Changjun; Shu, Xiang; He, Qiang; Huang, Baoshan

2014-01-01

Over the vast Northwest China, arid desert contains high concentrations of sulfate, chloride, and other chemicals in the ground water, which poses serious challenges to infrastructure construction that routinely utilizes portland cement concrete. Rapid industrialization in the region has been generating huge amounts of mineral admixtures, such as fly ash and slags from energy and metallurgical industries. These industrial by-products would turn into waste materials if not utilized in time. The present study evaluated the suitability of utilizing local mineral admixtures in significant quantities for producing quality concrete mixtures that can withstand the harsh chemical environment without compromising the essential mechanical properties. Comprehensive chemical, mechanical, and durability tests were conducted in the laboratory to characterize the properties of the local cementitious mineral admixtures, cement mortar and portland cement concrete mixtures containing these admixtures. The results from this study indicated that the sulfate resistance of concrete was effectively improved by adding local class F fly ash and slag, or by applying sulfate resistance cement to the mixtures. It is noteworthy that concrete containing local mineral admixtures exhibited much lower permeability (in terms of chloride ion penetration) than ordinary portland cement concrete while retaining the same mechanical properties; whereas concrete mixtures made with sulfate resistance cement had significantly reduced strength and much increased chloride penetration comparing to the other mixtures. Hence, the use of local mineral admixtures in Northwest China in concrete mixtures would be beneficial to the performance of concrete, as well as to the protection of environment. PMID:28788648

Modeling reinforced concrete durability.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-06-01

This project developed a next-generation modeling approach for projecting the extent of : reinforced concrete corrosion-related damage, customized for new and existing Florida Department of : Transportation bridges and suitable for adapting to broade...

Research on Durability of Recycled Ceramic Powder Concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, M. C.; Fang, W.; Xu, K. C.; Xie, L.

2017-06-01

Ceramic was ground into powder with 325 mesh and used to prepare for concrete. Basic mechanical properties, carbonation and chloride ion penetration of the concrete tests were conducted. In addition, 6-hour electric fluxes of recycled ceramic powder concrete were measured under loading. The results showed that the age strength of ceramics powder concrete is higher than that of the ordinary concrete and the fly ash concrete. The ceramic powder used as admixture would reduce the strength of concrete under no consideration of its impact factor; under consideration of the impact factor for ceramic powder as admixture, the carbonation resistance of ceramic powder concrete was significantly improved, and the 28 day carbonation depth of the ceramic powder concrete was only 31.5% of ordinary concrete. The anti-chloride-permeability of recycled ceramic powder concrete was excellent.

(Durability of building materials and components)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Naus, D.J.

1990-11-27

The traveler participated in the fourth meeting of RILEM 100-TSL, Techniques for Service Life Prediction,'' and The Fifth International Conference on Durability of Building Materials and Components.'' In addition, the traveler met with staff members at Taywood Engineering Ltd., Electricite de France, and AEA Technology. The meeting pertained to performance of concrete materials in nuclear power plant structures, time variation of concrete material properties, methods for evaluating concrete structures, and modeling to predict the effects of degradation factors on concrete materials. As many of the concrete structures in general civil engineering applications as well as nuclear power plant applications inmore » Europe are aging, there is increasing emphasis on assessing the durability of these structures. Information was provided of direct application to the Structural Aging Program which would not have been available without these visits. Of equal, or possibly more importance, was the individual contacts established at the organizations visited. Each organization was extremely interested in both the approach and scope of the Structural Aging Program and requested that they be informed of progress. The initial steps were taken to cooperate with several of these researchers and this should help the Structural Aging Program keep abreast of related European activities. In summary, information obtained during this trip will benefit the ongoing Structural Aging Program by informing Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) of the extensive European research programs addressing the durability of concrete structures, and also by forming and strengthening acquaintances with counterparts in other countries, thus enhancing the basis for possible international cooperation.« less

Concrete Durability: A Multibillion-Dollar Opportunity

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-01-01

Fum -Containing Products 79 MDF Materials 85 Fiber-Reinforced Materials 85 Modified - Sulfur Concretes 87 References 88 APPENDIX: BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES...construction. MODIFIED - SULFUR CONCRETES Molten sulfur-sand grouts have been used for many years in the constructLin of acid vats because of their

Study on improvement of durability for reinforced concrete by surface-painting migrating corrosion inhibitor and engineering application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Ning; WANG, Zixiao; LIU, Zhiyong; Zhou, Jiyuan; Zheng, Duo

2017-01-01

The corrosion currents of steel bar in concrete with three W/B and four chloride contents after surface-painting two migrating corrosion inhibitors (PCI-2015 and MCI-A) 14d to 150d in atmospheric condition were measured. The results showed that the corrosion current density (I corr) of steel bar reduced to 0.1 μA.cm-2 from the initial highest 3.833 μA.cm-2 (W/B=0.65, NaCl-1%) after surface-painting PCI-2015 14 d, and the I corr was still lower than 0.1 μA.cm-2 until 150d. The compressive strength and chloride migration coefficient of concrete specimens were tested. The possible reasons of the mechanisms of durability improvement for reinforced concrete by applying PCI-2015 inhibitor were PCI-2015 may be reacted with calcium hydroxide in cement concrete and lots of inhibitor particles may be adsorbed on the active sites first and then a stable protective layer may be formed. The I corr of steel bars in a hydraulic aqueduct concrete structure after painting PCI-2015, MCI-A (the United States) and MCI-B (Europe) during 6 months was monitored by Gecor 8 tester. The results showed that the average values of I corr of steel bars after painting the PCI-2015 150d fulfilled the specification requirements in “Design code for concrete structure strengthening (E.3) ”(GB 50367-2013).

Durability of Bricks Coated with Red mud Based Geopolymer Paste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Smita; Basavanagowda, S. N.; Aswath, M. U.; Ranganath, R. V.

2016-09-01

The present study is undertaken to assess the durability of concrete blocks coated with red mud - fly ash based geopolymer paste. Concrete blocks of size 200 x 200 x 100mm were coated with geopolymer paste synthesized by varying the percentages of red mud and fly ash. Uncoated concrete blocks were also tested for the durability for comparison. In thermal resistance test, the blocks were subjected to 600°C for an hour whereas in acid resistance test, they were kept in 5% sulphuric acid solution for 4 weeks. The specimens were thereafter studied for surface degradation, strength loss and weight loss. Pastes with red mud percentage greater than 50% developed lot of shrinkage cracks. The blocks coated with 30% and 50% red mud paste showed better durability than the other blocks. The use of blocks coated with red mud - fly ash geopolymer paste improves the aesthetics, eliminates the use of plaster and improves the durability of the structure.

Fibre Concrete 2017

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2017-09-01

9th international conference on fibre reinforced concretes (FRC), textile reinforced concretes (TRC) and ultra-high performance concretes (UHPC) Preface The Fibre Concrete Conference series is held biennially to provide a platform to share knowledge on fibre reinforced concretes, textile concretes and ultra-high performance concretes regarding material properties and behaviour, technology procedures, topics of long-term behaviour, creep, durability; sustainable aspects of concrete including utilisation of waste materials in concrete production and recycling of concrete. The tradition of Fibre Concrete Conferences started in eighties of the last century. Nowadays the conference is organized by the Department of Concrete and Masonry Structures of the Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Civil Engineering. The 9th International Conference Fibre Concrete 2017 had 109 participants from 27 countries all over the world. 55 papers were presented including keynote lectures of Professor Bažant, Professor Bartoš and Dr. Broukalová. The conference program covered wide range of topics from scientific research to practical applications. The presented contributions related to performance and behaviour of cement based composites, their long-term behaviour and durability, sustainable aspects, advanced analyses of structures from these composites and successful applications. This conference was organized also to honour Professor Zděnek P. Bažant on the occasion of his jubilee and to appreciate his merits and discoveries in the field of fibre reinforced composites, structural mechanics and engineering.

State-of-the-Art Report About Durability of Post-Tensioned Bridge Substructures

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-10-01

Durability design requires an understanding of the factors influencing durability and the measures necessary to improve durability of concrete structures. The objectives of this report are to: 1. Survey the condition of bridge substructures in Texas;...

Effect of boron waste on the properties of mortar and concrete.

PubMed

Topçu, Iker Bekir; Boga, Ahmet Raif

2010-07-01

Utilization of by-products or waste materials in concrete production are important subjects for sustainable development and industrial ecology concepts. The usages as mineral admixtures or fine aggregates improve the durability properties of concrete and thus increase the economic and environmental advantages for the concrete industry. The effect of clay waste (CW) containing boron on the mechanical properties of concrete was investigated. CW was added in different proportions as cement additive in concrete. The effect of CW on workability and strength of concrete were analysed by fresh and hardened concrete tests. The results obtained were compared with control concrete properties and Turkish standard values. The results showed that the addition of CW had a small effect upon the workability of the concrete but an important effect on the reduction of its strength. It was observed that strength values were quite near to that of control concrete when not more than 10% CW was used in place of cement. In addition to concrete specimens, replacing cement with CW produced mortar specimens, which were investigated for their strength and durability properties. The tests of SO( 4) (2-) and Cl(-) effect as well as freeze-thaw behaviour related to the durability of mortar were performed. Consequently, it can be said that some improvements were obtained in durability properties even if mechanical properties had decreased with increasing CW content.

Portland cement concrete air content study.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1987-04-20

This study took the analysis of Portland cement concrete air content. Based on the information gathered, this study hold the results were : 1) air-entrained concrete was more durable than non-air entrained concrete all other factors being equal; 2) A...

Maximum heat of mass concrete - phase 2 [summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-12-01

Concrete hardens through a chemical reaction that produces heat and expansion, followed by contraction as the concrete cools. Concrete near the edge of a pour cools faster and shrinks earlier than concrete further from the edge. Most concrete pours a...

Performance of Microbial Concrete Developed Using Bacillus Subtilus JC3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, M. V. Seshagiri; Reddy, V. Srinivasa; Sasikala, Ch.

2017-12-01

Concrete is vulnerable to deterioration, corrosion, and cracks, and the consequent damage and loss of strength requires immensely expensive remediation and repair. So need for special concrete that they would respond to crack formation with an autonomous self-healing action lead to research and development of microbial concrete. The microbial concrete works on the principle of calcite mineral precipitation by a specific group of alkali-resistant spore-forming bacteria related to the genus Bacillus called Bacillus subtilis JC3, this phenomenon is called biomineralization or Microbiologically Induced Calcite Crystal Precipitation. Bacillus subtilis JC3, a common soil bacterium, has inherent ability to precipitate calcite crystals continuously which enhances the strength and durability performance of concrete enormously. This microbial concrete can be called as a "Self healing Bacterial Concrete" because it can remediate its cracks by itself without any human intervention and would make the concrete more durable and sustainable. This paper discuss the incorporation of microorganism Bacillus subtilis JC3 (developed at JNTU, India) into concrete and presents the results of experimental investigations carried out to study the improved durability and sustainability characteristics of microbial concrete.

Mechanical Properties and Durability of "Waterless Concrete"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toutanji, Houssam; Grugel, Richard N.

2008-01-01

Waterless concrete consists of molten elementary sulfur and aggregate. The aggregates in lunar environment will be lunar rocks and soil. Sulfur is present on the Moon in Troilite soil (FeS) and by oxidation soil iron and sulfur can be produced. Iron can be used to reinforce the sulfur concrete. Sulfur concrete specimens were cycled between liquid nitrogen (approximately 191 C) and room temperature (approximately 21 C) to simulate exposure to a lunar environment. Cycled and control specimens were subsequently tested in compression at room temperatures (approximately 21 C) and approximately 101 C. Test results showed that due to temperature cycling, compressive strength of cycled specimens was 20% of those non-cycled. Microscopic examination of the fracture surfaces from the cycled samples showed clear de-bonding of the sulfur from the aggregate material whereas it was seen well bonded in those non-cycled. This reduction in strength can be attributed to the large differences in thermal coefficients of expansion of the materials constituting the concrete which promoted cracking. Similar sulfur concrete mixtures were strengthened with short and long glass fibers. The glass fibers from lunar regolith simulant was melted in a 25 cc Pt-Rh crucible in a Sybron Thermoline high temperature MoSi2 furnace at melting temperatures of 1450 to 1600 C for times of 30 min to 1 hour. Glass fibers were cast from the melt into graphite crucibles and were annealed for a couple of hours at 600 C. Glass fibers and small rods were pulled from the melt. The glass melt wets the ceramic rod and long continuous glass fibers were easily hand drawn. The glass fibers were immediately coated with a protective polymer to maintain the mechanical strength. The glass fibers were used to reinforce sulfur concrete plated to improve the flexural strength of the sulfur concrete. Prisms beams strengthened with glass fibers were tested in 4-point bending test. Beams strengthened with glass fiber showed to

Evaluation of bridge deck with shrinkage-compensating concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-04-01

Concrete bridge decks are susceptible to premature cracking and to corrosion of reinforcing steel. Low-permeability : concrete does not always ensure durability if the concrete has excessive cracks that facilitate the intrusion of aggressive solution...

Maintenance and Durability of the Concrete External Layer of Curtain Walls in Prefabricated Technological Poznan Large Panel System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jasiczak, Józef; Girus, Krzysztof

2017-10-01

The issue of usability and durability of large-panel building constructed several decades ago is a subject of an in-depth analysis of many domestic and foreign investments. When considering the durability of specific large-panel system, one should consider, among others, the process of making external walls. The long-term and direct impact of weather conditions on the external layer of curtain walls is significant for the durability of large-panel buildings. For the needs of the presented paper, in 2016, the survey of cracks and a series of other tests of large-panel façade, residential building constructed in 1986, in Poland, in the PLP process system - Rataje was executed. Several hundred large-size, triple-layer curtain-wall slab with a 6-cm, concrete exterior cladding layer anchored using pins and hangers with the load-bearing layer, a 9-cm insulation layer made of mineral wool, and a 21-cm structural layer were surveyed. Significant deviations in thicknesses of particular wall layers were proven. Other significant damages and defects of external layers were found. At the second stage, many tests, both nondestructive and destructive, were conducted. They involved determining mechanical properties of an external layer. The concrete thickness was measured using with a type N Schmidt sclerometer and core samples were taken from this layer in order to mark concrete’s compressive strength. The range of carbonation (by phenolphthalein method) and the actual location and condition of reinforcement were estimated using a ferromagnetic device to determine the condition of the external layer. The diagnosis conducted in such a manner was the verification of necessary repair of the walls and their thermal efficiency improvement while ensuring safe conditions of their operation and modern functional and utility requirements. It should be also emphasized that the method of diagnosing the external walls presented in this paper may be popularized when evaluating such

Monitoring the Durability Performance of Concrete in Nuclear Waste Containment. Technical Progress Report No. 4

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ulm, Franz-Josef

2000-06-30

OAK-B135 Monitoring the Durability Performance of Concrete in Nuclear Waste Containment. Technical Progress Report No. 4. The analysis of the effect of cracks on the acceleration of the calcium leaching process of cement-based materials has been pursued. During the last period (Technical Progress Report No 3), we have introduced a modeling accounting for the high diffusivity of fractures in comparison with the weak solid material diffusivity. It has been shown through dimensional and asymptotic analysis that small fractures do not significantly accelerate the material aging process. This important result for the overall structural aging kinetics of containment structure has beenmore » developed in a paper submitted to the international journal ''Transport in Porous Media''.« less

Eco-friendly GGBS Concrete: A State-of-The-Art Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saranya, P.; Nagarajan, Praveen; Shashikala, A. P.

2018-03-01

Concrete is the most commonly used material in the construction industry in which cement is its vital ingredient. Although the advantages of concrete are many, there are side effects leading to environmental issues. The manufacturing process of cement emits considerable amount of carbon dioxide (CO2). Therefore is an urgent need to reduce the usage of cement. Ground Granulated Blast furnace Slag (GGBS) is a by-product from steel industry. It has good structural and durable properties with less environmental effects. This paper critically reviews the literatures available on GGBS used in cement concrete. In this paper, the literature available on GGBS are grouped into engineering properties of GGBS concrete, hydraulic action of GGBS in concrete, durability properties of GGBS concrete, self- compacting GGBS concrete and ultrafine GGBS are highlighted. From the review of literature, it was found that the use of GGBS in concrete construction will be eco-friendly and economical. The optimum percentage of replacement of cement by GGBS lies between 40 - 45 % by weight. New materials that can be added in addition to GGBS for getting better strength and durability also highlighted.

Quick test for durability factor estimation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-03-01

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is considering the use of the AASHTO T 161 Durability Factor (DF) as an endresult : performance specification criterion for evaluation of paving concrete. However, the test method duration can exceed ...

Data on optimum recycle aggregate content in production of new structural concrete.

PubMed

Paul, Suvash Chandra

2017-12-01

This data presented herein are the research summary of "mechanical behavior and durability performance of concrete containing recycled concrete aggregate" (Paul, 2011) [1]. The results reported in this article relate to an important parameter of optimum content of recycle concrete aggregate (RCA) in production of new concrete for both structural and non-structural applications. For the purpose of the research various types of physical, mechanical and durability tests are performed for concrete made with different percentages of RCA. Therefore, this data set can be a great help of the readers to understand the mechanism of RCA in relates to the concrete properties.

Concrete performance using low-degradation aggregates.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-06-01

The durability of Portland cement concrete (PCC) has long been identified as a concern by transportation communities around the United States. In this study, the long-term performance of two batches of concrete incorporating either low-degradation (L...

The Behavior and Durability of Self-Consolidating Concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-05-01

This report focuses on the production of self-consolidating concrete using local materials from Las Vegas, Nevada. Tests were conducted on eight self-consolidating concrete mixtures having two different percentages of fly-ash replacement (25% and 35%...

Biocalcification by halophilic bacteria for remediation of concrete structures in marine environment.

PubMed

Bansal, Roohi; Dhami, Navdeep Kaur; Mukherjee, Abhijit; Reddy, M Sudhakara

2016-11-01

Microbial carbonate precipitation has emerged as a promising technology for remediation and restoration of concrete structures. Deterioration of reinforced concrete structures in marine environments is a major concern due to chloride-induced corrosion. In the current study, halophilic bacteria Exiguobacterium mexicanum was isolated from sea water and tested for biomineralization potential under different salt stress conditions. The growth, urease and carbonic anhydrase production significantly increased under salt stress conditions. Maximum calcium carbonate precipitation was recorded at 5 % NaCl concentration. Application of E. mexicanum on concrete specimens significantly increased the compressive strength (23.5 %) and reduced water absorption about five times under 5 % salt stress conditions compared to control specimens. SEM and XRD analysis of bacterial-treated concrete specimens confirmed the precipitation of calcite. The present study results support the potential of this technology for improving the strength and durability properties of building structures in marine environments.

Application of ultra-high performance concrete to bridge girders.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-02-01

"Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) is a new class of concrete that has superior performance characteristics : compared to conventional concrete. The enhanced strength and durability properties of UHPC are mainly due to optimized : particle grada...

Studies concerning the durability of concrete vaults for intermediate level radioactive waste disposal: Electrochemical monitoring and corrosion aspects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duffó, G. S.; Farina, S. B.; Arva, E. A.; Giordano, C. M.; Lafont, C. J.

2006-11-01

The Argentine Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) is responsible of the development of a management nuclear waste disposal programme. This programme contemplates the design and construction of a facility for the final disposal of intermediate-level radioactive waste. The proposed concept is the near-surface monolithic repository similar to those in operation in El Cabril, Spain. The design of this type of repository is based on the use of multiple, independent and redundant barriers. Since the vault and cover are major components of the engineered barriers, the durability of these concrete structures is an important aspect for the facilities integrity. This work presents a laboratory and field investigation performed for the last 6 years on reinforced concrete specimens, in order to predict the service life of the intermediate level radioactive waste disposal vaults from data obtained from electrochemical techniques. On the other hand, the development of sensors that allow on-line measurements of rebar corrosion potential and corrosion current density; incoming oxygen flow that reaches the metal surface; concrete electrical resistivity and chloride concentration is shown. Those sensors, properly embedded in a new full scale vault (nowadays in construction), will allow the monitoring of the corrosion process of the steel rebars embedded in thestructure.

Prediction model for carbonation depth of concrete subjected to freezing-thawing cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Qian Hui; Li, Qiang; Guan, Xiao; Xian Zou, Ying

2018-03-01

Through the indoor simulation test of the concrete durability under the coupling effect of freezing-thawing and carbonation, the variation regularity of concrete neutralization depth under freezing-thawing and carbonation was obtained. Based on concrete carbonation mechanism, the relationship between the air diffusion coefficient and porosity in concrete was analyzed and the calculation method of porosity in Portland cement concrete and fly ash cement concrete was investigated, considering the influence of the freezing-thawing damage on the concrete diffusion coefficient. Finally, a prediction model of carbonation depth of concrete under freezing-thawing circumstance was established. The results obtained using this prediction model agreed well with the experimental test results, and provided a theoretical reference and basis for the concrete durability analysis under multi-factor environments.

Cost-effective and rapid concrete repair techniques.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-02-08

Concrete is a principal component of many transportation structures. While highly durable, a : variety of processes degrade and damage concrete. Replacement is expensive. Many cases : warrant repair instead of replacement. Since many damage processes...

Effects of lightweight fly ash aggregate properties on the behavior of lightweight concretes.

PubMed

Kockal, Niyazi Ugur; Ozturan, Turan

2010-07-15

Influence of different lightweight fly ash aggregates on the behavior of concrete mixtures was discussed. The performance characteristics of lightweight concretes (LWCs) and normalweight concrete (NWC) were investigated through compressive strength, modulus of elasticity and splitting tensile strength representing the mechanical behavior; through rapid chloride permeability representing the transport properties and through rapid freezing and thawing cycling representing the durability of concrete. In order to investigate the aggregate-cement paste interfacial transition zone (ITZ), SEM observations were performed. Regression and graphical analysis of the experimental data obtained were also performed. An increase in compressive strength was observed with the increase in oven-dry density. The ratios of splitting tensile strength to compressive strength of lightweight aggregate concretes were found to be similar to that of normalweight concrete. All the 28- and 56-day concrete specimens had a durability factor greater than 85 and 90, respectively, which met the requirement for freezing and thawing durability. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Laboratory and field evaluation of concrete paving curing effectiveness.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-12-01

Ensuring that sufficient water is available in hydrating concrete is of great importance to produce durable : concrete and achieve both short- and long-term performance of concrete pavement. Excessive early-age : evaporation from the surface of concr...

Internal curing of high-performance concrete for bridge decks.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-03-01

High performance concrete (HPC) provides a long lasting, durable concrete that is typically used in bridge decks due to its low permeability, high abrasion resistance, freeze-thaw resistance and strength. However, this type of concrete is highly susc...

Strength and durability of concrete: Effects of cement paste-aggregate interfaces. Part 2: Significance of transition zones on physical and mechanical properties of portland cement mortar; Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, T.F.F.; Cohen, M.D.; Chen, W.F.

1998-08-01

The research was based on a two-part basic research investigation studying the effects of cement paste-aggregate interfaces (or interfacial transition zones-ITZ) on strength and durability of concrete. Part 1 dealt with the theoretical study and Part 2 dealt with the experimental.

Performance of an unbonded concrete overlay on I-74

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-04-01

In Illinois, the typical rehabilitation for a concrete pavement is full-depth patching of the distressed concrete, and overlaying the pavement with 3.25 inches of bituminous concrete. In cases where there are poor joints or extensive durability crack...

Durability Indicators Comparison for SCC and CC in Tropical Coastal Environments.

PubMed

Calado, Carlos; Camões, Aires; Monteiro, Eliana; Helene, Paulo; Barkokébas, Béda

2015-03-27

Self-compacting concrete (SCC) demands more studies of durability at higher temperatures when subjected to more aggressive environments in comparison to the conventional vibrated concrete (CC). This work aims at presenting results of durability indicators of SCC and CC, having the same water/binder relations and constituents. The applied methodologies were electrical resistivity, diffusion of chloride ions and accelerated carbonation experiments, among others, such as microstructure study, scanning electron microscope and microtomography experiments. The tests were performed in a research laboratory and at a construction site of the Pernambuco Arena. The obtained results shows that the SCC presents an average electrical resistivity 11.4% higher than CC; the average chloride ions diffusion was 63.3% of the CC; the average accelerated carbonation penetration was 45.8% of the CC; and the average open porosity was 55.6% of the CC. As the results demonstrated, the SCC can be more durable than CC, which contributes to elucidate the aspects related to its durability and consequent prolonged life cycle.

Deterioration of concrete structures in coastal environment due to carbonation.

PubMed

Balaji, K V G D; Gopalaraju, S S S V; Trilochan, Jena

2010-07-01

Failure of existing concrete structures takes place due to lack of durability, and not due to less structural strength. One of the important aspects of durability is carbonation depth. The rate of carbonation in concrete is influenced by both its physical properties and exposure conditions. Rebar corrodes when carbonation reaches to a depth of concrete cover provided. In the present work, various concrete structures with different life periods and exposed to different weather conditions have been considered to study the carbonation effect. It is observed that the effect of carbonation is more in the structures located near to the sea coast and on windward face of the structure.

The maximum percentage of fly ash to replace part of original Portland cement (OPC) in producing high strength concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallisa, Harun; Turuallo, Gidion

2017-11-01

This research investigates the maximum percent of fly ash to replace part of Orginal Portland Cement (OPC) in producing high strength concrete. Many researchers have found that the incorporation of industrial by-products such as fly ash as in producing concrete can improve properties in both fresh and hardened state of concrete. The water-binder ratio was used 0.30. The used sand was medium sand with the maximum size of coarse aggregate was 20 mm. The cement was Type I, which was Bosowa Cement produced by PT Bosowa. The percentages of fly ash to the total of a binder, which were used in this research, were 0, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30%; while the super platicizer used was typed Naptha 511P. The results showed that the replacement cement up to 25 % of the total weight of binder resulted compressive strength higher than the minimum strength at one day of high-strength concrete.

Improving degradation resistance of sisal fiber in concrete through fiber surface treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Jianqiang; Meyer, Christian

2014-01-01

As part of an ongoing effort to improve the sustainability of reinforced concrete, recycled concrete aggregate is being considered together with natural fibers such as sisal fiber as replacement of synthetic reinforcement. Since natural fibers are known to undergo potential deterioration in the alkaline cement matrix especially in outdoor erosive environment, they need to be treated to improve their durability. This paper describes two such methods (thermal and Na2CO3 treatment) and evaluates their effects on the degradation resistance of sisal fiber and durability of sisal fiber-reinforced concrete with recycled concrete aggregate. Concrete specimens were subjected to cycles of wetting and drying to accelerate aging. The microstructure, tensile strength and Young's modulus of sisal fiber as well as the weight loss of the composite were evaluated. Of primary interest were the effects on compressive and splitting tensile strength of sisal fiber-reinforced concrete. Thermal treatment and Na2CO3 surface treatment were shown to improve the durability of the composite as measured by splitting tensile strength by 36.5% and 46.2% and the compressive strength by 31.1% and 45.4%, respectively. The mechanisms of these two treatment methods were also analyzed. The thermal treatment achieved improvement of cellulose's crystallization, which ensured the initial strength and improved durability of sisal fiber. A layer consisting of calcium carbonate sediments, which protects the internals of a fiber from the strong alkali solution formed in the cement hydration process, was formed and filled in pits and cavities on the Na2CO3 treated sisal fiber's surface to improve their corrosion resistance and durability and reduced the detrimental effects of Na+ ions on concrete.

Improved strength and durability of concrete through metabolic activity of ureolytic bacteria.

PubMed

Alonso, Maria Jose Castro; Ortiz, Carlos Eloir Lopez; Perez, Sixto Omar Garcia; Narayanasamy, Rajeswari; Fajardo San Miguel, Gerardo Del Jesús; Hernández, Héctor Herrera; Balagurusamy, Nagamani

2017-06-07

In recent years, biomineralization process is being employed in development of bioconcrete, which is emerging as a sustainable method to enhance the durability of concrete by way of increasing compressive strength and reducing the chloride permeability. In this study, different bacterial strains isolated from the soils of the Laguna Region of Mexico were selected for further study. ACRN5 strain demonstrated higher urease activity than other strains, and the optimum substrate concentration, pH, and temperature were 120 mM, pH 8, and 25 °C, respectively. Further, Km and Vmax of urease activity of ACRN5 were 21.38 mM and 0.212 mM min -1 , respectively. It was observed that addition of ACRN5 at 10 5  cells ml -1 to cement-water mixture significantly increased (14.94%) in compressive strength after 36 days of curing and reduced chloride penetration. Deposition of calcite in bio-mortars was observed in scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray diffraction spectrometry analyses. Results of this study demonstrated the role of microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation in improving the physico-mechanical properties of bio-mortars.

Effects of Irradiation on Albite's Chemical Durability.

PubMed

Hsiao, Yi-Hsuan; La Plante, Erika Callagon; Krishnan, N M Anoop; Le Pape, Yann; Neithalath, Narayanan; Bauchy, Mathieu; Sant, Gaurav

2017-10-19

Albite (NaAlSi 3 O 8 ), a framework silicate of the plagioclase feldspar family and a common constituent of felsic rocks, is often present in the siliceous mineral aggregates that compose concrete. When exposed to radiation (e.g., in the form of neutrons) in nuclear power plants, the crystal structure of albite can undergo significant alterations. These alterations may degrade its chemical durability. Indeed, careful examinations of Ar + -implanted albite carried out using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and molecular dynamics simulations show that albite's crystal structure, upon irradiation, undergoes progressive disordering, resulting in an expansion in its molar volume (i.e., a reduction of density) and a reduction in the connectivity of its atomic network. This loss of network connectivity (i.e., rigidity) results in an enhancement of the aqueous dissolution rate of albite-measured using vertical scanning interferometry (VSI) in alkaline environments-by a factor of 20. This enhancement in the dissolution rate (i.e., reduction in chemical durability) of albite following irradiation has significant impacts on the durability of felsic rocks and of concrete containing them upon their exposure to radiation in nuclear power plant (NPP) environments.

Development of Non-Proprietary Ultra-High Performance Concrete : Project Summary Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-12-01

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) has mechanical and durability properties that far exceed those of conventional concrete. Thus, elements made with UHPC can be thinner/lighter than elements made with conventional concrete. The enhanced durabilit...

Evaluation of bridge deck with shrinkage-compensating concrete : VCTIR report detail.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-01-01

Concrete bridge decks are susceptible to premature cracking and to corrosion of reinforcing steel. Low-permeability concrete does not always ensure durability if the concrete has excessive cracks that facilitate the intrusion of aggressive solutions....

Durability performance of submerged concrete structures - phase 2 : [summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-10-01

Thousands of Florida bridges have steel-reinforced concrete piling foundations standing : in salt water. Over time, chloride ions in the water can migrate through the concrete to : attack the steel inside. The Florida Department of Transportation (FD...

Research notes : durability of composite repairs on bridges.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-08-01

The research showed that conditions that allow moisture to get under the carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites (CFRP) combined with freeze-thaw were detrimental to durability. In addition, the results showed that the American Concrete Institute ...

Durability Indicators Comparison for SCC and CC in Tropical Coastal Environments

PubMed Central

Calado, Carlos; Camões, Aires; Monteiro, Eliana; Helene, Paulo; Barkokébas, Béda

2015-01-01

Self-compacting concrete (SCC) demands more studies of durability at higher temperatures when subjected to more aggressive environments in comparison to the conventional vibrated concrete (CC). This work aims at presenting results of durability indicators of SCC and CC, having the same water/binder relations and constituents. The applied methodologies were electrical resistivity, diffusion of chloride ions and accelerated carbonation experiments, among others, such as microstructure study, scanning electron microscope and microtomography experiments. The tests were performed in a research laboratory and at a construction site of the Pernambuco Arena. The obtained results shows that the SCC presents an average electrical resistivity 11.4% higher than CC; the average chloride ions diffusion was 63.3% of the CC; the average accelerated carbonation penetration was 45.8% of the CC; and the average open porosity was 55.6% of the CC. As the results demonstrated, the SCC can be more durable than CC, which contributes to elucidate the aspects related to its durability and consequent prolonged life cycle. PMID:28788012

Influence of Aggregate Coated with Modified Sulfur on the Properties of Cement Concrete

PubMed Central

Lee, Swoo-Heon; Hong, Ki-Nam; Park, Jae-Kyu; Ko, Jung

2014-01-01

This paper proposes the mixing design of concrete having modified sulfur-coated aggregate (MSCA) to enhance the durability of Portland cement concrete. The mechanical properties and durability of the proposed MSCA concrete were evaluated experimentally. Melting-modified sulfur was mixed with aggregate in order to coat the aggregate surface at a speed of 20 rpm for 120 s. The MSCA with modified sulfur corresponding to 5% of the cement weight did not significantly affect the flexural strength in a prism concrete beam specimen, regardless of the water-cement ratio (W/C). However, a dosage of more than 7.5% decreased the flexural strength. On the other hand, the MSCA considerably improved the resistance to the sulfuric acid and the freezing-thawing, regardless of the sulfur dosage in the MSCA. The coating modified sulfur of 5% dosage consequently led to good results for the mechanical properties and durability of MSCA concrete. PMID:28788703

Evaluation of fly ash concrete durability containing class II durability aggregates.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1986-07-01

Fly ash was used in this evaluation study to replace 15% of the cement in : Class C-3 concrete paving mixes. One Class "c" ash from Iowa approved : sources was examined in each mix. Substitution rate was based on 1 to 1 : basis, for each pound of cem...

Assessing cryogenic testing of aggregates for concrete pavements

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-02-01

Damage to concrete pavements caused by freeze-thaw deterioration of concrete aggregate remains a serious problem. Current tests for determining an aggregate's freeze-thaw durability can take up to 70 days to perform and results from these tests don't...

Efficiency and durability of a self-cleaning coating on concrete and stones under both natural and artificial ageing trials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carmona-Quiroga, P. M.; Martínez-Ramírez, S.; Viles, H. A.

2018-03-01

This study aimed to test the performance under long-term working conditions of a commercial self-cleaning coating, a water-based TiO2 sol, on three building materials important in recent and older European heritage; Portland limestone, Woodkirk sandstone and concrete. First, the compatibility of the coating (effect on petrophysical properties) with the substrates was demonstrated by examining aesthetic properties and water vapour permeability of the building materials and secondly, the self-cleaning ability of the TiO2 nanoparticles in degrading artificial stain (rhodamine B) under UV light was evaluated. Finally, the durability (lasting performance) of photocatalytic activity was assessed during one year of outdoor exposure trial and 2000 h of accelerated ageing in a chamber with UV radiation and condensation cycles. Results showed that photocatalytic activity was unaltered on concrete, whereas on sandstone, particularly after artificial ageing, it was reduced due to the removal of nanoparticles from the surface. On limestone, a decrease of TiO2 content was observed but photodegradation efficiency (ability to perform as self-cleaner) seemed not to be affected.

High Performance Concrete (HPC) bridge project for SR 43.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-10-01

The objective of this research was to develop and test high performance concrete mixtures, made of locally available materials, having : durability characteristics that far exceed those of conventional concrete mixtures. Based on the results from the...

Investigation of optimize graded concrete for Oklahoma : phase 1 : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-10-01

Optimized Graded Concrete has been a subject widely discussed through the history of concrete. Since aggregates make up over 70% of the volume in a mixture, gradation is critical to the strength, workability, and durability of concrete. In practice o...

Durability of Geopolymer Lightweight Concrete Infilled LECA in Seawater Exposure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razak, R. A.; Abdullah, M. M. A. B.; Yahya, Z.; Hamid, M. S. A.

2017-11-01

This paper describes a development of lightweight concrete using lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA) in fly ash (FA) based geopolymer immersed in seawater. The objective of this research is to compare the performance of geopolymer concrete (GPC) with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete infilled lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA) in seawater exposure. Geopolymer concrete is produced by using alkaline activator to activate the raw material, FA. The highest compressive strength of this study is 42.0 MPa at 28 days and 49.8 MPa at 60 days. The density for this concrete is in the range of 1580 kg/m3 to 1660 kg/m3. The result for water absorption is in the range of 6.82% to 14.72%. However, the test results of weight loss is in the range between 0.30% to 0.43%.

Optimizing cementious content in concrete mixtures for required performance.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-01-01

"This research investigated the effects of changing the cementitious content required at a given water-to-cement ratio (w/c) on workability, strength, and durability of a concrete mixture. : An experimental program was conducted in which 64 concrete ...

Concrete pavement quality control testing requirements needed for the super air meter : technical summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-10-01

Concrete freeze-thaw durability is prominently linked to the air void system : within the concrete. Concrete pavements in Kansas undergo repetitive : freeze-thaw cycles. Total air content measurements currently used on fresh : concrete do not provide...

Concrete pavement quality control testing requirements needed for the super air meter : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-10-01

Concrete freeze-thaw durability is prominently linked to the air void system within the concrete. : Concrete pavements in Kansas undergo repetitive freeze-thaw cycles. Total air content measurements : currently used on fresh concrete do not provide a...

Freeze-thaw performance testing of whole concrete railroad ties.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-10-01

Freezing and thawing durability tests of prestressed concrete ties are normally performed according to ASTM C666 specifications. Small specimens are cut from the shoulders of concrete ties and tested through 300 cycles of freezing and thawing. Saw-cu...

Improving resistance of high strength concrete (HSC) bridge beams to frost and defrosting salt attack by application of hydrophobic agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolisko, Jiri; Balík, Lukáš; Kostelecka, Michaela; Pokorný, Petr

2017-09-01

HSC (High Strength Concrete) is increasingly used for bearing bridge structures nowadays. Bridge structures in the Czech Republic are exposed to severe conditions in winter time and durability of the concrete is therefore a crucial requirement. The high strength and low water absorption of HSC suggests that the material will have high durability. However, the situation may not be so straightforward. We carried out a study of the very poor durability of HSC concrete C70/85 used to produce prestresed beams 37.1 m in length to build a 6-span highway bridge. After the beams were cast, a production control test indicated some problems with the durability of the concrete. There was a danger that 42 of the beams would not be suitable for use. All participants in the bridge project finally decided, after extensive discussions, to attempt to improve the durability of the concrete by applying a hydrophobic agent. Paper will present the results of comparative tests of four hydrophobic agents in order to choose one for real application and describes this application on construction site.

Enhanced Performance of Recycled Aggregate Concrete with Atomic Polymer Technology

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-06-01

The atomic polymer technology in form of mesoporous inorganic polymer (MIP) can effectively improve material durability and performance of concrete by dramatically increase inter/intragranular bond strength of concrete at nano-scale. The strategy of ...

Influence of lithium slag from lepidolite on the durability of concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Luo; Shaowen, Huang; Yuxuan, Zhou; Jinyang, Li; Weiliang, Peng; Yufeng, Wen

2017-04-01

This paper mainly studies the effect of lithium slag from lepidolite on the property of concrete including dry shrinkage, anti-carbonation, wear resistance and chloride ion resistance. Concrete interface structure has been observed with SEM. The results show that adding lithium slag to concrete can improve concrete property including dry shrinkage, wear resistance and chloride ion resistance. However, the wear resistance tends to decrease when the amount of lithium slag reach 20%. Lithium slag also has negative effect on anti-carbonation property. With the increasing amount of lithium slag, anti-carbonation property of concrete decrease gradually.

Laboratory comparison of several tests for evaluating the transport properties of concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-01-01

The transport properties of concrete are a primary element in determining the durability of concrete. In this study, several new test methods that directly measure aspects of fluid and ionic transport in concrete were examined. ASTM C 1543 and ASTM C...

Durability of concrete materials in high-magnesium brine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wakeley, L.D.; Poole, T.S.; Burkes, J.P.

1994-03-01

Cement pastes and mortars representing 11 combinations of candidate concrete materials were cast in the laboratory and monitored for susceptibility to chemical deterioration in high-magnesium brine. Mixtures were selected to include materials included in the current leading candidate concrete for seals at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Some materials were included in the experimental matrix to answer questions that had arisen during study of the concrete used for construction of the liner of the WIPP waste-handling shaft. Mixture combinations compared Class C and Class F fly ashes, presence or absence of an expansive component, and presence or absence ofmore » salt as a mixture component. Experimental conditions exposed the pastes and mortars to extreme conditions, those being very high levels of Mg ion and an effectively unlimited supply of brine. All pastes and mortars showed deterioration with brine exposure. In general, mortars deteriorated more extensively than the corresponding pastes. Two-inch cube specimens of mortar were not uniformly deteriorated, but showed obvious zoning even after a year in the brine, with a relatively unreacted zone remaining at the center of each cube. Loss of calcium from the calcium hydroxide of paste/aggregate interfaces caused measurable strength loss in the reacted zone comprising the outer portion of every mortar specimen. The current candidate mass concrete for WIPP seals includes salt as an initial component, and has a relatively closed initial microstructure. Both of these features contribute to its suitability for use in large placements within the Salado Formation.« less

Development of Non-Proprietary Ultra-High Performance Concrete : Final Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-12-01

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) has mechanical and durability properties that far exceed those of conventional concrete. Particularly, UHPC has compressive and post-cracking tensile strengths of around 20 ksi and 0.72 ksi, respectively. Thus, ...

Influence of reinforcement mesh configuration for improvement of concrete durability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Chong-gen; Jin, Wei-liang; Mao, Jiang-hong; Zhang, Hua; Sun, Li-hao; Wei, Dong

2017-10-01

Steel bar in concrete structures under harsh environmental conditions, such as chlorine corrosion, seriously affects its service life. Bidirectional electromigration rehabilitation (BIEM) is a new method of repair technology for reinforced concrete structures in such chloride corrosion environments. By applying the BIEM, chloride ions can be removed from the concrete and the migrating corrosion inhibit can be moved to the steel surface. In conventional engineering, the concrete structure is often configured with a multi-layer steel mesh. However, the effect of the BIEM in such structures has not yet been investigated. In this paper, the relevant simulation test is carried out to study the migration law of chloride ions and the migrating corrosion inhibitor in a concrete specimen with complex steel mesh under different energizing modes. The results show that the efficiency of the BIEM increases 50% in both the monolayer steel mesh and the double-layer steel mesh. By using the single-sided BIEM, 87% of the chloride ions are removed from the steel surface. The different step modes can affect the chloride ion removal. The chloride ions within the range of the reinforcement protective cover are easier to be removed than those in the concrete between the two layers of steel mesh. However, the amount of migrating corrosion inhibitor is larger in the latter circumstances.

Basalt Fiber for Volcanic Slag Lightweight Aggregate Concrete Research on the Impact of Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Li-guang; Li, Gen-zhuang

2018-03-01

In order to study the effect of basalt fiber on the mechanical properties and durability of volcanic slag lightweight aggregate concrete, the experimental study on the flexural strength, compressive strength and freeze-thaw resistance of volcanic slag concrete with different basalt fiber content were carried out, the basalt fiber was surface treated with NaOH and water glass, the results show that the surface treatment of basalt fiber can significantly improve the mechanical properties, durability and other properties of volcanic slag lightweight aggregate concrete.

Evaluating performance-based test and specifications for sulfate resistance in concrete

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-12-01

This research project involved an experimental evaluation of the sulfate resistance of various concretes and mortars for the purpose of establishing performance-based specifications for the durability of concrete against sulfate attack. The research ...

Metallurgical effects on chloride ion corrosion threshold of steel in concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-11-30

The chloride-induced corrosion of reinforcing steel bars (rebar) in concrete seriously limits durability of reinforcing concrete structures. This investigation examines key issues in pitting corrosion and chloride corrosion threshold of rebar in alka...

Quantification of water penetration into concrete through cracks by neutron radiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanematsu, M.; Maruyama, I.; Noguchi, T.; Iikura, H.; Tsuchiya, N.

2009-06-01

Improving the durability of concrete structures is one of the ways to contribute to the sustainable development of society, and it has also become a crucial issue from an environmental viewpoint. It is well known that moisture behavior in reinforced concrete is linked to phenomena such as cement hydration, volume change and cracking caused by drying shrinkage, rebar corrosion and water leakage that affect the durability of concrete. In this research, neutron radiography was applied for visualization and quantification of water penetration into concrete through cracks. It is clearly confirmed that TNR can make visible the water behavior in/near horizontal/vertical cracks and can quantify the rate of diffusion and concentration distribution of moisture with high spatial and time resolution. On detailed analysis, it is observed that water penetrates through the crack immediately after pouring and its migration speed and distribution depend on the moisture condition in the concrete.

Ultra-high performance concrete : a state-of-the-art report for the bridge community.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-06-01

"The term Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) refers to a relatively new class of advanced cementitious : composite materials whose mechanical and durability properties far surpass those of conventional concrete. This : class of concrete has been ...

A new kind of high durable traffic weighbridge based on FBG sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Zhi; Liu, Jing; Li, Hui; Ou, Jinping

2005-05-01

Durability is the key problem of traditional traffic weighbridge based on electrical gauges. In this paper, a new kind of high durable traffic weighbridge based on FBG (Fiber Bragg Grating) sensors has been studied and developed. The principle of the smart FBG-weighbridge is based on that the traffic weight can be gotten from the deformation of the reinforced concrete beam with embedded FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer) - packaged FBG strain sensors. The FBG-based weighbridge is designed to be a reinforced concrete board supported by composite beams, and the truck load is shared by the composite beams. A 30-ton full scale FBG-based weighbridge has been set up, and the results from the tests and calibration analysis show that this kind of weighbridge features high durability, simplicity, convenience, low cost, etc. This new kind of FBG-based weighbridge shows good prospect in future to replace the traditional traffic weighbridge for long-term monitoring of traffic load.

The effect of fly ash on the sulfate resistance of concrete

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1989-08-01

The durability of concrete is determined by its ability to endure the physical and environmental surroundings without losing the functional properties and structural integrity of the original design. Concrete containing fly ash can be proportioned to...

Evaluation of self-consolidating concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-01-01

Conventional concrete tends to present a problem with regard to adequate consolidation in thin sections or areas of congested reinforcement, which leads to a large volume of entrapped air voids and compromises the strength and durability of the concr...

Concrete Durability in Harsh Environmental Conditions Exposed to Freeze Thaw Cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamze, Youssef

Under line Pathology of Materials; one of the environmental causes of damage effects on concrete is freeze thaw cycles, which deteriorate the concrete exposed to water in cold weather. An example of old concrete is a dam project that was built in Canada, in the early 1909-1913. This project was reconstructed in 1932, 1934 and 1972, and required renovation due to the ice abrasion with the freeze/thaw cycles. Before completing any renovation, it is required to analyze the structural stability and the concrete failures of this dam. An investigation was conducted to determine the quality of the concrete in the Piers and in the Bridge Deck Slab. It was also required to determine the basic materials' properties that constitute this project. This will improve the analysis of its stability [10]. Core samples were examined and used as test samples, for the Alkali-Silica reactivity test samples, as well as the compressive strength test, the Chloride Ion test, and the freeze thaw testing which was performed on two sets of 12 concrete core samples that were taken from different locations in the project. These locations are the representations of the age of the concrete. Thus, the age difference between the samples' two sets is four decades. Testing was performed on prisms cut from cores. ASTM C-666 procedure (A) was applied using an automatic test system [6]. It was suggested that a plan for renovation of this project should be performed after the analysis is undertaken to assess the conditions estimating the remaining life of the concrete in this project [15].

Mechanical Properties and Durability of Ultra High Strength Concrete Incorporating Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

PubMed Central

Lu, Liulei; Ouyang, Dong; Xu, Weiting

2016-01-01

In this work, the effect of the addition of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the mechanical properties and durability of ultra high strength concrete (UHSC) is reported. First, the MWCNTs were dispersed by a nano sand-mill in the presence of a surfactant in water. The UHSC specimens were prepared with various amounts of MWCNTs, ranging from 0% to 0.15% by weight of cement (bwoc). Results indicated that use of an optimal percentage of MWCNTs (0.05% bwoc) caused a 4.63% increase in compressive strength and a 24.0% decrease in chloride diffusion coefficient of UHSC at 28 days curing. Moreover, the addition of MWCNTs also improved the flexural strength and deformation ability. Furthermore, a field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) was used to observe the dispersion of MWCNTs in the cement matrix and morphology of the hardened cement paste containing MWCNTs. FE-SEM observation revealed that MWCNTs were well dispersed in the matrix and no agglomerate was found and the reinforcing effect of MWCNTs on UHSC was thought to be pulling out and microcrack bridging of MWCNTs, which transferred the load in tension. PMID:28773541

Mechanical Properties and Durability of Ultra High Strength Concrete Incorporating Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes.

PubMed

Lu, Liulei; Ouyang, Dong; Xu, Weiting

2016-05-27

In this work, the effect of the addition of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the mechanical properties and durability of ultra high strength concrete (UHSC) is reported. First, the MWCNTs were dispersed by a nano sand-mill in the presence of a surfactant in water. The UHSC specimens were prepared with various amounts of MWCNTs, ranging from 0% to 0.15% by weight of cement (bwoc). Results indicated that use of an optimal percentage of MWCNTs (0.05% bwoc) caused a 4.63% increase in compressive strength and a 24.0% decrease in chloride diffusion coefficient of UHSC at 28 days curing. Moreover, the addition of MWCNTs also improved the flexural strength and deformation ability. Furthermore, a field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) was used to observe the dispersion of MWCNTs in the cement matrix and morphology of the hardened cement paste containing MWCNTs. FE-SEM observation revealed that MWCNTs were well dispersed in the matrix and no agglomerate was found and the reinforcing effect of MWCNTs on UHSC was thought to be pulling out and microcrack bridging of MWCNTs, which transferred the load in tension.

Smart Crack Control in Concrete through Use of Phase Change Materials (PCMs): A Review

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Cracks in concrete structures present a threat to their durability. Therefore, numerous research studies have been devoted to reducing concrete cracking. In recent years, a new approach has been proposed for controlling temperature related cracking—utilization of phase change materials (PCMs) in concrete. Through their ability to capture heat, PCMs can offset temperature changes and reduce gradients in concrete structures. Nevertheless, they can also influence concrete properties. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the literature devoted to using PCMs to control temperature related cracking in concrete. First, types of PCMs and ways of incorporation in concrete are discussed. Then, possible uses of PCMs in concrete technology are discussed. Further, the influences of PCMs on concrete properties (fresh, hardened, durability) are discussed in detail. This is followed by a discussion of modelling techniques for PCM-concrete composites and their performance. Finally, a summary and the possible research directions for future work are given. This overview aims to assure the researchers and asset owners of the potential of this maturing technology and bring it one step closer to practical application. PMID:29695076

Smart Crack Control in Concrete through Use of Phase Change Materials (PCMs): A Review.

PubMed

Šavija, Branko

2018-04-24

Cracks in concrete structures present a threat to their durability. Therefore, numerous research studies have been devoted to reducing concrete cracking. In recent years, a new approach has been proposed for controlling temperature related cracking—utilization of phase change materials (PCMs) in concrete. Through their ability to capture heat, PCMs can offset temperature changes and reduce gradients in concrete structures. Nevertheless, they can also influence concrete properties. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the literature devoted to using PCMs to control temperature related cracking in concrete. First, types of PCMs and ways of incorporation in concrete are discussed. Then, possible uses of PCMs in concrete technology are discussed. Further, the influences of PCMs on concrete properties (fresh, hardened, durability) are discussed in detail. This is followed by a discussion of modelling techniques for PCM-concrete composites and their performance. Finally, a summary and the possible research directions for future work are given. This overview aims to assure the researchers and asset owners of the potential of this maturing technology and bring it one step closer to practical application.

Application of high performance concrete in the pavement system : structural response of high performance concrete pavements.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-03-01

Rigid pavements make up a significant percentage of highway systems in the United States and abroad. Concrete pavements provide an economical and durable solution for highway systems, because the pavements last longer and require less maintenance. Re...

Operational features of decorative concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bazhenova, Olga; Kotelnikov, Maxim

2018-03-01

This article deals with the questions of creation and use of decorative and finishing concrete and mortar. It has been revealed that the most effective artificial rock-imitating stone materials are those made of decorative concrete with the opened internal structure of material. At the same time it is important that the particles of decorative aggregate should be distributed evenly in the concrete volume. It can be reached only at a continuous grain-size analysis of the aggregate from the given rock. The article tackles the necessity of natural stone materials imitation for the cement stone color to correspond to the color of the rock. The possibility of creation of the decorative concrete imitating rocks in the high-speed turbulent mixer is considered. Dependences of durability and frost resistance of the studied concrete on the pore size and character and also parameters characterizing crack resistance of concrete are received.

Evaluation of Portland cement concrete with internal curing capabilities : tech summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-09-01

Proper curing is the key to durable and sustainable concrete structures. When a concrete mixture is : designed, delivered, poured, and consolidated, curing is the last and the most critical part for a quality final : product. Insufficient curing of c...

Development of Non-Proprietary Ultra High Performance Concrete : Final Presentation : November, 2017

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-11-01

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) has mechanical and durability properties that far exceed those of conventional concrete. Particularly, UHPC has compressive and post-cracking tensile strengths of around 20 ksi and 0.72 ksi, respectively. Thus, ...

Durability performance of submerged concrete structures - phase 2.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-09-01

This project determined that severe corrosion of steel can occur in the submerged : portions of reinforced concrete structures in marine environments. Field studies of decommissioned : pilings from Florida bridges revealed multiple instances of stron...

Nano-engineered polyurethane resin-modified concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-04-01

The goal of the proposed work is to investigate the application of nano-engineered polyurethane (NEPU) emulsions for latex modified : concrete (LMC). NEPU emulsions are non-toxic, environment friendly, durable over a wide temperature range, provide b...

The effect of crack width on the service life of reinforced concrete structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Hung, Nguyen; Viet Hung, Vu; Viet, Tran Bao

2018-04-01

Reinforced concrete has become a widely used construction material around the world. Nowadays, the assessment of deterioration and life expectancy of reinforced concrete structure is very important and necessary as concrete is a complex material with brittle failure. Under the effect of load and over time, cracks occur in the structure, significantly reducing its performance and durability. Therefore, a number of models for predicting the penetration of chloride ions into the concrete were proposed to assess the durability of the structure. In the study performed by T B Viet (2016) [1], the author proposed a new theoretical model, especially considering the effects of macro and micro cracking on the diffusion coefficient of chloride ion in the cracked concrete. The following experimental results, in term of electrical indication of concrete’s ability to resist chloride ion penetration, are used to calculate the lifespan of a reinforced concrete structure according to Dura Crete approach [8] with different crack widths to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of the above model in the range of concrete compressive strength of 30-70MPa.

Electrically conductive concrete : a laboratory study.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1987-01-01

In the cathodic protection of existing reinforced concrete bridge decks, there is a need for a simple secondary-anode system to facilitate the distribution of direct current over the structure being protected. It is believed that a durable, electrica...

Review on supplymentary cementitious materials used in inorganic polymer concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srinivasreddy, K.; Srinivasan, K.

2017-11-01

This paper presents a review on various supplementary cementitious materials generated from industries are used in concrete, which one is considered a waste material. These materials are rich in aluminosilicates and are activated by sodium/potassium based alkaline solution to form geopolymer concrete. When these geopolymer concrete is used in civil engineering applications has showed better or similar mechanical properties and durability properties than ordinary Portland cement concrete. This paper also given the overview on sodium hydroxide (NaOH) & sodium silicate solution (Na2SiO3) ratios, curing adopted for different geopolymer concretes and the effect of adding fibres in geopolymer concretes.

Influence of rock salt impurities on limestone aggregate durability : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-08-01

Non-durable coarse aggregate in concrete pavement can break down under repeated freeze-thaw cycles. : Application of rock salt may increase the severity of exposure conditions because of trace compounds, such as calcium : sulfate, in rock salt. Concr...

Influence of rock salt impurities on limestone aggregate durability : technical summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-08-01

Non-durable coarse aggregate in concrete pavement can break down under : repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Application of rock salt may increase the severity of : exposure conditions because of trace compounds, such as calcium sulfate, in rock : salt. Con...

A review on carbonation study in concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkat Rao, N.; Meena, T.

2017-11-01

In this paper the authors have reviewed the carbonation studies which are a vital durability property of concrete. One of the major causes for deterioration and destruction of concrete is carbonation. The mechanism of carbonation involves the penetration carbon dioxide (CO2) into the concrete porous system to form an environment by reducing the pH around the reinforcement and initiation of the corrosion process. The paper also endeavours to focus and elucidate the gravity of importance, the process and chemistry of carbonate and how the various parameters like water/cement ratio, curing, depth of concrete cones, admixtures, grade of concrete, strength of concrete, porosity and permeability effect carbonation in concrete. The role of Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs) like Ground granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) and Silica Fume (SF) has also been reviewed along with the influence of depth of carbonation.

Distribution of voids in field concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-01-01

This study was intended to evaluate the air void characteristics of concrete in an attempt to identify, quantitatively or semi-quantitatively, different types of voids and to predict their influence on strength and durability. At the outset, it was a...

Evaluation of Portland Cement Concrete with Internal Curing Capabilities : Research Project Capsule

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-09-01

Proper curing is the key to durable and sustainable concrete structures. When a concrete mixture : is designed, delivered, poured, and consolidated, curing is the last and the most critical part for : a fi nal product of great quality. Insuffi cient ...

Durability of cement and geopolimer composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Błaszczyński, T.; Król, M.

2017-10-01

Concrete structures are constantly moving in the direction of improving the durability. This main feature depends on many factors, which are the composition of concrete mix, the usage of additives and admixtures and the place, where material will work and carry the load. The introduction of new geopolymer binders for geopolymer structures adds a new aspect that is type of used activator. This substance with strongly alkaline reaction is divided because of the physical state, the alkaline degree and above all the chemical composition. Taking into account, that at present the geopolymer binders are made essentially from waste materials or by products from the combustion of coal or iron ore smelting, unambiguous determination of the effect of the activator on the properties of the geopolymer material requires a number of trials, researches and observation. This paper shows the influence of the most alkaline activators on the basic parameters of the durability of geopolymer binders. In this study there were used a highly alkaline hydroxides, water glasses and granules, which are waste materials in a variety of processes taking place in a chemical plants. As the substrate of geopolymer binders there were used fly ash which came from coal and high calcium ash from the burning of lignite.

Application of high performance concrete in the pavement system : structural response of high performance concrete pavement : executive summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-01-01

Rigid pavements make up a significant percentage of highway systems in the United States and abroad. Concrete pavements provide an economical and durable solution for highway systems, because the pavements last longer and require less maintenance. Re...

Strength characteristics of light weight concrete blocks using mineral admixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhuvaneshwari, P.; Priyadharshini, U.; Gurucharan, S.; Mithunram, B.

2017-07-01

This paper presents an experimental study to investigate the characteristics of light weight concrete blocks. Cement was partially replaced with mineral admixtures like Fly ash (FA), limestone powder waste (LPW), Rice husk ash (RHA), sugarcane fiber waste (SCW) and Chrysopogonzizanioides (CZ). The maximum replacement level achieved was 25% by weight of cement and sand. Total of 56 cubes (150 mm x 150 mm x150 mm) and 18 cylinders (100mmφ and 50mm depth) were cast. The specimens being (FA, RHA, SCW, LPW, CZ, (FA-RHA), (FA-LPW), (FA-CZ), (LPW-CZ), (FA-SCW), (RHA-SCW)).Among the different combination, FA,FA-SCW,CZ,FA-CZ showed enhanced strength and durability, apart from achieving less density.

Placement of low-slump concrete : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-01-01

Low-slump concrete is being used on bridge decks mainly to prevent or minimize spalling and delaminations resulting from corrosion of the reinforcing steel. Other beneficial effects reported include high strength and durability. This study investigat...

Evaluation of several types of curing and protective materials for concrete : final report on part I : laboratory and outdoor exposure studies preliminary to field trials.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1970-01-01

Concern for improving the durability of concrete has focused renewed attention on all aspects of concrete technology. Numerous proprietary products which are claimed to improve durability have been marketed as protective coatings, curing agents or co...

Concrete pavement mixture design and analysis (MDA) : application of a portable x-ray fluorescence technique to assess concrete mix proportions.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-03-01

Any transportation infrastructure system is inherently concerned with durability and performance issues. The proportioning and : uniformity control of concrete mixtures are critical factors that directly affect the longevity and performance of the po...

Strength and deformability of concrete beams reinforced by non-metallic fiber and composite rebar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kudyakov, K. L.; Plevkov, V. S.; Nevskii, A. V.

2015-01-01

Production of durable and high-strength concrete structures with unique properties has always been crucial. Therefore special attention has been paid to non-metallic composite and fiber reinforcement. This article describes the experimental research of strength and deformability of concrete beams with dispersed and core fiber-based reinforcement. As composite reinforcement fiberglass reinforced plastic rods with diameters 6 mm and 10 mm are used. Carbon and basalt fibers are used as dispersed reinforcement. The developed experimental program includes designing and production of flexural structures with different parameters of dispersed fiber and composite rebar reinforcement. The preliminary testing of mechanical properties of these materials has shown their effectiveness. Structures underwent bending testing on a special bench by applying flexural static load up to complete destruction. During the tests vertical displacements were recorded, as well as value of actual load, slippage of rebars in concrete, crack formation. As a result of research were obtained structural failure and crack formation graphs, value of fracture load and maximum displacements of the beams at midspan. Analysis of experimental data showed the effectiveness of using dispersed reinforcement of concrete and the need for prestressing of fiberglass composite rebar.

Proceedings. National conference on preservation, repair, and rehabilitation of concrete pavements, St. Louis, Missouri, April 21-24, 2009.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-01-01

Part 1Pavement Condition Evaluation, Impact, and Durability; Part 2Concrete Pavement Preservation, Repair, and Rehabilitation; Part 3Concrete Pavement Repair Techniques and Experiences; Part 4Concrete Pavement Surface Texture; Part 5Emergin...

Developing criteria for performance-based concrete specifications.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-07-01

For more than 50 years now, concrete technology has advanced, but CDOT specifications for durability have : remained mostly unchanged. The minimum cement content for a given strength is derived from mix design : guidelines that were developed before ...

Maximum heat of mass concrete - phase 2.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-11-01

The main findings and recommendations from this study are as follows: : (1) The database of adiabatic temperature rise tables which was developed in this study can be used in the DIANA software for the modeling of mass concrete structures. : (2) Clas...

Accelerated determination of ASR susceptibility during concrete prism testing through nonlinear impact resonance ultrasonic spectroscopy.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-10-01

"Accurate, reliable, and timely laboratory assessment of concrete mixturesaggregates combined with : cementitious materialsis a critical component in ensuring the durability of concrete infrastructure from the : adverse effects of the alkali-si...

Ultrasonic assessment of service life of concrete structures subject to reinforcing steel corrosion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Udegbunam, Ogechukwu Christian

Over half of the bridges in the United States were built before 1970. Such bridges and the network of roads that they carry include the Inter State system, which was built as part of the great public works program, following the end of the Second World War. During that era, the emphasis was on strength design and economical construction of new structures, and not much premium was placed on durability and maintainability concerns. Since the end of this construction boom in the early 1970s, the concern for the durability of transportation infrastructure has steadily gained prominence among those agencies that must secure, program and administer funds for maintaining highway networks. The objective of this research was to develop a nondestructive method of assessing the durability of concrete bridge decks susceptible to damage from corrosion of embedded reinforcing steel. This was accomplished by formulating a holistic approach that accounts for the major factors that influence corrosion based deterioration of reinforced concrete. In this approach, the assessment of the durability of concrete bridge decks is based on a model that estimates the time it takes for the cover concrete to fail a result of stresses caused by expansion of reinforcing steel bars, due to corrosion activities. This time to failure is comprised of two distinct periods that must be evaluated before the problem can be solved. The research consisted of an experimental program and an analytical study. In the experimental program concrete specimens were cast and tested to determine their diffusivity and mechanical properties. The diffusivity was used to evaluate the period it takes for corrosion of the reinforcing bars to commence. In the analytical study, the resistance of the concrete structure against the internal forces caused by corrosion was evaluated with the finite element techniques. This resistance was used to evaluate the period defining the failure of the cover concrete. These two periods

Pilot project for maximum heat of mass concrete : [research summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-05-01

Hardening cement releases heat, and because concrete is a thermal insulator, heat near the surface dissipates into its surroundings more quickly than heat deeper in the mass. Because concrete contracts as it cools, tension can build between surface a...

Diffusion vs. concentration of chloride ions in concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-06-01

This investigation was performed to gain insight and assist in determining the long-term durability of : reinforced concrete structures where the external chloride concentrations are different than those typically : observed at the permanently immers...

Investigation of properties of high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete : very early strength, toughness, permeability, and fiber distribution : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-01-01

Concrete cracking, high permeability, and leaking joints allow for intrusion of harmful solutions, resulting in concrete deterioration and corrosion of reinforcement in structures. The development of durable, high-performance concretes with limited c...

Greener durable concretes through geopolymerisation of blast furnace slag

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajamane, N. P.; Nataraja, M. C.; Jeyalakshmi, R.; Nithiyanantham, S.

2015-05-01

The eco-friendliness of concrete is quantified by parameters such as ‘embodied energy’ (EE) and ‘embodied CO2 emission’ (ECO2e), besides duration of designed ‘service life’. It may be noted that ECO2e is also referred as carbon footprint (CF) in the literature. Geopolymer (GP) is an inorganic polymeric gel, a type of amorphous alumino-silicate product, which can be synthesised by polycondensation reactions. The concrete reported in this paper was prepared using industrial wastes in the form of blast furnace slag, fly ash as geopolymeric source materials and sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide as activators. Many mechanical properties such as compressive strength, chloride diffusion, steel corrosion, rapid chloride permeability test and rapid migration test are compared with Portland cement.

Producing Durable Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement using Glass-ceramic Coated Reinforcing Steel

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-01

reinforcement if the enamel is broken  Embedded cement grains hydrate if enamel is cracked to self-heal with the formation of calcium silicate hydrate Goal...Reinforced Concrete Pavement The 600% volume change in the iron to iron oxide formation put the concrete in tension and it cracks an spalls BUILDING...corrodes prematurely and delaminates the pavement  Moisture and chlorides can move through the natural porosity of concrete and the cracks in the

Design of ultra high performance concrete as an overlay in pavements and bridge decks.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-08-01

The main objective of this research was to develop ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) as a reliable, economic, low carbon foot : print and durable concrete overlay material that can offer shorter traffic closures due to faster construction. The U...

Comparative performance of conventional OPC concrete and HPC designed by densified mixture design algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huynh, Trong-Phuoc; Hwang, Chao-Lung; Yang, Shu-Ti

2017-12-01

This experimental study evaluated the performance of normal ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete and high-performance concrete (HPC) that were designed by the conventional method (ACI) and densified mixture design algorithm (DMDA) method, respectively. Engineering properties and durability performance of both the OPC and HPC samples were studied using the tests of workability, compressive strength, water absorption, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and electrical surface resistivity. Test results show that the HPC performed good fresh property and further showed better performance in terms of strength and durability as compared to the OPC.

Better concrete mixes for rapid repair in Wisconsin : research brief.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-07-04

Research Benefits : Confirmed that Wisconsins current CIP rapid-repair concretes perform adequately : Recommended mixture improvements to alleviate construction difficulties : Determined that increasing the durability of rapid repair c...

Durability Studies on Confined Concrete using Fiber Reinforced Polymer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponmalar, V.; Gettu, R.

2014-06-01

In this study, 24 concrete cylinders with a notch at the centre were prepared. Among them six cylinders were wrapped using single and double layers of fiber reinforced polymer; six cylinders were coated with epoxy resin; the remaining cylinders were used as a control. The cylinders were exposed to wet and dry cycling and acid (3 % H2SO4) solution for the period of 120 days. Two different concrete strengths M30 and M50 were considered for the study. It is found that the strength, ductility and failure mode of wrapped cylinders depend on number of layers and the nature of exposure conditions. It was noticed that the damage due to wet and dry cycling and acid attack was severe in control specimen than the epoxy coated and wrapped cylinders.

Durability of precast prestressed concrete piles in marine environment, part 2. Volume 1 : concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-06-01

The overall purpose of this research was to determine methods which may be applied : economically to mitigate corrosion of reinforcement in precast prestressed concrete piles in : Georgias marine environments. The research was divided into two par...

Time-Dependent Topology of Railway Prestressed Concrete Sleepers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Dan; Ngamkhanong, Chayut; Kaewunruen, Sakdirat

2017-10-01

The railway sleepers are very important component of railway track structure. The sleepers can be manufactured by using timber, concrete, steel or other engineered materials. Nowadays, prestressed concrete has become most commonly used type of sleepers. Prestressed concrete sleepers have longer life-cycle and lower maintenance cost than reinforced concrete sleepers. They are expected to withstand high dynamic loads and harsh environments. However, durability and long-term performance of prestressed concrete sleepers are largely dependent on creep and shrinkage responses. This study investigates the long-term behaviours of prestressed concrete sleepers and proposes the shortening and deflection diagrams. Comparison between design codes of Eurocode 2 and AS3600-2009 provides the insight into the time-dependent performance of prestressed concrete sleepers. The outcome of this paper will improve the rail maintenance and inspection criteria in order to establish appropriate sensible remote track condition monitor network in practice.

Accelerated degradation and durability of concrete in cold climates.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-08-01

Degradation of aggregate in concrete can be caused by erosion or fracture, and both cementitious materials and aggregate age over time. : The specification requirements for the degradation of aggregates have been established for hot mix asphalt and f...

Modification of Existing Prestressed Girder Cross-Sections for the Optimal Structural Use of Ultra-High Performance Concrete

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-10-22

Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) is a class of cementitious materials that share similar characteristics including very large compressive strengths, tensile strength greater than conventional concrete and high durability. The material consists ...

Corrosion Propagation of Rebar Embedded in High Performance Concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nazim, Manzurul

The FDOT has been using supplementary cementitious materials while constructing steel reinforced concrete marine bridge structures for over 3 decades. Previous findings indicated that such additions in concrete mix make the concrete more durable. To better understand corrosion propagation of rebar in high performance concrete: mature concrete samples that were made (2008/2009) with Portland cement, a binary mix, a ternary mix and recently prepared (April 2016 with 50% OPC + 50% slag and 80% OPC + 20% Fly ash) concrete samples were considered. None of these concretes had any admixed chloride to start with. An accelerated chloride transport process was used to drive chloride ions into the concrete so that chlorides reach and exceed the chloride threshold at the rebar surface and initiate corrosion. Electrochemical measurements were taken at regular intervals (during and after the electro-migration process) to observe the corrosion propagation in each sample.

The influence of carbonation process on concrete bridges and durability in Estonian practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liisma, E.; Sein, S.; Järvpõld, M.

2017-10-01

Concrete as one of the most widely used construction material in building industry, has considerable implementing in bridge engineering due to its extensive number of effective technical characteristics. However, according to exploitation environment, there are substantial factors such as aggressive liquids (e.g. deiced salts, sulfates, etc), rapid temperature alterations and the increasing rate of CO2 to take into account predicting actual retained service life of concrete structure and the need of repairmen to increase the lifespan of the bridge. According to several measuring, concentration of atmospheric CO2 is reported linearly increasing and is modeled to appear as exponential increase in the next decade. This environmental influence leads to accelerated carbonation process of concrete and brings up the importance of its potential untimely degradation mechanism. Hence, the main aim of this research is to give an analyzed overview of the carbonation depths of selection of 11 concrete bridges in Estonia built in the period of 1976-2007 and their relation with compressive strength of concrete. In addition to in situ tests, laboratory research was performed to understand natural carbonation rate and compressive strength relations of concrete.

Correlation of air void parameters obtained by linear traverse with freeze-thaw durability.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1983-01-01

The correlations obtainable from comparisons of the various air void parameters with the freeze-thaw durability of concretes are listed. It is shown that correlations are no better when only small voids are used than when the total void content is us...

Development of a robust field technique to quantify the air-void distribution in fresh concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-07-01

In order to make concrete frost durable it is common to provide a small and well distributed air void system. Current measuring techniques require weeks to complete on hardened and polished samples of concrete. This report presents the results of a n...

Monitoring the corrosion process of reinforced concrete using BOTDA and FBG sensors.

PubMed

Mao, Jianghong; Chen, Jiayun; Cui, Lei; Jin, Weiliang; Xu, Chen; He, Yong

2015-04-15

Expansion and cracking induced by the corrosion of reinforcement concrete is the major factor in the failure of concrete durability. Therefore, monitoring of concrete cracking is critical for evaluating the safety of concrete structures. In this paper, we introduce a novel monitoring method combining Brillouin optical time domain analysis (BOTDA) and fiber Bragg grating (FBG), based on mechanical principles of concrete expansion cracking. BOTDA monitors concrete expansion and crack width, while FBG identifies the time and position of cracking. A water-pressure loading simulation test was carried out to determine the relationship between fiber strain, concrete expansion and crack width. An electrical accelerated corrosion test was also conducted to evaluate the ability of this novel sensor to monitor concrete cracking under practical conditions.

Monitoring the Corrosion Process of Reinforced Concrete Using BOTDA and FBG Sensors

PubMed Central

Mao, Jianghong; Chen, Jiayun; Cui, Lei; Jin, Weiliang; Xu, Chen; He, Yong

2015-01-01

Expansion and cracking induced by the corrosion of reinforcement concrete is the major factor in the failure of concrete durability. Therefore, monitoring of concrete cracking is critical for evaluating the safety of concrete structures. In this paper, we introduce a novel monitoring method combining Brillouin optical time domain analysis (BOTDA) and fiber Bragg grating (FBG), based on mechanical principles of concrete expansion cracking. BOTDA monitors concrete expansion and crack width, while FBG identifies the time and position of cracking. A water-pressure loading simulation test was carried out to determine the relationship between fiber strain, concrete expansion and crack width. An electrical accelerated corrosion test was also conducted to evaluate the ability of this novel sensor to monitor concrete cracking under practical conditions. PMID:25884790

Aggregate assesment and durability evaluation of optimized graded concrete in the state of Oklahoma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghaeezadeh, Ashkan

This research is a part of a larger project that emphasizes on creating a more scientific approach to designing concrete mixtures for concrete pavements that use less cement and more aggregate which is called optimized graded concrete. The most challenging obstacle in optimized mixtures is reaching enough workability so that one doesn't have to add more cement or super-plasticizer to reach the desired level of flowability. Aggregate gradation and characteristics have found to be very important when it comes to the workabaility of optimized graded concrete. In this research a new automated method of aggregate assessment was used to compare the shape and the surface of different aggregates as well as their influence on the concrete flowability. At the end, the performance of optimized graded concrete against drying shrinkage and freezing and thawing condition were investigated.

Report E : self-consolidating concrete (SCC) for infrastructure elements - hardened mechanical properties and durability performance.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-08-01

Concrete is one of the most produced and utilized materials in the world. Due to : the labor intensive and time consuming nature of concrete construction, new and : innovative concrete mixes are being explored. Self-consolidating concrete (SCC) is on...

Pilot project for maximum heat of mass concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-04-01

A 3-D finite element model was developed for prediction of early age behavior of mass concrete footing placed on a soil layer. Three bridge pier footings and one bridge pier cap in Florida were monitored for temperature development. The measured temp...

Evaluation of ternary blended cements for use in transportation concrete structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilliland, Amanda Louise

This thesis investigates the use of ternary blended cement concrete mixtures for transportation structures. The study documents technical properties of three concrete mixtures used in federally funded transportation projects in Utah, Kansas, and Michigan that used ternary blended cement concrete mixtures. Data were also collected from laboratory trial batches of ternary blended cement concrete mixtures with mixture designs similar to those of the field projects. The study presents the technical, economic, and environmental advantages of ternary blended cement mixtures. Different barriers of implementation for using ternary blended cement concrete mixtures in transportation projects are addressed. It was concluded that there are no technical, economic, or environmental barriers that exist when using most ternary blended cement concrete mixtures. The technical performance of the ternary blended concrete mixtures that were studied was always better than ordinary portland cement concrete mixtures. The ternary blended cements showed increased durability against chloride ion penetration, alkali silica reaction, and reaction to sulfates. These blends also had less linear shrinkage than ordinary portland cement concrete and met all strength requirements. The increased durability would likely reduce life cycle costs associated with concrete pavement and concrete bridge decks. The initial cost of ternary mixtures can be higher or lower than ordinary portland cement, depending on the supplementary cementitious materials used. Ternary blended cement concrete mixtures produce less carbon dioxide emissions than ordinary portland cement mixtures. This reduces the carbon footprint of construction projects. The barriers associated with implementing ternary blended cement concrete for transportation projects are not significant. Supplying fly ash returns any investment costs for the ready mix plant, including silos and other associated equipment. State specifications can make

Evaluation of bonding agent application on concrete patch performance.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-08-01

The durability of partial depth repair is directly related to the bond strength between the repair material and existing : concrete. Bond strength development sensitivity to wait time with the use of bonding agents in partial depth repair was : inves...

Bond Behavior of Reinforcing Steel in Ultra-High Performance Concrete

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-11-01

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) has garnered interest from the highway infrastructure community for its greatly enhanced mechanical and durability properties. The objective of this research is to extensively evaluate the factors that affect bo...

Performance of concrete incorporating colloidal nano-silica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeidan, Mohamed Sabry

Nanotechnology, as one of the most modern fields of science, has great market potential and economic impact. The need for research in the field of nanotechnology is continuously on the rise. During the last few decades, nanotechnology was developing rapidly into many fields of applied sciences, engineering and industrial applications, especially through studies of physics, chemistry, medicine and fundamental material science. These new developments may be attributed to the fact that material properties and performance can be significantly improved and controlled through nano-scale processes and nano-structures. This research program aims at 1) further understanding the behavior of cementitious materials when amended on the nano-scale level and 2) exploring the effect of this enhancement on the microstructure of cement matrix. This study may be considered as an important step towards better understanding the use of nano-silica in concrete. The main goal of the study is to investigate the effect of using colloidal nano-silica on properties of concrete, including mechanical properties, durability, transport properties, and microstructure. The experimental program that was conducted included a laboratory investigation of concrete mixtures in which nano-silica was added to cement or to a combination of cement and Class F fly ash. Various ratios of nano-silica were used in concrete mixtures to examine the extent and types of improvements that could be imparted to concrete. The conducted experimental program assessed these improvements in terms of reactivity, mechanical properties, and durability of the mixtures under investigation. Advanced testing techniques---including mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)---were used to investigate the effect of nano-silica on the microstructure of the tested mixtures. In addition, the effect of nano-silica on the alkali-silica reaction (ASR) was examined using various techniques, including testing

Microbial healing of cracks in concrete: a review.

PubMed

Joshi, Sumit; Goyal, Shweta; Mukherjee, Abhijit; Reddy, M Sudhakara

2017-11-01

Concrete is the most widely used construction material of the world and maintaining concrete structures from premature deterioration is proving to be a great challenge. Early age formation of micro-cracking in concrete structure severely affects the serviceability leading to high cost of maintenance. Apart from conventional methods of repairing cracks with sealants or treating the concrete with adhesive chemicals to prevent the cracks from widening, a microbial crack-healing approach has shown promising results. The unique feature of the microbial system is that it enables self-healing of concrete. The effectiveness of microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICCP) in improving durability of cementitious building materials, restoration of stone monuments and soil bioclogging is discussed. Main emphasis has been laid on the potential of bacteria-based crack repair in concrete structure and the applications of different bacterial treatments to self-healing cracks. Furthermore, recommendations to employ the MICCP technology at commercial scale and reduction in the cost of application are provided in this review.

Freeze-thaw resistance of concrete with marginal air content

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-05-01

Freeze-thaw resistance is a key durability factor for concrete pavements. Recommendations for the air void system parameters are normally 6 1 percent total air and a spacing factor of : < 0.20 millimeter (mm) (0.008 inch). However, it was observed...

Seismic evaluation and retrofit of deteriorated concrete bridge components.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-06-01

Corrosion of steel bars in reinforced concrete structures is a major durability problem for bridges constructed in the New York State : (NYS). The heavy use of deicing salt compounds this problem. Corrosion of steel bars results in loss of steel cros...

Nanogranular origin of concrete creep.

PubMed

Vandamme, Matthieu; Ulm, Franz-Josef

2009-06-30

Concrete, the solid that forms at room temperature from mixing Portland cement with water, sand, and aggregates, suffers from time-dependent deformation under load. This creep occurs at a rate that deteriorates the durability and truncates the lifespan of concrete structures. However, despite decades of research, the origin of concrete creep remains unknown. Here, we measure the in situ creep behavior of calcium-silicate-hydrates (C-S-H), the nano-meter sized particles that form the fundamental building block of Portland cement concrete. We show that C-S-H exhibits a logarithmic creep that depends only on the packing of 3 structurally distinct but compositionally similar C-S-H forms: low density, high density, ultra-high density. We demonstrate that the creep rate ( approximately 1/t) is likely due to the rearrangement of nanoscale particles around limit packing densities following the free-volume dynamics theory of granular physics. These findings could lead to a new basis for nanoengineering concrete materials and structures with minimal creep rates monitored by packing density distributions of nanoscale particles, and predicted by nanoscale creep measurements in some minute time, which are as exact as macroscopic creep tests carried out over years.

Nanogranular origin of concrete creep

PubMed Central

Vandamme, Matthieu; Ulm, Franz-Josef

2009-01-01

Concrete, the solid that forms at room temperature from mixing Portland cement with water, sand, and aggregates, suffers from time-dependent deformation under load. This creep occurs at a rate that deteriorates the durability and truncates the lifespan of concrete structures. However, despite decades of research, the origin of concrete creep remains unknown. Here, we measure the in situ creep behavior of calcium–silicate–hydrates (C–S–H), the nano-meter sized particles that form the fundamental building block of Portland cement concrete. We show that C–S–H exhibits a logarithmic creep that depends only on the packing of 3 structurally distinct but compositionally similar C–S–H forms: low density, high density, ultra-high density. We demonstrate that the creep rate (≈1/t) is likely due to the rearrangement of nanoscale particles around limit packing densities following the free-volume dynamics theory of granular physics. These findings could lead to a new basis for nanoengineering concrete materials and structures with minimal creep rates monitored by packing density distributions of nanoscale particles, and predicted by nanoscale creep measurements in some minute time, which are as exact as macroscopic creep tests carried out over years. PMID:19541652

Feasibility Tests on Concrete with Very-High-Volume Supplementary Cementitious Materials

PubMed Central

Yang, Keun-Hyeok; Jeon, Yong-Su

2014-01-01

The objective of this study is to examine the compressive strength and durability of very high-volume SCM concrete. The prepared 36 concrete specimens were classified into two groups according to their designed 28-day compressive strength. For the high-volume SCM, the FA level was fixed at a weight ratio of 0.4 and the GGBS level varied between the weight ratio of 0.3 and 0.5, which resulted in 70–90% replacement of OPC. To enhance the compressive strength of very high-volume SCM concrete at an early age, the unit water content was controlled to be less than 150 kg/m3, and a specially modified polycarboxylate-based water-reducing agent was added. Test results showed that as SCM ratio (R SCM) increased, the strength gain ratio at an early age relative to the 28-day strength tended to decrease, whereas that at a long-term age increased up to R SCM of 0.8, beyond which it decreased. In addition, the beneficial effect of SCMs on the freezing-and-thawing and chloride resistances of the concrete decreased at R SCM of 0.9. Hence, it is recommended that R SCM needs to be restricted to less than 0.8–0.85 in order to obtain a consistent positive influence on the compressive strength and durability of SCM concrete. PMID:25162049

Utilisation of Waste Marble Dust as Fine Aggregate in Concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vigneshpandian, G. V.; Aparna Shruthi, E.; Venkatasubramanian, C.; Muthu, D.

2017-07-01

Concrete is the important construction material and it is used in the construction industry due to its high compressive strength and its durability. Now a day’s various studies have been conducted to make concrete with waste material with the intention of reducing cost and unavailability of conventional materials. This paper investigates the strength properties of concrete specimens cast using waste marble dust as replacement of fine aggregate. The marble pieces are finely crushed to powdered and the gradation is compared with conventional fine aggregate. Concrete specimen were cast using wmd in the laboratory with different proportion (25%, 50% and 100%) by weight of cement and from the studies it reveals that addition of waste marble dust as a replacement of fine aggregate marginally improves compressive, tensile and flexural strength in concrete.

Effect of mineral additives on structure and properties of concrete for pavements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sobol, Khrystyna; Markiv, Taras; Hunyak, Oleksii

2017-12-01

Concrete pavements is an attractive alternative to asphalt pavements because of its lower cost and higher durability. Major contribution to sustainable development can be made by partial replacement of cement in concrete pavement with supplementary cementitious materials of different nature and origin. In this paper, the effect of natural zeolite and perlite additives in complex with chemical admixtures on the structure and properties of concrete for pavement was studied. Compressive and flexural strength test was used to study the mechanical behavior of designed concrete under load. Generally, the compressive strength of both control concrete and concrete containing mineral additives levels at the later ages of hardening. The microstructure analysis of concrete with mineral additives of different nature activity showed the formation of additional amount of hydration products such as tobermorite type calcium hydrosilicate which provide self-reinforcement of hardening concrete system.

NDT evaluation of long-term bond durability of CFRP-structural systems applied to RC highway bridges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crawford, Kenneth C.

2016-06-01

The long-term durability of CFRP structural systems applied to reinforced-concrete (RC) highway bridges is a function of the system bond behavior over time. The sustained structural load performance of strengthened bridges depends on the carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates remaining 100 % bonded to concrete bridge members. Periodic testing of the CFRP-concrete bond condition is necessary to sustain load performance. The objective of this paper is to present a non-destructive testing (NDT) method designed to evaluate the bond condition and long-term durability of CFRP laminate (plate) systems applied to RC highway bridges. Using the impact-echo principle, a mobile mechanical device using light impact hammers moving along the length of a bonded CFRP plate produces unique acoustic frequencies which are a function of existing CFRP plate-concrete bond conditions. The purpose of this method is to test and locate CFRP plates de-bonded from bridge structural members to identify associated deterioration in bridge load performance. Laboratory tests of this NDT device on a CFRP plate bonded to concrete with staged voids (de-laminations) produced different frequencies for bonded and de-bonded areas of the plate. The spectra (bands) of frequencies obtained in these tests show a correlation to the CFRP-concrete bond condition and identify bonded and de-bonded areas of the plate. The results of these tests indicate that this NDT impact machine, with design improvements, can potentially provide bridge engineers a means to rapidly evaluate long lengths of CFRP laminates applied to multiple highway bridges within a national transportation infrastructure.

Research on strength attenuation law of concrete in freezing - thawing environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, qianhui; Cao, zhiyuan; Li, qiang

2018-03-01

By rapid freezing and thawing method, the experiments of concrete have been 300 freeze-thaw cycles specimens in the water. The cubic compression strength value under different freeze-thaw cycles was measured. By analyzing the test results, the water-binder ratio of the concrete under freeze-thaw environments, fly ash and air entraining agent is selected dosage recommendations. The exponential attenuation prediction model and life prediction model of compression strength of concrete under freezing-thawing cycles considering the factors of water-binder ratio, fly ash content and air-entraining agent dosage were established. The model provides the basis for predicting the durability life of concrete under freezing-thawing environment. It also provides experimental basis and references for further research on concrete structures with antifreeze requirements.

Polymer concrete overlay test program : Lebanon Ditch Bridge : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1983-01-01

This report presents information on the installation of a thin polymer concrete overlay and the evaluation of its durability after a 15-month in-service period. The project was performed by the Oregon State Highway Division under the sponsorship of t...

Development of a Family of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Pi-Girders

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-01-01

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is an advanced cementitious composite material, which tends to exhibit superior properties such as exceptional durability, increased strength, and long-term stability. (See references 1-4.) The use of existing s...

The optimization of concrete mixtures for use in highway applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moini, Mohamadreza

Portland cement concrete is most used commodity in the world after water. Major part of civil and transportation infrastructure including bridges, roadway pavements, dams, and buildings is made of concrete. In addition to this, concrete durability is often of major concerns. In 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) estimated that an annual investment of 170 billion on roads and 20.5 billion for bridges is needed on an annual basis to substantially improve the condition of infrastructure. Same article reports that one-third of America's major roads are in poor or mediocre condition [1]. However, portland cement production is recognized with approximately one cubic meter of carbon dioxide emission. Indeed, the proper and systematic design of concrete mixtures for highway applications is essential as concrete pavements represent up to 60% of interstate highway systems with heavier traffic loads. Combined principles of material science and engineering can provide adequate methods and tools to facilitate the concrete design and improve the existing specifications. In the same manner, the durability must be addressed in the design and enhancement of long-term performance. Concrete used for highway pavement applications has low cement content and can be placed at low slump. However, further reduction of cement content (e.g., versus current specifications of Wisconsin Department of Transportation to 315-338 kg/m 3 (530-570 lb/yd3) for mainstream concrete pavements and 335 kg/m3 (565 lb/yd3) for bridge substructure and superstructures) requires delicate design of the mixture to maintain the expected workability, overall performance, and long-term durability in the field. The design includes, but not limited to optimization of aggregates, supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), chemical and air-entraining admixtures. This research investigated various theoretical and experimental methods of aggregate optimization applicable for the reduction of cement content

Evaluation of curing compound application time on concrete surface durability.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-03-01

The effect of curing compound application time after concrete finishing was examined in the study. Times of 30 minutes, 2 hours and 4 hours were considered and repeatability was evaluated with comparisons to a Phase I portion of the study. Scaling re...

Simultaneous structural and environmental loading of an ultra-high performance concrete component

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-07-01

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is an advanced cementitious composite material which tends to exhibit superior properties such as increased durability, strength, and long-term stability. This experimental investigation focused on the flexural ...

The use of sulphur as a rigid binder and for the impregnation of concrete : state of the art.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-01-01

Recent research has led to the development of durable modified-sulphur mortars, concretes, and coatings. All of the methods of using sulphur as a binder for rigid concrete rely on the reaction of one or more modifiers to stabilize, in the hardened st...

Studies on the corrosion resistance of reinforced steel in concrete with ground granulated blast-furnace slag--An overview.

PubMed

Song, Ha-Won; Saraswathy, Velu

2006-11-16

The partial replacement of clinker, the main constituent of ordinary Portland cement by pozzolanic or latent hydraulic industrial by-products such as ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), effectively lowers the cost of cement by saving energy in the production process. It also reduces CO2 emissions from the cement plant and offers a low priced solution to the environmental problem of depositing industrial wastes. The utilization of GGBFS as partial replacement of Portland cement takes advantage of economic, technical and environmental benefits of this material. Recently offshore, coastal and marine concrete structures were constructed using GGBFS concrete because high volume of GGBFS can contribute to the reduction of chloride ingress. In this paper, the influence of using GGBFS in reinforced concrete structures from the durability aspects such as chloride ingress and corrosion resistance, long term durability, microstructure and porosity of GGBFS concrete has been reviewed and discussed.

Guidelines for detection, analysis, and treatment of materials-related distress in concrete pavements. Volume 2, Guidelines description and use

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-08-01

The performance of concrete pavements can be adversely affected by the concrete's inability to resist the environment in which it is placed. This lack of durability can occur even when the structural design of the pavement is adequate. The distresses...

Aggregate-cement paste transition zone properties affecting the salt-frost damage of high-performance concretes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cwirzen, Andrzej; Penttala, Vesa

2005-04-01

The influence of the cement paste-aggregate interfacial transition zone (ITZ) on the frost durability of high-performance silica fume concrete (HPSFC) has been studied. Investigation was carried out on eight non-air-entrained concretes having water-to-binder (W/B) ratios of 0.3, 0.35 and 0.42 and different additions of condensed silica fume. Studies on the microstructure and composition of the cement paste have been made by means of environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM)-BSE, ESEM-EDX and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) analysis. The results showed that the transition zone initiates and accelerates damaging mechanisms by enhancing movement of the pore solution within the concrete during freezing andmore » thawing cycles. Cracks filled with ettringite were primarily formed in the ITZ. The test concretes having good frost-deicing salt durability featured a narrow transition zone and a decreased Ca/Si atomic ratio in the transition zone compared to the bulk cement paste. Moderate additions of silica fume seemed to densify the microstructure of the ITZ.« less

Effectiveness of fly ash for strength and durability of concrete

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ho, D.W.S.; Lewis, R.K.

1985-09-01

The effectiveness, K, of a fly ash can be defined as the ratio of the amount of cement replaced to the amount of fly ash added, provided the specified requirements of the concrete are maintained. It is generally assumed that the effectiveness of a fly ash can be treated as a constant. This paper presents results on concrete made with various mix proportions using three different cements and fly ash from three different sources. It was found that the K factor of each fly ash in achieving common 28-day compressive strength varies over a wide range depending on the amountmore » of fly ash used, the type of cement, the incorporation of chemical admixtures and the particular strength level chosen. Besides strength, K can also be calculated for other properties. For the materials used in this investigation, the K factors with respect to carbonation were found to be unequal to K factors for strength.« less

Freeze-thaw resistance of concrete with marginal air content : final report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-12-01

Freeze-thaw resistance is a key durability factor for concrete pavements. Recommendations for the air : void system parameters are normally: 6 1 percent total air, and spacing factor less than 0.20 : millimeters. However, it was observed that some...

Life Cycle Assessment of Completely Recyclable Concrete.

PubMed

De Schepper, Mieke; Van den Heede, Philip; Van Driessche, Isabel; De Belie, Nele

2014-08-21

Since the construction sector uses 50% of the Earth's raw materials and produces 50% of its waste, the development of more durable and sustainable building materials is crucial. Today, Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) is mainly used in low level applications, namely as unbound material for foundations, e.g., in road construction. Mineral demolition waste can be recycled as crushed aggregates for concrete, but these reduce the compressive strength and affect the workability due to higher values of water absorption. To advance the use of concrete rubble, Completely Recyclable Concrete (CRC) is designed for reincarnation within the cement production, following the Cradle-to-Cradle (C2C) principle. By the design, CRC becomes a resource for cement production because the chemical composition of CRC will be similar to that of cement raw materials. If CRC is used on a regular basis, a closed concrete-cement-concrete material cycle will arise, which is completely different from the current life cycle of traditional concrete. Within the research towards this CRC it is important to quantify the benefit for the environment and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) needs to be performed, of which the results are presented in a this paper. It was observed that CRC could significantly reduce the global warming potential of concrete.

Life Cycle Assessment of Completely Recyclable Concrete

PubMed Central

De Schepper, Mieke; Van den Heede, Philip; Van Driessche, Isabel; De Belie, Nele

2014-01-01

Since the construction sector uses 50% of the Earth’s raw materials and produces 50% of its waste, the development of more durable and sustainable building materials is crucial. Today, Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) is mainly used in low level applications, namely as unbound material for foundations, e.g., in road construction. Mineral demolition waste can be recycled as crushed aggregates for concrete, but these reduce the compressive strength and affect the workability due to higher values of water absorption. To advance the use of concrete rubble, Completely Recyclable Concrete (CRC) is designed for reincarnation within the cement production, following the Cradle-to-Cradle (C2C) principle. By the design, CRC becomes a resource for cement production because the chemical composition of CRC will be similar to that of cement raw materials. If CRC is used on a regular basis, a closed concrete-cement-concrete material cycle will arise, which is completely different from the current life cycle of traditional concrete. Within the research towards this CRC it is important to quantify the benefit for the environment and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) needs to be performed, of which the results are presented in a this paper. It was observed that CRC could significantly reduce the global warming potential of concrete. PMID:28788174

Balanced improvement of high performance concrete material properties with modified graphite nanomaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peyvandi, Amirpasha

of exposure to chloride solutions, pointing at the benefits of nanoplatelets towards enhancement of concrete resistance to chloride ion diffusion. It was also found that the intensity of Thaumasite, a key species marking sulfate attack on cement hydrates, was lowered with the addition of graphite nanoplatelets in concrete exposed to sulfate solutions. Experimental evaluations were conducted on scaled-up production of concrete nanocomposite in precast concrete plants. Full-scale reinforced concrete pipes and beams were produced using concrete nanocomposites. Durability and structural tests indicated that the use of graphite nanoplatelets, alone or in combination with synthetic (PVA) fibers, produced significant gains in the durability characteristics, and also benefited the structural performance of precast reinforced concrete products. The material and scaled-up structural investigations conducted in the project concluded that lower-cost graphite nanomaterials (e.g., graphite nanoplatelets) offer significant potentials as multi-functional additives capable of enhancing the barrier, durability and mechanical performance of concrete materials. The benefits of graphite nanomaterials tend to be more pronounced in higher-performance concrete materials.

Monitoring Corrosion of Steel Bars in Reinforced Concrete Structures

PubMed Central

Verma, Sanjeev Kumar; Bhadauria, Sudhir Singh; Akhtar, Saleem

2014-01-01

Corrosion of steel bars embedded in reinforced concrete (RC) structures reduces the service life and durability of structures causing early failure of structure, which costs significantly for inspection and maintenance of deteriorating structures. Hence, monitoring of reinforcement corrosion is of significant importance for preventing premature failure of structures. This paper attempts to present the importance of monitoring reinforcement corrosion and describes the different methods for evaluating the corrosion state of RC structures, especially hal-cell potential (HCP) method. This paper also presents few techniques to protect concrete from corrosion. PMID:24558346

Monitoring corrosion of steel bars in reinforced concrete structures.

PubMed

Verma, Sanjeev Kumar; Bhadauria, Sudhir Singh; Akhtar, Saleem

2014-01-01

Corrosion of steel bars embedded in reinforced concrete (RC) structures reduces the service life and durability of structures causing early failure of structure, which costs significantly for inspection and maintenance of deteriorating structures. Hence, monitoring of reinforcement corrosion is of significant importance for preventing premature failure of structures. This paper attempts to present the importance of monitoring reinforcement corrosion and describes the different methods for evaluating the corrosion state of RC structures, especially hal-cell potential (HCP) method. This paper also presents few techniques to protect concrete from corrosion.

Guidelines for detection, analysis, and treatment of materials-related distress in concrete pavements, volume 3 : case studies using the guidelines.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-08-01

The performance of concrete pavements can be adversely affected by the concrete's inability to resist the environment in : which it is placed. This lack of durability can occur even when the structural design of the pavement is adequate. The : distre...

Concrete waterproofing in nuclear industry.

PubMed

Scherbyna, Alexander N; Urusov, Sergei V

2005-01-01

One of the main points of aggregate safety during the transportation and storage of radioactive materials is to supply waterproofing for all constructions having direct contact with radiating substances and providing strength, seismic shielding etc. This is the problem with all waterside structures in nuclear industry and concrete installations in the treatment and storage of radioactive materials. In this connection, the problem of developing efficient techniques both for the repair of operating constructions and the waterproofing of new objects of the specified assignment is genuine. Various techniques of concrete waterproofing are widely applied in the world today. However, in conditions of radiation many of these techniques can bring not a profit but irreparable damage of durability and reliability of a concrete construction; for instance, when waterproofing materials contain organic constituents, polymers etc. Application of new technology or materials in basic construction elements requires in-depth analysis and thorough testing. The price of an error might be very large. A comparative analysis shows that one of the most promising types of waterproofing materials for radiation loaded concrete constructions is "integral capillary systems" (ICS). The tests on radiation, thermal and strength stability of ICS and ICS-treated concrete samples were initiated and fulfilled in RFNC-VNIITF. The main result is--ICS applying is increasing of waterproofing and strength properties of concrete in conditions of readiation The paper is devoted to describing the research strategy, the tests and their results and also to planning of new tests.

Bridge-in-a-Backpack(TM). Task 3 : investigation of durability enhancements relative to abrasion from ice and other sources.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-02-01

The arch-shaped concrete filled fiber reinforced polymer tube bridges are being constructed throughout New : England and elsewhere. The composite system durability and maintenance requirements need to be evaluated. For : this study, an asymmetric hyb...

Evaluating the strength of concrete structure on terrace houses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasbullah, Mohd. Amran; Yusof, Rohana; Rahman, Mohd Nazaruddin Yusoff @ Abdul

2016-08-01

The concrete structure is the main component to support the structure of the building, but when concrete has been used for an extended period hence, it needs to be evaluated to determine the current strength, durability and how long it can last. The poor quality of concrete structures will cause discomfort to the user and, the safety will be affected due to lack of concrete strength. If these issues are not monitored or not precisely known performance, and no further action done then, the concrete structure will fail and eventually it will collapse. Five units of terrace houses that are built less than 10 years old with extension or renovations and have cracks at Taman Samar Indah, Samarahan, Sarawak have been selected for this study. The instrument used in this research is Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV), with the objective to determine the current strength and investigate the velocity of a pulse at the concrete cracks. The data showed that the average velocity of the pulse is less than 3.0 km/s and has shown that the quality of the concrete in the houses too weak scale / doubt in the strength of concrete. It also indicates that these houses need to have an immediate repair in order to remain secure other concrete structures.

Aligned carbon nanotube based ultrasonic microtransducers for durability monitoring in civil engineering.

PubMed

Lebental, B; Chainais, P; Chenevier, P; Chevalier, N; Delevoye, E; Fabbri, J-M; Nicoletti, S; Renaux, P; Ghis, A

2011-09-30

Structural health monitoring of porous materials such as concrete is becoming a major component in our resource-limited economy, as it conditions durable exploitation of existing facilities. Durability in porous materials depends on nanoscale features which need to be monitored in situ with nanometric resolution. To address this problem, we put forward an approach based on the development of a new nanosensor, namely a capacitive micrometric ultrasonic transducer whose vibrating membrane is made of aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT). Such sensors are meant to be embedded in large numbers within a porous material in order to provide information on its durability by monitoring in situ neighboring individual micropores. In the present paper, we report on the feasibility of the key building block of the proposed sensor: we have fabricated well-aligned, ultra-thin, dense SWNT membranes that show above-nanometer amplitudes of vibration over a large range of frequencies spanning from 100 kHz to 5 MHz.

Development of quiet and durable porous Portland cement concrete paving materials

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-09-01

This report outlines the systematic research effort conducted in order to develop and characterize Enhanced Porosity Concrete (EPC) to mitigate the problem of tire-road interaction noise. The basic tenet of this research is that carefully introduced ...

Identification of concrete deteriorating minerals by polarizing and scanning electron microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gregerova, Miroslava, E-mail: mirka@sci.muni.cz; Vsiansky, Dalibor, E-mail: daliborv@centrum.cz

2009-07-15

The deterioration of concrete represents one of the most serious problems of civil engineering worldwide. Besides other processes, deterioration of concrete consists of sulfate attack and carbonation. Sulfate attack results in the formation of gypsum, ettringite and thaumasite in hardened concrete. Products of sulfate attack may cause a loss of material strength and a risk of collapse of the concrete constructions. The authors focused especially on the microscopical research of sulfate attack. Concrete samples were taken from the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic. A succession of degrading mineral formation was suggested. Microscope methods represent a new approach to solvingmore » the deterioration problems. They enable evaluation of the state of concrete constructions and in cooperation with hydro-geochemistry, mathematics and statistics permit prediction of the durability of a structure. Considering the number of concrete constructions and their age, research of concrete deterioration has an increasing importance. The results obtained can also be useful for future construction, because they identify the risk factors associated with formation of minerals known to degrade structures.« less

Advances in concrete materials for sewer systems affected by microbial induced concrete corrosion: A review.

PubMed

Grengg, Cyrill; Mittermayr, Florian; Ukrainczyk, Neven; Koraimann, Günther; Kienesberger, Sabine; Dietzel, Martin

2018-05-01

Microbial induced concrete corrosion (MICC) is recognized as one of the main degradation mechanisms of subsurface infrastructure worldwide, raising the demand for sustainable construction materials in corrosive environments. This review aims to summarize the key research progress acquired during the last decade regarding the understanding of MICC reaction mechanisms and the development of durable materials from an interdisciplinary perspective. Special focus was laid on aspects governing concrete - micoorganisms interaction since being the central process steering biogenic acid corrosion. The insufficient knowledge regarding the latter is proposed as a central reason for insufficient progress in tailored material development for aggressive wastewater systems. To date no cement-based material exists, suitable to withstand the aggressive conditions related to MICC over its entire service life. Research is in particular needed on the impact of physiochemical material parameters on microbial community structure, growth characteristics and limitations within individual concrete speciation. Herein an interdisciplinary approach is presented by combining results from material sciences, microbiology, mineralogy and hydrochemistry to stimulate the development of novel and sustainable materials and mitigation strategies for MICC. For instance, the application of antibacteriostatic agents is introduced as an effective instrument to limit microbial growth on concrete surfaces in aggressive sewer environments. Additionally, geopolymer concretes are introduced as highly resistent in acid environments, thus representing a possible green alternative to conventional cement-based construction materials. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surface resistivity as an alternative for rapid chloride permeability test of hardened concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-03-01

Kansas experiences harsh winters that require frequent use of de-icing salts, making it critical to the long-term : durability of concrete structures that the permeability is kept under control. Under current KDOT specification, the : Rapid Chloride ...

Design and testing of tubular polymeric capsules for self-healing of concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araújo, M.; Van Tittelboom, K.; Feiteira, J.; Gruyaert, E.; Chatrabhuti, S.; Raquez, J.-M.; Šavija, B.; Alderete, N.; Schlangen, E.; De Belie, N.

2017-10-01

Polymeric healing agents have proven their efficiency to heal cracks in concrete in an autonomous way. However, the bottleneck for valorisation of self-healing concrete with polymeric healing agents is their encapsulation. In the present work, the suitability of polymeric materials such as poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polystyrene (PS) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as carriers for healing agents in self-healing concrete has been evaluated. The durability of the polymeric capsules in different environments (demineralized water, salt water and simulated concrete pore solution) and their compatibility with various healing agents have been assessed. Next, a numerical model was used to simulate capsule rupture when intersected by a crack in concrete and validated experimentally. Finally, two real-scale self-healing concrete beams were made, containing the selected polymeric capsules (with the best properties regarding resistance to concrete mixing and breakage upon crack formation) or glass capsules and a reference beam without capsules. The self-healing efficiency was determined after crack creation by 3-point-bending tests.

Analysis of Transparent Concrete as an Innovative Material Used in Civil Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zielińska, Monika; Ciesielski, Albert

2017-10-01

Since the dawn of history concrete has been, right behind stone and brick, one of the oldest building materials. The ancient Romans took advantage of its opportunities. They constructed amazing architectural objects, which survived centuries as whole buildings or parts of them. Concrete is so ubiquitous, that when we are walking in a newer districts of cities we are virtually surrounded by concrete from everywhere. Sometimes we do not realize in how many cases and various ways concrete is used in towns and cities. As we know, human curiosity and quest for newer and newer solutions and capabilities does not leave such amazing material as concrete alone. There are many varieties of concrete, depending on what people want to achieve. By changing its chemical composition, technological process and adding various other materials, we receive various types of concrete. We use them to create durable supporting structures, a variety of concrete which is resistant to constant moisture or different chemical types. Additionally, some aspects of aesthetics in architecture are made with the help of concrete.

A Study on Suitability of EAF Oxidizing Slag in Concrete: An Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Replacement for Natural Coarse Aggregate

PubMed Central

Sekaran, Alan; Palaniswamy, Murthi; Balaraju, Sivagnanaprakash

2015-01-01

Environmental and economic factors increasingly encourage higher utility of industrial by-products. The basic objective of this study was to identify alternative source for good quality aggregates which is depleting very fast due to fast pace of construction activities in India. EAF oxidizing slag as a by-product obtained during the process in steel making industry provides great opportunity to utilize it as an alternative to normally available coarse aggregates. The primary aim of this research was to evaluate the physical, mechanical, and durability properties of concrete made with EAF oxidizing slag in addition to supplementary cementing material fly ash. This study presents the experimental investigations carried out on concrete grades of M20 and M30 with three mixes: (i) Mix A, conventional concrete mix with no material substitution, (ii) Mix B, 30% replacement of cement with fly ash, and (iii) Mix C, 30% replacement of cement with fly ash and 50% replacement of coarse aggregate with EAF oxidizing slag. Tests were conducted to determine mechanical and durability properties up to the age of 90 days. The test results concluded that concrete made with EAF oxidizing slag and fly ash (Mix C) had greater strength and durability characteristics when compared to Mix A and Mix B. Based on the overall observations, it could be recommended that EAF oxidizing slag and fly ash could be effectively utilized as coarse aggregate replacement and cement replacement in all concrete applications. PMID:26421315

A Study on Suitability of EAF Oxidizing Slag in Concrete: An Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Replacement for Natural Coarse Aggregate.

PubMed

Sekaran, Alan; Palaniswamy, Murthi; Balaraju, Sivagnanaprakash

2015-01-01

Environmental and economic factors increasingly encourage higher utility of industrial by-products. The basic objective of this study was to identify alternative source for good quality aggregates which is depleting very fast due to fast pace of construction activities in India. EAF oxidizing slag as a by-product obtained during the process in steel making industry provides great opportunity to utilize it as an alternative to normally available coarse aggregates. The primary aim of this research was to evaluate the physical, mechanical, and durability properties of concrete made with EAF oxidizing slag in addition to supplementary cementing material fly ash. This study presents the experimental investigations carried out on concrete grades of M20 and M30 with three mixes: (i) Mix A, conventional concrete mix with no material substitution, (ii) Mix B, 30% replacement of cement with fly ash, and (iii) Mix C, 30% replacement of cement with fly ash and 50% replacement of coarse aggregate with EAF oxidizing slag. Tests were conducted to determine mechanical and durability properties up to the age of 90 days. The test results concluded that concrete made with EAF oxidizing slag and fly ash (Mix C) had greater strength and durability characteristics when compared to Mix A and Mix B. Based on the overall observations, it could be recommended that EAF oxidizing slag and fly ash could be effectively utilized as coarse aggregate replacement and cement replacement in all concrete applications.

Investigation of Best Practices for Maintenance of Concrete Bridge Railings : Research Project Capsule

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-09-01

Mildew growth and darkening of concrete bridge railings and structures have : negative impacts on their aesthetic value and durability. Darkening and stains : are created by growth of biofi lms such as algae, cyanobacteria, and fungi. As : fungi grow...

Laboratory Evaluation of Expedient Low-Temperature Concrete Admixtures for Repairing Blast Holes in Cold Weather

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-08

This re- search ignores effects on long-term durability, trafficability, temperature rebar corrosion , and other concerns that are of minimal... concrete because it can cause corrosion of steel reinforcement. However, the corrosion problem develops slowly with time; therefore, this problem has a...ER D C/ CR RE L TR -1 3- 1 Laboratory Evaluation of Expedient Low- Temperature Concrete Admixtures for Repairing Blast Holes in Cold

Durability of precast prestressed concrete piles in marine environment : reinforcement corrosion and mitigation - Part 1.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-06-01

Research conducted in Part 1 has verified that precast prestressed concrete piles in : Georgias marine environment are deteriorating. The concrete is subjected to sulfate and : biological attack and the prestressed and nonprestressed reinforcement...

Engineering properties of concrete with partial utilization of used foundry sand.

PubMed

Manoharan, Thiruvenkitam; Laksmanan, Dhamothiran; Mylsamy, Kaliyannan; Sivakumar, Pandian; Sircar, Anirbid

2018-01-01

Solid wastes generated from manufacturing industries are increasing at an alarming rate and it is consistently increasing. One such industrial solid waste is Used Foundry Sand (UFS). On the other hand, fine aggregates involved in the concrete are generally river sand, which is scarce, high cost and excavation of the river sand that promote environmental degradation. So, there is an urge to find some alternative solution to dispose UFS and to limit the use of river sand. In this research work, river sand was partially replaced by UFS. The percentage replacements were 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 wt% respectively. Experimental investigations were carried out to evaluate the mechanical, durability and micro-structural properties of M20 concrete at the age of 7, 28 and 91 day. XRD (X-ray Diffraction), EDX (Energy Dispersive X-ray) and optical-microscopic imaging analysis were performed to identify the presence of various compounds and micro cracks in the concrete with UFS. Comparative studies on control mix against trial mix were carried out. It was found that compression strength, flexural strength and modulus of elasticity were approximately constant up to 20 wt% UFS and decreased with further addition. Whereas, split tensile strength was increased after 20 wt% addition but it affects the other properties of concrete. The durability test results showed that the resistance of concrete against abrasion and rapid chloride permeability of the concrete mixture containing UFS up to 20 wt% were almost similar to the values of control mix. The findings suggest that UFS can effectively replace river sand. However, it is recommended that the replacement should not exceed 20 wt%. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Pore Structure Characterization in Concrete Prepared with Carbonated Fly Ash

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahoo, Sanjukta

2018-03-01

Carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) is a technique to address the global concern of continuously rising CO2 level in the atmosphere. Fly ash is considered as a suitable medium for CCS due to presence of metal oxides. The fly ash which has already sequestered carbon dioxide is referred to as carbonated fly ash. Recent research reveals better durability of concretes using carbonated fly ash as part replacement of cement. In the present research pore structure characterization of the carbonated fly ash concrete has been carried out. Mercury Intrusion porosimetry test has been conducted on control concrete and concrete specimens using fly ash and carbonated fly ash at replacement levels of 25% and 40%. The specimens have been water cured for 28 days and 90 days. It is observed that porosity reduction rate is more pronounced in carbonated fly ash concrete compared to control concrete at higher water curing age. Correlation analysis is also carried out which indicates moderately linear relationship between porosity % and pore distribution with particle size and water curing.

Application of ground-penetrating radar technique to evaluate the waterfront location in hardened concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez-Abad, Isabel; Klysz, Gilles; Martínez-Sala, Rosa; Balayssac, Jean Paul; Mené-Aparicio, Jesús

2016-12-01

The long-term performance of concrete structures is directly tied to two factors: concrete durability and strength. When assessing the durability of concrete structures, the study of the water penetration is paramount, because almost all reactions like corrosion, alkali-silica, sulfate, etc., which produce their deterioration, require the presence of water. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has shown to be very sensitive to water variations. On this basis, the objective of this experimental study is, firstly, to analyze the correlation between the water penetration depth in concrete samples and the GPR wave parameters. To do this, the samples were immersed into water for different time intervals and the wave parameters were obtained from signals registered when the antenna was placed on the immersed surface of the samples. Secondly, a procedure has been developed to be able to determine, from those signals, the reliability in the detection and location of waterfront depths. The results have revealed that GPR may have an enormous potential in this field, because excellent agreements were found between the correlated variables. In addition, when comparing the waterfront depths calculated from GPR measurements and those visually registered after breaking the samples, we observed that they totally agreed when the waterfront was more than 4 cm depth.

Towards a better understanding of the mechanisms controlling the durability of FRP composites in concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamal, Abu Sayed Md

sized and desized glass fibers were produced and exposed to deionized water at 4 °C, 23 °C, and 50 °C. Irrespective of sample types, the tensile strength decreased with temperature while the mass gain and moisture diffusivity increased with temperature. However, the sized samples showed a similar mass gain behavior as the desized ones, at the same exposure environment. This study confirms that sizing in GFRP custom plane sheets contributes not only to the initial strength of the composite by enhancing the adhesion between the glass fibre and a matrix, but also to the strength retention (i.e., durability) when exposed to harsh environments. The experiments of Phase 2 were carried out at 100% relative humidity (RH). However, field service conditions vary with respect to RH and temperature for GFRP composites in concrete. Therefore, a further study was conducted to investigate the effects of RH and temperature on the properties of GFRP rebars in Phase 3. The effects of RH were investigated by exposing GFRP rebars to nine RH environments (9%-100%) while monitoring mass changes during drying and wetting. Moreover, the thermal effects of GFRP rebars on water uptake in deionized water at 4 °C, 23 °C, and 50 °C were studied and compared with those for GFRP custom plane sheets. The effects of RH on drying and wetting for GFRP rebars exhibited a hysteretic behavior. The percent of mass gain at 100% RH showed a significant difference from that in other RH environments. Mass gain and moisture diffusivity were found to increase for both rebars and custom sheets with increasing temperature. A typical Fickian behaviour of water absorption was observed for both types of samples at all exposure conditions, except the GFRP rebars at higher temperatures (starting at 50 °C) which showed non-Fickian behaviour for water absorption. The dependence of the diffusion coefficient on temperature was found to follow the Arrhenius equation. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Cathodic protection of two concrete bridge decks using titanium-mesh anodes : interim report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1991-01-01

Expanded titanium mesh with a layer of precious metal oxides sintered around it has recently been introduced to fulfill the need for a durable anode in the cathodic protection (CP) of concrete bridge decks. In addition to being resistant to chemical ...

Evaluation of Portland Cement concretes containing ground granulated blast furnace slag : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-05-01

A two part laboratory experimental program was conducted to evaluate strength and durability of various concrete mix : designs. In Part I of the study, the influence of using Grade 120 ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) on the : strength an...

The environmental impacts of foamed concrete production and exploitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namsone, E.; Korjakins, A.; Sahmenko, G.; Sinka, M.

2017-10-01

This paper presents a study focusing on the environmental impacts of foamed concrete production and exploitation. CO2 emissions are very important factor for describing durability and sustainability of any building material and its life cycle. The building sector is one of the largest energy-consuming sectors in the world. In this study CO2 emissions are evaluated with regard to three types of energy resources (gas, coal and eco-friendly fuel). The related savings on raw materials are up to 120 t of water per 1000 t of traditionally mixed foamed concrete and up to 350 t of sand per 1000 t of foamed concrete produced with intensive mixing technology. In addition, total reduction of CO2 emissions (up to 60 t per 1000 m3 of material) and total energy saving from introduction of foamed concrete production (depending on the type of fuel) were calculated. In order to analyze the conditions of exploitation, both thermal conductivity and thickness of wall was determined. All obtained and calculated results were compared to those of the commercially produced autoclaved aerated concrete.

On Deterioration Mechanism of Concrete Exposed to Freeze-Thaw Cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trofimov, B. Ya; Kramar, L. Ya; Schuldyakov, K. V.

2017-11-01

At present, concrete and reinforced concrete are gaining ground in all sectors of construction including construction in the extreme north, on shelves, etc. Under harsh service conditions, the durability of reinforced concrete structures is related to concrete frost resistance. Frost resistance tests are accompanied by the accumulation of residual dilation deformations affected by temperature-humidity stresses, ice formation and other factors. Porosity is an integral part of the concrete structure which is formed as a result of cement hydration. The prevailing hypothesis of a deterioration mechanism of concrete exposed to cyclic freezing, i.e. the hypothesis of hydraulic pressure of unfrozen water in microcapillaries, does not take into account a number of phenomena that affect concrete resistance to frost aggression. The main structural element of concrete, i.e. hardened cement paste, contains various hydration products, such as crystalline, semicrystalline and gel-like products, pores and non-hydrated residues of clinker nodules. These structural elements in service can gain thermodynamic stability which leads to the concrete structure coarsening, decrease in the relaxation capacity of concrete when exposed to cycling. Additional destructive factors are leaching of portlandite, the difference in thermal dilation coefficients of hydration products, non-hydrated relicts, aggregates and ice. The main way to increase concrete frost resistance is to reduce the macrocapillary porosity of hardened cement paste and to form stable gel-like hydration products.

Integrated approach to modeling long-term durability of concrete engineered barriers in LLRW disposal facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, J.H.; Roy, D.M.; Mann, B.

1995-12-31

This paper describes an integrated approach to developing a predictive computer model for long-term performance of concrete engineered barriers utilized in LLRW and ILRW disposal facilities. The model development concept consists of three major modeling schemes: hydration modeling of the binder phase, pore solution speciation, and transport modeling in the concrete barrier and service environment. Although still in its inception, the model development approach demonstrated that the chemical and physical properties of complex cementitious materials and their interactions with service environments can be described quantitatively. Applying the integrated model development approach to modeling alkali (Na and K) leaching from amore » concrete pad barrier in an above-grade tumulus disposal unit, it is predicted that, in a near-surface land disposal facility where water infiltration through the facility is normally minimal, the alkalis control the pore solution pH of the concrete barriers for much longer than most previous concrete barrier degradation studies assumed. The results also imply that a highly alkaline condition created by the alkali leaching will result in alteration of the soil mineralogy in the vicinity of the disposal facility.« less

Two innovative solutions based on fibre concrete blocks designed for building substructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pazderka, J.; Hájek, P.

2017-09-01

Using of fibers in a high-strength concrete allows reduction of the dimensions of small precast concrete elements, which opens up new ways of solution for traditional construction details in buildings. The paper presents two innovative technical solutions for building substructure: The special shaped plinth block from fibre concrete and the fibre concrete elements for new technical solution of ventilated floor. The main advantages of plinth block from fibre concrete blocks (compared with standard plinth solutions) is: easier and faster assembly, higher durability and thanks to the air cavity between the vertical part of the block, the building substructure reduced moisture level of structures under the waterproofing layer and a comprehensive solution to the final surface of building plinth as well as the surface of adjacent terrain. The ventilated floor based on fibre concrete precast blocks is an attractive structural alternative for tackling the problem of increased moisture in masonry in older buildings, lacking a functional waterproof layer in the substructure.

Aggregate Toughness/Abrasion Resistance and Durability/Soundness Tests Related to Asphalt Concrete Performance in Pavements

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-03-01

The properties of aggregates used in asphalt concretes are very important to the performance of the pavements in which the asphalt concretes are used. Often pavement distress, such as stripping and rutting, can be traced directly to the aggregates us...

Review on factors influencing thermal conductivity of concrete incorporating various type of waste materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misri, Z.; Ibrahim, M. H. W.; Awal, A. S. M. A.; Desa, M. S. M.; Ghadzali, N. S.

2018-04-01

Concrete is well-known as a construction material which is widely used in building and infrastructure around the world. However, its widespread use has affected the reduction of natural resources. Hence, many approached have been made by researchers to study the incorporation of waste materials in concrete as a substitution for natural resources besides reducing waste disposal problems. Concrete is basically verified by determining its properties; strengths, permeability, shrinkage, durability, thermal properties etc. In various thermal properties of concrete, thermal conductivity (TC) has received a large amount of attention because it is depend upon the composition of concrete. Thermal conductivity is important in building insulation to measure the ability of a material to transfer heat. The aim of this paper is to discuss the methods and influence factors of TC of concrete containing various type of waste materials.

Evaluation of shrinkage and cracking in concrete of ring test by acoustic emission method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Takeshi; Hashimoto, Chikanori

2015-03-01

Drying shrinkage of concrete is one of the typical problems related to reduce durability and defilation of concrete structures. Lime stone, expansive additive and low-heat Portland cement are used to reduce drying shrinkage in Japan. Drying shrinkage is commonly evaluated by methods of measurement for length change of mortar and concrete. In these methods, there is detected strain due to drying shrinkage of free body, although visible cracking does not occur. In this study, the ring test was employed to detect strain and age cracking of concrete. The acoustic emission (AE) method was adopted to detect micro cracking due to shrinkage. It was recognized that in concrete using lime stone, expansive additive and low-heat Portland cement are effective to decrease drying shrinkage and visible cracking. Micro cracking due to shrinkage of this concrete was detected and evaluated by the AE method.

Preliminary study of tin slag concrete mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashim, Mohd Jamil; Mansor, Ishak; Pauzi Ismail, Mohamad; Sani, Suhairy; Azmi, Azhar; Sayuti, Shaharudin; Zaidi Ibrahim, Mohd; Adli Anuar, Abul; Rahim, Abdul Adha Abdul

2018-01-01

The study focuses on practices to facilitate tin smelting industry to reduce radioactive waste product (Tin Slag) by diluting its radioactivity to a safe level and turning it to a safer infrastructural building product. In the process the concrete mix which include Portland cement, sand, tin slag, water and plasticizer are used to produce interlocking brick pavements, piles and other infrastructural products. The mixing method follows DOE (UK) standard method of mixing targeted at in selected compressive strength suitable for its function and durability. A batching machine is used in the mixing and six test cubes are produced for the test. The testing equipment used are a compressional machine, ultrasonic measurement and a Geiger Muller counter to evaluate of the concrete mix to find the lowest emission of radiation surface dose without compromising the strength of concrete mix. The result obtained indicated the radioactivity of tin slag in the mixing process has reduced to background level that is 0.5μSv/h while the strength and workability of the concrete has not been severely affected. In conclusion, the concrete mix with tin slag has shown the potential it can be turned into a safe beneficial infrastructural product with good strength.

Current challenges and future directions for bacterial self-healing concrete.

PubMed

Lee, Yun Suk; Park, Woojun

2018-04-01

Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) has been widely explored and applied in the field of environmental engineering over the last decade. Calcium carbonate is naturally precipitated as a byproduct of various microbial metabolic activities. This biological process was brought into practical use to restore construction materials, strengthen and remediate soil, and sequester carbon. MICP has also been extensively examined for applications in self-healing concrete. Biogenic crack repair helps mitigate the high maintenance costs of concrete in an eco-friendly manner. In this process, calcium carbonate precipitation (CCP)-capable bacteria and nutrients are embedded inside the concrete. These bacteria are expected to increase the durability of the concrete by precipitating calcium carbonate in situ to heal cracks that develop in the concrete. However, several challenges exist with respect to embedding such bacteria; harsh conditions in concrete matrices are unsuitable for bacterial life, including high alkalinity (pH up to 13), high temperatures during manufacturing processes, and limited oxygen supply. Additionally, many biological factors, including the optimum conditions for MICP, the molecular mechanisms involved in MICP, the specific microorganisms suitable for application in concrete, the survival characteristics of the microorganisms embedded in concrete, and the amount of MICP in concrete, remain unclear. In this paper, metabolic pathways that result in conditions favorable for calcium carbonate precipitation, current and potential applications in concrete, and the remaining biological challenges are reviewed.

Fine-grain concrete from mining waste for monolithic construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesovik, R. V.; Ageeva, M. S.; Lesovik, G. A.; Sopin, D. M.; Kazlitina, O. V.; Mitrokhin, A. A.

2018-03-01

The technology of a monolithic construction is a well-established practice among most Russian real estate developers. The strong points of the technology are low cost of materials and lower demand for qualified workers. The monolithic construction uses various types of reinforced slabs and foamed concrete, since they are easy to use and highly durable; they also need practically no additional treatment.

Evaluation of Portland Cement concretes containing ground granulated blast furnace slag : research implementation plan.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-05-01

A two part laboratory experimental program was conducted to evaluate strength and durability of various concrete : mix designs. In Part I of the study, the influence of using Grade 120 ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) : on the strength an...

The Role of Biomass Composition and Steam Treatment on Durability of Pellets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tang, Yong; Chandra, Richard P.; Sokhansanj, Shahab

Steam treatment has been reported to improve the durability of wood pellet likely by changing the physical and chemical structures of wood particles, but published literature is inconclusive about which structure change is the major reason for enhanced durability. Here, in this paper, steam treatment was combined either with alkaline or with SO 2 to study. The solids obtained after steam treatments along with a control sample were dried and each was compacted into pellets. The pellets were then tested for durability. Steam treatment alone dominated improvements in durability. The pellet durability increased with the amount of xylose, but xylosemore » performed better in the pellet from raw poplar than did in the pellet from treated poplar. Water-soluble components contributed a maximum 4% of the durability of poplar pellets. The addition of lignin and sugars to substrates after steam treatment did not improve durability significantly. The surface modification that took place as a result of size reduction during steam treatment was the major reason, contributing about 50% of the durability of the pellet from steam-treated poplar. The acidity of steam treatment slightly affected the relative contributions of these structure changes on the durability. Lastly, the new knowledge helps tailor the chemical and/or mechanical pretreatment involved in pelleting biomass to durable pellets.« less

The Role of Biomass Composition and Steam Treatment on Durability of Pellets

DOE PAGES

Tang, Yong; Chandra, Richard P.; Sokhansanj, Shahab; ...

2018-03-03

Steam treatment has been reported to improve the durability of wood pellet likely by changing the physical and chemical structures of wood particles, but published literature is inconclusive about which structure change is the major reason for enhanced durability. Here, in this paper, steam treatment was combined either with alkaline or with SO 2 to study. The solids obtained after steam treatments along with a control sample were dried and each was compacted into pellets. The pellets were then tested for durability. Steam treatment alone dominated improvements in durability. The pellet durability increased with the amount of xylose, but xylosemore » performed better in the pellet from raw poplar than did in the pellet from treated poplar. Water-soluble components contributed a maximum 4% of the durability of poplar pellets. The addition of lignin and sugars to substrates after steam treatment did not improve durability significantly. The surface modification that took place as a result of size reduction during steam treatment was the major reason, contributing about 50% of the durability of the pellet from steam-treated poplar. The acidity of steam treatment slightly affected the relative contributions of these structure changes on the durability. Lastly, the new knowledge helps tailor the chemical and/or mechanical pretreatment involved in pelleting biomass to durable pellets.« less

Use of Residual Solids from Pulp and Paper Mills for Enhancing Strength and Durability of Ready-Mixed Concrete

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tarun R. Naik; Yoon-moon Chun; Rudolph N. Kraus

2003-09-18

This research was conducted to establish mixture proportioning and production technologies for ready-mixed concrete containing pulp and paper mill residual solids and to study technical, economical, and performance benefits of using the residual solids in the concrete. Fibrous residuals generated from pulp and paper mills were used, and concrete mixture proportions and productions technologies were first optimized under controlled laboratory conditions. Based on the mixture proportions established in the laboratory, prototype field concrete mixtures were manufactured at a ready-mixed concrete plant. Afterward, a field construction demonstration was held to demonstrate the production and placement of structural-grade cold-weather-resistant concrete containing residualmore » solids.« less

Evaluating Louisiana new deck continuity detail for precast prestressed concrete girder bridges : research project capsule.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-08-01

The goal of everyone in the transportation community is to build bridges : that are economic, easy to construct, and durable. Therefore, accelerating : bridge construction through the use of precast concrete or prefabricated : steel girders is a comm...

Surface resistivity as an alternative for rapid chloride permeability test of hardened concrete : [technical summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-03-01

Kansas experiences harsh winters that require frequent use of de-icing salts, making it : critical to the long-term durability of concrete structures that the permeability is kept : under control. Under current KDOT specification, the Rapid Chloride ...

A Monitoring Method Based on FBG for Concrete Corrosion Cracking.

PubMed

Mao, Jianghong; Xu, Fangyuan; Gao, Qian; Liu, Shenglin; Jin, Weiliang; Xu, Yidong

2016-07-14

Corrosion cracking of reinforced concrete caused by chloride salt is one of the main determinants of structure durability. Monitoring the entire process of concrete corrosion cracking is critical for assessing the remaining life of the structure and determining if maintenance is needed. Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensing technology is extensively developed in photoelectric monitoring technology and has been used on many projects. FBG can detect the quasi-distribution of strain and temperature under corrosive environments, and thus it is suitable for monitoring reinforced concrete cracking. According to the mechanical principle that corrosion expansion is responsible for the reinforced concrete cracking, a package design of reinforced concrete cracking sensors based on FBG was proposed and investigated in this study. The corresponding relationship between the grating wavelength and strain was calibrated by an equal strength beam test. The effectiveness of the proposed method was verified by an electrically accelerated corrosion experiment. The fiber grating sensing technology was able to track the corrosion expansion and corrosion cracking in real time and provided data to inform decision-making for the maintenance and management of the engineering structure.

Precast concrete pavement - systems and performance review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novak, Josef; Kohoutková, Alena; Křístek, Vladimír; Vodička, Jan

2017-09-01

Long-term traffic restrictions belong to the key disadvantages of conventional cast-in-plane concrete pavements which have been used for technical structures such as roads, parking place and airfield pavements. As a consequence, the pressure is put on the development of such systems which have short construction time, low production costs, long-term durability, low maintenance requirements etc.. The paper presents the first step in the development of an entirely new precast concrete pavement (PCP) system applicable to airfield and highway pavements. The main objective of the review of PCP systems is to acquire a better understanding of the current systems and design methods used for transport infrastructure. There is lack of information on using PCP systems for the construction of entirely new pavements. To most extensive experience is dated back to the 20th century when hexagonal slab panels and system PAG were used in the Soviet Union for the military airfields. Since cast-in-situ pavements became more common, the systems based on precast concrete panels have been mainly utilized for the removal of damaged sections of existing structures including roads, highways etc.. Namely, it concerns Fort Miller Super Slab system, Michigan system, Uretek Stitch system and Kwik system. The presented review indicates several issues associated with the listed PCP systems and their applications to the repair and rehabilitation of existing structures. Among others, the type of manufacturing technology, particularly the position of slots for dowel bars, affects the durability and performance of the systems. Gathered information serve for the development of a new system for airfield and highway pavement construction.

Blasted copper slag as fine aggregate in Portland cement concrete.

PubMed

Dos Anjos, M A G; Sales, A T C; Andrade, N

2017-07-01

The present work focuses on assessing the viability of applying blasted copper slag, produced during abrasive blasting, as fine aggregate for Portland cement concrete manufacturing, resulting in an alternative and safe disposal method. Leaching assays showed no toxicity for this material. Concrete mixtures were produced, with high aggregate replacement ratios, varying from 0% to 100%. Axial compressive strength, diametrical compressive strength, elastic modulus, physical indexes and durability were evaluated. Assays showed a significant improvement in workability, with the increase in substitution of fine aggregate. With 80% of replacement, the concrete presented lower levels of water absorption capacity. Axial compressive strength and diametrical compressive strength decreased, with the increase of residue replacement content. The greatest reductions of compressive strength were found when the replacement was over 40%. For tensile strength by diametrical compression, the greatest reduction occurred for the concrete with 80% of replacement. After the accelerated aging, results of mechanic properties showed a small reduction of the concrete with blasted copper slag performance, when compared with the reference mixture. Results indicated that the blasted copper slag is a technically viable material for application as fine aggregate for concrete mixtures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transferable Durability: Enhancing decay resistance of non-durable species with extractives from durable wood species

Treesearch

G.T. Kirker; A.B. Blodgett; S. Lebow; C.A. Clausen

2013-01-01

Extractive content and composition is a vital component of naturally durable woods; however, variability in extractives can limit their usefulness in the field. Two extractive-free, non-durable wood species were pressure treated with ethanol-toluene extractives from 8 durable wood species. Extracted Southern pine, Paulownia and unextracted Southern pine blocks were...

Characteristic Asphalt Concrete Wearing Course (ACWC) Using Variation Lime Filler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Permana, R. A.; Pramesti, F. P.; Setyawan, A.

2018-03-01

This research use of lime filler Sukaraja expected add durability layers of concrete pavement is asphalt damage caused by the weather and load traffic. This study attempts to know how much value characteristic Marshall on a mixture of concrete asphalt using lime filler. This research uses experimental methods that is with a pilot to get results, thus will look filler utilization lime on construction concrete asphalt variation in filler levels 2 %, 3 %, 4 %.The results showed that the use of lime filler will affect characteristic a mixture of concrete asphalt. The more filler chalk used to increase the value of stability. On the cretaceous filler 2 % value of stability is 1067,04 kg. When lime filler levels added to the levels of filler 4 %, the value of stability increased to 1213,92 kg. The flexibility increased the number of filler as levels lime 2 % to 4 % suggests that are conducted more stiff mix.

Evaluation and optimization of durable pervious concrete for use in urban areas

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-02-01

Although pervious concrete was first used in the nineteenth century, it has only recently begun to increase in popularity. As urban areas expand, the problems associated with runoff management have become more challenging. The focus on the negative e...

Development, characterization and applications of a non proprietary ultra high performance concrete for highway bridges : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-03-14

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is a new class of cementitious materials that have : exceptional mechanical and durability characteristics. UHPC is commercially available. : However, its cost for construction of highway structures is prohibiti...

Corrosion Prediction with Parallel Finite Element Modeling for Coupled Hygro-Chemo Transport into Concrete under Chloride-Rich Environment

PubMed Central

Na, Okpin; Cai, Xiao-Chuan; Xi, Yunping

2017-01-01

The prediction of the chloride-induced corrosion is very important because of the durable life of concrete structure. To simulate more realistic durability performance of concrete structures, complex scientific methods and more accurate material models are needed. In order to predict the robust results of corrosion initiation time and to describe the thin layer from concrete surface to reinforcement, a large number of fine meshes are also used. The purpose of this study is to suggest more realistic physical model regarding coupled hygro-chemo transport and to implement the model with parallel finite element algorithm. Furthermore, microclimate model with environmental humidity and seasonal temperature is adopted. As a result, the prediction model of chloride diffusion under unsaturated condition was developed with parallel algorithms and was applied to the existing bridge to validate the model with multi-boundary condition. As the number of processors increased, the computational time decreased until the number of processors became optimized. Then, the computational time increased because the communication time between the processors increased. The framework of present model can be extended to simulate the multi-species de-icing salts ingress into non-saturated concrete structures in future work. PMID:28772714

Impact of hydrated cement paste quality and entrained air-void system on the durability of concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-06-30

This study is designed to examine whether traditional limits used to describe the air-void system still : apply to concrete prepared with new admixtures and materials. For this research, the concrete mixtures : prepared were characterized with tradit...

Influence of reactive fillers on concrete corrosion resistance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakhimbayev, Sh M.; Tolypina, N. M.; Khakhaleva, E. N.

2018-03-01

Contact surfaces represent the weakest link in a conglomerate structure of materials. They ensure the diffusion of aggressive agents inside the material. To reduce the conductivity of contact surfaces it is advisable to use reactive fillers, which interact with cement matrix via certain mechanisms, which in turn, reduces the permeability of the contact layer and fosters durability of products. The interaction of reactive fillers with calcium hydroxide of a concrete liquid phase in a contact area leads to the formation of hydrated calcium silicates of a tobermorite group. Such compounds, being settled in pores and capillaries of a product, colmatage and clog them to some extent thus leading to diffusion delay (inhibition) with regard to aggressive components of external media inside porous material, which in turn inhibits the corrosion rate. The authors studied and compared the corrosion of cement concrete with a standard filler (quartz sand) and a reactive filler (perlite and urtit). The experiments confirmed the positive influence of active fillers on concrete corrosion resistance.

Performance and Characterization of Geopolymer Concrete Reinforced with Short Steel Fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullah, M. M. A. B.; Faris, M. A.; Tahir, M. F. M.; Kadir, A. A.; Sandu, A. V.; Mat Isa, N. A. A.; Corbu, O.

2017-06-01

In the recent years, geopolymer concrete are reporting as the greener construction technology compared to conventional concrete that made up of ordinary Portland cement. Geopolymer concrete is an innovative construction material that utilized fly ash as one of waste material in coal combustion industry as a replacement for ordinary Portland cement in concrete. The uses of fly ash could reduce the carbon dioxide emission to the atmosphere, redundant of fly ash waste and costs compared to ordinary Portland cement concrete. However, the plain geopolymer concrete suffers from numerous drawbacks such as brittleness and low durability. Thus, in this study the addition of steel fiber is introduced in plain geopolymer concrete to improve its mechanical properties especially in compressive and flexural strength. Characterization of raw materials also determined by using chemical composition analysis. Short type of steel fiber is added to the mix in weight percent of 1 wt%, 3 wt%, 5 wt% and 7 wt% with fixed molarity of sodium hydroxide of 12M and solid to liquid ratio as 2.0. The addition of steel fiber showed the excellent improvement in the mechanical properties of geopolymer concrete that are determined by various methods available in the literature and compared with each other.

Applications of Nano palm oil fuel ash and Nano fly ash in concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamada, Hussein M.; Jokhio, Gul Ahmed; Mat Yahaya, Fadzil; Humada, Ali M.

2018-04-01

This paper discusses the applications of Nano waste materials including palm oil fuel ash and fly ash in the concrete production. The implementation of nanotechnology has been instrumental in the development of significant interest among the stakeholders to improve the mechanical and chemical properties of materials involved in the production of concrete. Although many researchers have shown the potential of nanomaterials to increase strength and durability of concrete and improve its physical and chemical properties, there is still a knowledge gap regarding the preparation of Nano waste materials from agricultural waste to use as cement replacement instead of non-renewable materials. Therefore, it should be focused on to study Nano- waste materials to benefit from these characteristics during preparation of concrete mixtures. Therefore, this paper highlights the potential of waste materials in the Nano size to partially replace cement in concrete and achieve the same or better result than the traditional concrete. This paper recommends to conduct further experimental works to improve the concrete material properties by investigating the properties of waste materials in Nano size.

Scaling and saturation laws for the expansion of concrete exposed to sulfate attack.

PubMed

Monteiro, Paulo J M

2006-08-01

Reinforced concrete structures exposed to aggressive environments often require repair or retrofit even though they were designed to last >50 years. This statement is especially true for structures subjected to sulfate attack. It is critical that fundamental models of life prediction be developed for durability of concrete. Based on experimental results obtained over a 40-year period, scaling and saturation laws were formulated for concrete exposed to sulfate solution. These features have not been considered in current models used to predict life cycle of concrete exposed to aggressive environment. The mathematical analysis shows that porous concrete made with high and moderate water-to-cement ratios develops a definite scaling law after an initiation time. The scaling coefficient depends on the cement composition but does not depend on the original water-to-cement ratio. Dense concrete made with low water-to-cement ratios develops a cyclic saturation curve. An index for "potential of damage" is created to allow engineers to design concrete structures with better precision and cement chemists to develop portland cements with optimized composition.

Reusing recycled aggregates in structural concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kou, Shicong

The utilization of recycled aggregates in concrete can minimize environmental impact and reduce the consumption of natural resources in concrete applications. The aim of this thesis is to provide a scientific basis for the possible use of recycled aggregates in structure concrete by conducting a comprehensive programme of laboratory study to gain a better understanding of the mechanical, microstructure and durability properties of concrete produced with recycled aggregates. The study also explored possible techniques to of improve the properties of recycled aggregate concrete that is produced with high percentages (≧ 50%) of recycled aggregates. These techniques included: (a) using lower water-to-cement ratios in the concrete mix design; (b) using fly ash as a cement replacement or as an additional mineral admixture in the concrete mixes, and (c) precasting recycled aggregate concrete with steam curing regimes. The characteristics of the recycled aggregates produced both from laboratory and a commercially operated pilot construction and demolition (C&D) waste recycling plant were first studied. A mix proportioning procedure was then established to produce six series of concrete mixtures using different percentages of recycled coarse aggregates with and without the use of fly ash. The water-to-cement (binder) ratios of 0.55, 0.50, 0.45 and 0.40 were used. The fresh properties (including slump and bleeding) of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) were then quantified. The effects of fly ash on the fresh and hardened properties of RAC were then studied and compared with those RAC prepared with no fly ash addition. Furthermore, the effects of steam curing on the hardened properties of RAC were investigated. For micro-structural properties, the interfacial transition zones of the aggregates and the mortar/cement paste were analyzed by SEM and EDX-mapping. Moreover, a detailed set of results on the fracture properties for RAC were obtained. Based on the experimental

Determining the Environmental Benefits of Ultra High Performance Concrete as a Bridge Construction Material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lande Larsen, Ingrid; Granseth Aasbakken, Ida; O'Born, Reyn; Vertes, Katalin; Terje Thorstensen, Rein

2017-10-01

Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) is a material that is attracting attention in the construction industry due to the high mechanical strength and durability, leading to structures having low maintenance requirements. The production of UHPC, however, has generally higher environmental impact than normal strength concrete due to the increased demand of cement required in the concrete mix. What is still not sufficiently investigated, is if the longer lifetime, slimmer construction and lower maintenance requirements lead to a net environmental benefit compared to standard concrete bridge design. This study utilizes life cycle assessment (LCA) to determine the lifetime impacts of two comparable highway crossing footbridges spanning 40 meters, designed respectively with UHPC and normal strength concrete. The results of the study show that UHPC is an effective material for reducing lifetime emissions from construction and maintenance of long lasting infrastructure, as the UHPC design outperforms the normal strength concrete bridge in most impact categories.

DROP: Durable Reconnaissance and Observation Platform

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parness, Aaron; McKenzie, Clifford F.

2012-01-01

Robots have been a valuable tool for providing a remote presence in areas that are either inaccessible or too dangerous for humans. Having a robot with a high degree of adaptability becomes crucial during such events. The adaptability that comes from high mobility and high durability greatly increases the potential uses of a robot in these situations, and therefore greatly increases its usefulness to humans. DROP is a lightweight robot that addresses these challenges with the capability to survive large impacts, carry a usable payload, and traverse a variety of surfaces, including climbing vertical surfaces like wood, stone, and concrete. The platform is crash-proof, allowing it to be deployed in ways including being dropped from an unmanned aerial vehicle or thrown from a large MSL-class (Mars Science Laboratory) rover.

Activated mineral powders for asphalt concrete mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuznetsov, D. A.; Lukash, E. A.

2018-03-01

Possibilities of activation of disperse mineral powders from the technogenic raw materials of KMA by ultraviolet irradiation are considered in this article. The optimum time of ultraviolet exposure for each material is determined during which the concentration of exchange centers is increased, the rate of rehydration is slowed down and the moisture absorption is significantly reduced. It is shown that both physical and mechanical characteristics, as well as durability of asphalt concrete prepared on the basis of modified mineral powders are significantly increased.

FRP reinforcement for concrete: performance assessment and new construction : volume I: Sierrita De La Cruz Creek bridge.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-07-01

Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites are emerging as a feasible economical solution to eliminate the : corrosion problem of steel reinforcements in the concrete industry. Confirmation of GFRP long-term durability is crucial : to extend it...

CF60 Concrete Composition Design and Application on Fudiankou Xijiang Super Large Bridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Yi Mei; Wen, Sen Yuan; Chen, Jun Xiang

2018-06-01

Guangxi Wuzhou City Ring Road Fudiankou Xijiang super large bridge CF60 concrete is a new multi-phase composite high-performance concrete, this paper for the Fudiankou Xijiang bridge structure and characteristics of the project, in accordance with the principle of local materials and technical specification requirements, combined with the site conditions of CF60 engineering high performance concrete component materials, proportion and the technical performance, quantify the main physical and mechanical performance index. Analysis main influencing factors of the technical indicators, reasonable adjustment of concrete mix design parameters, and the use of technical means of admixture and multi-function composite admixture of concrete, obtain the optimal proportion of good work, process, mechanical properties stability and durability of engineering properties, recommend and verification of concrete mix; to explore the CF60 high performance concrete Soil in the Fudiankou Xijiang bridge application technology, detection and tracking the quality of concrete construction, concrete structure during the construction of the key technology and control points is proposed, evaluation of CF60 high performance concrete in the actual engineering application effect and benefit to ensure engineering quality of bridge structure and service life, and super long span bridge engineering construction to provide basis and reference.

Waste-Based Pervious Concrete for Climate-Resilient Pavements.

PubMed

Ho, Hsin-Lung; Huang, Ran; Hwang, Lih-Chuan; Lin, Wei-Ting; Hsu, Hui-Mi

2018-05-27

For the sake of environmental protection and circular economy, cement reduction and cement substitutes have become popular research topics, and the application of green materials has become an important issue in the development of building materials. This study developed green pervious concrete using water-quenched blast-furnace slag (BFS) and co-fired fly ash (CFFA) to replace cement. The objectives of this study were to gauge the feasibility of using a non-cement binder in pervious concrete and identify the optimal binder mix design in terms of compressive strength, permeability, and durability. For filled percentage of voids by cement paste (FPVs) of 70%, 80%, and 90%, which mixed with CFFA and BFS as the binder (40 + 60%, 50 + 50%, and 60 + 40%) to create pervious concrete with no cement. The results indicate that the complete (100%) replacement of cement with CFFA and BFS with no alkaline activator could induce hydration, setting, and hardening. After a curing period of 28 days, the compressive strength with different FPVs could reach approximately 90% that of the control cement specimens. The cementless pervious concrete specimens with BFS:CFFA = 7:3 and FPV = 90% presented better engineering properties and permeability.

Short and long term behaviour of externally bonded fibre reinforced polymer laminates with bio-based resins for flexural strengthening of concrete beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McSwiggan, Ciaran

The use of bio-based resins in composites for construction is emerging as a way to reduce of embodied energy produced by a structural system. In this study, two types of bio-based resins were explored: an epoxidized pine oil resin blend (EP) and a furfuryl alcohol resin (FA) derived from corn cobs and sugar cane. Nine large-scale reinforced concrete beams strengthened using externally bonded carbon and glass fibre reinforced bio-based polymer (CFRP and GFRP) sheets were tested. The EP resin resulted in a comparable bond strength to conventional epoxy (E) when used in wet layup, with a 7% higher strength for CFRP. The FA resin, on the other hand, resulted in a very weak bond, likely due to concrete alkalinity affecting curing. However, when FA resin was used to produce prefabricated cured CFRP plates which were then bonded to concrete using conventional epoxy paste, it showed an excellent bond strength. The beams achieved an increase in peak load ranging from 18-54% and a 9-46% increase in yielding load, depending on the number of FRP layers and type of fibres and resin. Additionally, 137 concrete prisms with a mid-span half-depth saw cut were used to test CFRP bond durability, and 195 CFRP coupons were used to examine tensile strength durability. Specimens were conditioned in a 3.5% saline solution at 23, 40 or 50°C, for up to 240 days. Reductions in bond strength did not exceed 15%. Bond failure of EP was adhesive with traces of cement paste on CFRP, whereas that of FA was cohesive with a thicker layer of concrete on CFRP, suggesting that the bond between FA and epoxy paste is excellent. EP tension coupons had similar strength and modulus to E resin, whereas FA coupons had a 9% lower strength and 14% higher modulus. After 240 days of exposure, maximum reductions in tensile strength were 8, 19 and 10% for EP, FA and E resins, respectively. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was also performed to assess the significance of the reductions observed. High degrees of

Aesthetic coatings for concrete bridge components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kriha, Brent R.

This thesis evaluated the durability and aesthetic performance of coating systems for utilization in concrete bridge applications. The principle objectives of this thesis were: 1) Identify aesthetic coating systems appropriate for concrete bridge applications; 2) Evaluate the performance of the selected systems through a laboratory testing regimen; 3) Develop guidelines for coating selection, surface preparation, and application. A series of site visits to various bridges throughout the State of Wisconsin provided insight into the performance of common coating systems and allowed problematic structural details to be identified. To aid in the selection of appropriate coating systems, questionnaires were distributed to coating manufacturers, bridge contractors, and various DOT offices to identify high performing coating systems and best practices for surface preparation and application. These efforts supplemented a literature review investigating recent publications related to formulation, selection, surface preparation, application, and performance evaluation of coating materials.

Influence of vertical holes on creep and shrinkage of railway prestressed concrete sleepers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Dan; Ngamkhanong, Chayut; Kaewunruen, Sakdirat

2017-09-01

Railway prestressed concrete sleepers (or railroad ties) must successfully perform two critical duties: first, to carry wheel loads from the rails to the ground; and second, to secure rail gauge for dynamic safe movements of trains. The second duty is often fouled by inappropriate design of the time-dependent behaviors due to their creep, shrinkage and elastic shortening responses of the materials. In addition, the concrete sleepers are often modified on construction sites to fit in other systems such as cables, signalling gears, drainage pipes, etc. Accordingly, this study is the world first to investigate creep and shrinkage effects on the railway prestressed concrete sleepers with vertical holes. This paper will highlight constitutive models of concrete materials within the railway sleepers under different environmental conditions over time. It will present a comparative investigation using a variety of methods to evaluate shortening effects in railway prestressed concrete sleepers. The outcome of this study will improve material design, which is very critical to the durability of railway track components.

Enamel coated steel reinforcement for improved durability and life-cycle performance of concrete structures: microstructure, corrosion, and deterioration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Fujian

This study is aimed (a) to statistically characterize the corrosion-induced deterioration process of reinforced concrete structures (concrete cracking, steel mass loss, and rebar-concrete bond degradation), and (b) to develop and apply three types of enamel-coated steel bars for improved corrosion resistance of the structures. Commercially available pure enamel, mixed enamel with 50% calcium silicate, and double enamel with an inner layer of pure enamel and an outer layer of mixed enamel were considered as various steel coatings. Electrochemical tests were respectively conducted on steel plates, smooth bars embedded in concrete, and deformed bars with/without concrete cover in 3.5 wt.% NaCl or saturated Ca(OH)2 solution. The effects of enamel microstructure, coating thickness variation, potential damage, mortar protection, and corrosion environment on corrosion resistance of the steel members were investigated. Extensive test results indicated that corrosion-induced concrete cracking can be divided into four stages that gradually become less correlated with corrosion process over time. The coefficient of variation of crack width increases with the increasing level of corrosion. Corrosion changed the cross section area instead of mechanical properties of steel bars. The bond-slip behavior between the corroded bars and concrete depends on the corrosion level and distribution of corrosion pits. Although it can improve the chemical bond with concrete and steel, the mixed enamel coating is the least corrosion resistant. The double enamel coating provides the most consistent corrosion performance and is thus recommended to coat reinforcing steel bars for concrete structures applied in corrosive environments. Corrosion pits in enamel-coated bars are limited around damage locations.

A Monitoring Method Based on FBG for Concrete Corrosion Cracking

PubMed Central

Mao, Jianghong; Xu, Fangyuan; Gao, Qian; Liu, Shenglin; Jin, Weiliang; Xu, Yidong

2016-01-01

Corrosion cracking of reinforced concrete caused by chloride salt is one of the main determinants of structure durability. Monitoring the entire process of concrete corrosion cracking is critical for assessing the remaining life of the structure and determining if maintenance is needed. Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensing technology is extensively developed in photoelectric monitoring technology and has been used on many projects. FBG can detect the quasi-distribution of strain and temperature under corrosive environments, and thus it is suitable for monitoring reinforced concrete cracking. According to the mechanical principle that corrosion expansion is responsible for the reinforced concrete cracking, a package design of reinforced concrete cracking sensors based on FBG was proposed and investigated in this study. The corresponding relationship between the grating wavelength and strain was calibrated by an equal strength beam test. The effectiveness of the proposed method was verified by an electrically accelerated corrosion experiment. The fiber grating sensing technology was able to track the corrosion expansion and corrosion cracking in real time and provided data to inform decision-making for the maintenance and management of the engineering structure. PMID:27428972

Measurement of the pore size distribution of limestone aggregates in concrete pavement cores : phase I.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-04-01

Freeze-thaw damage is one of the common forms of distress for concrete pavements in Kansas. D-Cracking is a form of : freeze-thaw damage caused by aggregates with poor freeze-thaw durability. It is believed that pores in the aggregates below : 10 m...

Nondestructive evaluation of concrete structures by nonstationary thermal wave imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulaveesala, Ravibabu; Panda, Soma Sekhara Balaji; Mude, Rupla Naik; Amarnath, Muniyappa

2012-06-01

Reinforced concrete structures (RCS) have potential application in civil engineering and with the advent of nuclear engineering RCS to be capable enough to withstanding a variety of adverse environmental conditions. However, failures/loss of durability of designed structures due to premature reinforcement corrosion of rebar is a major constrain. Growing concern of safety of structure due to pre-mature deterioration has led to a great demand for development of non-destructive and non-contact testing techniques for monitoring and assessing health of RCS. This paper presents an experimental investigation of rebar corrosion by non-stationary thermal wave imaging. Experimental results have been proven, proposed approach is an effective technique for identification of corrosion in rebar in the concrete samples.

Durability and smart condition assessment of ultra-high performance concrete in cold climates.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-12-31

The goals of this study were to develop ecological ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) with local materials and supplementary cementitious materials and to evaluate the long-term performance of UHPC in cold climates using effective mechanical test...

Volcano-related materials in concretes: a comprehensive review.

PubMed

Cai, Gaochuang; Noguchi, Takafumi; Degée, Hervé; Zhao, Jun; Kitagaki, Ryoma

2016-04-01

Massive volcano-related materials (VRMs) erupted from volcanoes bring the impacts to natural environment and humanity health worldwide, which include generally volcanic ash (VA), volcanic pumice (VP), volcanic tuff (VT), etc. Considering the pozzolanic activities and mechanical characters of these materials, civil engineers propose to use them in low carbon/cement and environment-friendly concrete industries as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) or artificial/natural aggregates. The utilization of VRMs in concretes has attracted increasing and pressing attentions from research community. Through a literature review, this paper presents comprehensively the properties of VRMs and VRM concretes (VRMCs), including the physical and chemical properties of raw VRMs and VRMCs, and the fresh, microstructural and mechanical properties of VRMCs. Besides, considering environmental impacts and the development of long-term properties, the durability and stability properties of VRMCs also are summarized in this paper. The former focuses on the resistance properties of VRMCs when subjected to aggressive environmental impacts such as chloride, sulfate, seawater, and freezing-thawing. The latter mainly includes the fatigue, creep, heat-insulating, and expansion properties of VRMCs. This study will be helpful to promote the sustainability in concrete industries, protect natural environment, and reduce the impacts of volcano disaster. Based on this review, some main conclusions are discussed and important recommendations regarding future research on the application of VRMs in concrete industries are provided.

Performance of a conductive-paint anode in cathodic protection systems for inland concrete bridge piers in Virginia.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-01-01

As part of efforts to identify effective and durable anodes for use in cathodic protection (CP) of reinforced concrete members, a water-based, electrically conductive paint was evaluated for use as the secondary anode in CP systems for protecting inl...

Changes of strength characteristics of pervious concrete due to variations in water to cement ratio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovac, M.; Sicakova, A.

2017-10-01

Pervious concrete is considered to be a sustainable pavement material due to high water permeability. The experiment presented in this paper was aimed at study the influence of water to cement ratio on both the compressive and splitting tensile strength of pervious concrete. Typically, less water content in concrete mixture leads to less porosity of cement paste and thus it provides desirable mechanical properties. In case of conventional dense concrete, the lower is the water to cement ratio, the higher or better is the strength, density and durability of concrete. This behaviour is not quite clear in case of pervious concrete because of low amount of cement paste present. Results of compressive and splitting tensile strength of pervious concrete are discussed in the paper while taking into account values measured after 2 and 28 days of hardening and variations in water to cement ratio. The results showed that changes of water to cement ratio from 0.25 to 0.35 caused only slight differences in strength characteristics, and this applied to both types of tested strength.

The increase of compressive strength of natural polymer modified concrete with Moringa oleifera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Susilorini, Rr. M. I. Retno; Santosa, Budi; Rejeki, V. G. Sri; Riangsari, M. F. Devita; Hananta, Yan's. Dianaga

2017-03-01

Polymer modified concrete is one of some concrete technology innovations to meet the need of strong and durable concrete. Previous research found that Moringa oleifera can be applied as natural polymer modifiers into mortars. Natural polymer modified mortar using Moringa oleifera is proven to increase their compressive strength significantly. In this resesearch, Moringa oleifera seeds have been grinded and added into concrete mix for natural polymer modified concrete, based on the optimum composition of previous research. The research investigated the increase of compressive strength of polymer modified concrete with Moringa oleifera as natural polymer modifiers. There were 3 compositions of natural polymer modified concrete with Moringa oleifera referred to previous research optimum compositions. Several cylinder of 10 cm x 20 cm specimens were produced and tested for compressive strength at age 7, 14, and, 28 days. The research meets conclusions: (1) Natural polymer modified concrete with Moringa oleifera, with and without skin, has higher compressive strength compared to natural polymer modified mortar with Moringa oleifera and also control specimens; (2) Natural polymer modified concrete with Moringa oleifera without skin is achieved by specimens contains Moringa oleifera that is 0.2% of cement weight; and (3) The compressive strength increase of natural polymer modified concrete with Moringa oleifera without skin is about 168.11-221.29% compared to control specimens

Using Cementitious Materials Such as Fly Ash to Replace a Part of Cement in Producing High Strength Concrete in Hot Weather

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turuallo, Gidion; Mallisa, Harun

2018-03-01

The use of waste materials in concrete gave many advantages to prove the properties of concrete such as its workability, strength and durability; as well to support sustaianable development programs. Fly ash was a waste material produced from coal combustion. This research was conducted to find out the effect of fly ash as a part replacement of cement to produce high strength concrete. The fly ash, which was used in this research, was taken from PLTU Mpanau Palu, Central Sulawesi. The water-binder ratio used in this research was 0.3 selected from trial mixes done before. The results of this research showed that the strength of fly ash concretes were higher than concrete with PCC only. The replacement of cement with fly ash concrete could be up to 20% to produce high strength concrete.

Evaluation of morphology and size of cracks of the Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ) in concrete containing fly ash (FA).

PubMed

Golewski, Grzegorz Ludwik

2018-06-07

Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ) of coarse aggregate cement matrix is commonly regarded as the weakest element of concrete. In this phase - the first cracks in the material are initiated, and the process of destruction of the composite begins. An improvement of the ITZ properties are positively influenced by the mineral additives used for the composite. One of such a substitute for a binder is, potentially hazardous industrial waste, siliceous fly ash (FA). In this paper the ITZ between aggregate and cement paste in concretes containing FA is considered. The paper presents the results of tests on the effect of the addition of FA in the amount of: 0, 20 and 30% by weight of cement on morphology and size of cracks of the ITZ in composites. In matured concretes the smallest cracks occur in composite with the 20% FA additive. It can be concluded that composites with 20% addition of FA are characterized by low permeability and therefore high durability. The results of tests carried out can be helpful in obtaining concrete with the highest possible: strength, durability and reliability of operation. Moreover, such procedures also cause a restriction storage of hazardous materials, i.e. FA - by 160 million tons per year. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of moisture on the physical and durability properties of methyl methacrylate polymer concrete

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fontana, J.J.; Reams, W.

1983-01-01

The compressive strength of methyl methacrylate PC composites decays very rapidly as the moisture content of the coarse aggregate is increased from 0 to 1 wt %. The durability of the PC also shows evidence of decay. Addition of silane coupling agent, such as A-1120, to the monomer component of a PC composite increases the compressive strength of such composites made with moist coarse aggregates. The compressive strengths of such PC composites are as high as a normal PCC used in highway applications. The durability of PC composites made with a silane additive seems to increase as the composite undergoesmore » freeze-thaw cycling which reinforces the justification that such materials can be used for PCC repairs without a sacrifice in use lifespans. However, for the convenience of using moist aggregates, one must endure the additional cost of the silane coupling agent. If it costs more than $0.02/lb to dry the aggregate, and one is willing to accept the reduced strengths associated with moist aggregates, then the use of a silane coupling agent can be cost effective. 3 figures, 4 tables.« less

FRP reinforcement for concrete : performance assessment and new construction volume I : Sierrita De La Cruz Creek bridge : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-07-01

Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites are emerging as a feasible economical solution to eliminate the corrosion problem of steel reinforcements in the concrete industry. Confirmation of GFRP long-term durability is crucial to extend its ap...

An evaluation of controlled permeability formwork for long-term durability of structural concrete elements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Suryavanshi, A.K.; Swamy, R.N.

1997-07-01

The long-term performance of a concrete slab (CPF slab) exposed to chloride ingress and atmospheric carbonation from the surface generated by controlled permeability formwork (CPF) is investigated. The results are compared with a similar slab exposed to long-term chloride ingress and atmospheric carbonation from the cast face (Control slab). Techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential thermal analyses (DTA) were employed to determine the resistance against carbonation while, mercury porosimetry was used for investigating the pore size distribution at the surface of the slabs. Amount of acid soluble chlorides was determined by using Volhard`s method. The CPF employed atmore » the bottom of the mould was not fully effective in its intended purpose of generating a permanent and dense impermeable concrete layer adjacent to it when the design water-cement (w/c) ration of the concrete mix was 0.60. This resulted in an almost similar extent of carbonation at the surface for both CPF and control slabs as shown by XRD and DTA studies. Similarly, there were no significant differences in the amount of chlorides and their depths of penetration for both CPF and control slabs, although the former was marginally superior in chloride penetration resistance at the surface.« less

The effect of various pozzolanic additives on the concrete strength index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vitola, L.; Sahmenko, G.; Erdmane, D.; Bumanis, G.; Bajare, D.

2017-10-01

The concrete industry is searching continuously for new effective mineral additives to improve the concrete properties. Replacing cement with the pozzolanic additives in most cases has resulted not only in positive impact on the environment but also has improved strength and durability of the concrete. Effective pozzolanic additives can be obtained from natural resources such as volcanic ashes, kaolin and other sediments as well as from different production industries that create various by-products with high pozzolanic reactivity. Current research deals with effectiveness evaluation of various mineral additives/wastes, such as coal combustion bottom ash, barley bottom ash, waste glass and metakaolin containing waste as well as calcined illite clays as supplementary cementitious materials, to be used in concrete production as partial cement replacement. Most of the examined materials are used as waste stream materials with potential reactive effect on the concrete. Milling time and fineness of the tested supplementary material has been evaluated and effectiveness was detected. Results indicate that fineness of the tested materials has crucial effect on the concrete compressive strength index. Not in all cases the prolonged milling time can increase fineness and reactivity of the supplementary materials; however the optimal milling time and fineness of the pozolanic additives increased the strength index of concrete up to 1.16 comparing to reference, even in cases when cement was substituted by 20 w%.

Finite element modelling of concrete beams reinforced with hybrid fiber reinforced bars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smring, Santa binti; Salleh, Norhafizah; Hamid, NoorAzlina Abdul; Majid, Masni A.

2017-11-01

Concrete is a heterogeneous composite material made up of cement, sand, coarse aggregate and water mixed in a desired proportion to obtain the required strength. Plain concrete does not with stand tension as compared to compression. In order to compensate this drawback steel reinforcement are provided in concrete. Now a day, for improving the properties of concrete and also to take up tension combination of steel and glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars promises favourable strength, serviceability, and durability. To verify its promise and support design concrete structures with hybrid type of reinforcement, this study have investigated the load-deflection behaviour of concrete beams reinforced with hybrid GFRP and steel bars by using ATENA software. Fourteen beams, including six control beams reinforced with only steel or only GFRP bars, were analysed. The ratio and the ordinate of GFRP to steel were the main parameters investigated. The behaviour of these beams was investigated via the load-deflection characteristics, cracking behaviour and mode of failure. Hybrid GFRP-Steel reinforced concrete beam showed the improvement in both ultimate capacity and deflection concomitant to the steel reinforced concrete beam. On the other hand, finite element (FE) modelling which is ATENA were validated with previous experiment and promising the good result to be used for further analyses and development in the field of present study.

In-Situ Production of Calcium Carbonate Nanoparticles in Fresh Concrete Using Pre-carbonation Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Xin

To reduce the carbon footprint of ordinary Portland cement (OPC)-based concrete, a novel technique, pre-carbonation process, has been developed to produce CaCO3 nanoparticles in fresh concrete. In this technique, gaseous CO2 is first absorbed into a slurry of calcium-rich minerals which is then blended with other ingredients to produce mortar/concrete. The objective of this work is to obtain an in-depth understanding of the underlying scientific mechanisms associated with the enhancement of strength and durability of the concrete induced by the new method. A comprehensive research plan has been carried out to study the carbonated slaked lime slurry and the effect of carbonated slaked lime slurry on the performance of OPC-based concrete, and to evaluate the potentials of the pre-carbonation method. Experimental studies show that carbonating the calcium-rich mineral slurry with CO2 can produce CaCO3 nanoparticles and Ca(HCO 3)2 in the slurry, and these carbonation products were dictated by four parameters of the pre-carbonation method: the duration and temperature of the carbonation, the concentration of the calcium source slurry, and the stirring method of the calcium source slurry during the carbonation. The mechanical properties and durability of the mortar/concrete made with the carbonated slurry were significantly improved, which can be attributed to major mechanisms induced by the pre-carbonation method: promoted hydration of the cement and denser microstructure of the mortar/concrete. Calorimetry testing showed that the hydration of OPC was greatly improved by the pre-carbonation because of the extra heterogenous nucleation sites provided by the CaCO3 nanoparticles. XRD and TGA results revealed that more ettringite was produced in the mortar/concrete with pre-carbonated slaked lime slurry. The overall volume of the hydration products of the cement was increased by the pre-carbonation, leading to denser microstructure of the mortar/concrete. It has been found

Quantification of the Service Life Extension and Environmental Benefit of Chloride Exposed Self-Healing Concrete.

PubMed

Van Belleghem, Bjorn; Van den Heede, Philip; Van Tittelboom, Kim; De Belie, Nele

2016-12-23

Formation of cracks impairs the durability of concrete elements. Corrosion inducing substances, such as chlorides, can enter the matrix through these cracks and cause steel reinforcement corrosion and concrete degradation. Self-repair of concrete cracks is an innovative technique which has been studied extensively during the past decade and which may help to increase the sustainability of concrete. However, the experiments conducted until now did not allow for an assessment of the service life extension possible with self-healing concrete in comparison with traditional (cracked) concrete. In this research, a service life prediction of self-healing concrete was done based on input from chloride diffusion tests. Self-healing of cracks with encapsulated polyurethane precursor formed a partial barrier against immediate ingress of chlorides through the cracks. Application of self-healing concrete was able to reduce the chloride concentration in a cracked zone by 75% or more. As a result, service life of steel reinforced self-healing concrete slabs in marine environments could amount to 60-94 years as opposed to only seven years for ordinary (cracked) concrete. Subsequent life cycle assessment calculations indicated important environmental benefits (56%-75%) for the ten CML-IA (Center of Environmental Science of Leiden University-Impact Assessment) baseline impact indicators which are mainly induced by the achievable service life extension.

Mechanical properties of cement concrete composites containing nano-metakaolin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Supit, Steve Wilben Macquarie; Rumbayan, Rilya; Ticoalu, Adriana

2017-11-01

The use of nano materials in building construction has been recognized because of its high specific surface area, very small particle sizes and more amorphous nature of particles. These characteristics lead to increase the mechanical properties and durability of cement concrete composites. Metakaolin is one of the supplementary cementitious materials that has been used to replace cement in concrete. Therefore, it is interesting to investigate the effectiveness of metakaolin (in nano scale) in improving the mechanical properties including compressive strength, tensile strength and flexural strength of cement concretes. In this experiment, metakaolin was pulverized by using High Energy Milling before adding to the concrete mixes. The pozzolan Portland cement was replaced with 5% and 10% nano-metakaolin (by wt.). The result shows that the optimum amount of nano-metakaolin in cement concrete mixes is 10% (by wt.). The improvement in compressive strength is approximately 123% at 3 days, 85% at 7 days and 53% at 28 days, respectively. The tensile and flexural strength results also showed the influence of adding 10% nano-metakaolin (NK-10) in improving the properties of cement concrete (NK-0). Furthermore, the Backscattered Electron images and X-Ray Diffraction analysis were evaluated to support the above findings. The results analysis confirm the pores modification due to nano-metakaolin addition, the consumption of calcium hydroxide (CH) and the formation of Calcium Silicate Hydrate (CSH) gel as one of the beneficial effects of amorphous nano-metakaolin in improving the mechanical properties and densification of microstructure of mortar and concrete.

Upscaling the Use of Mixed Recycled Aggregates in Non-Structural Low Cement Concrete

PubMed Central

López-Uceda, Antonio; Ayuso, Jesús; Jiménez, José Ramón; Agrela, Francisco; Barbudo, Auxiliadora; De Brito, Jorge

2016-01-01

This research aims to produce non-structural concrete with mixed recycled aggregates (MRA) in upscaled applications with low-cement content. Four slabs were executed with concrete made with different ratios of coarse MRA (0%, 20%, 40% and 100%), using the mix design, the mixing procedures and the facilities from a nearby concrete production plant. The analysis of the long-term compressive and splitting tensile strengths in concrete cores, extracted from the slabs, allowed the highlighting of the long-term high strength development potential of MRA incorporation. The study of cast specimens produced in situ under the same conditions as the slabs showed, firstly, that the use of MRA has a great influence on the properties related to durability, secondly, that the loss of compressive strength for total MRA incorporation relative to control concrete increases proportionally with the class strength, and, thirdly, that the mechanical properties (including Schmidt hammer results) from the concrete slabs showed no significant differences relative to the control concrete for coarse aggregates replacements up to 40%. Therefore, this upscaled experimental study supports the application of concrete with 100% coarse MRA incorporation and low cement content in non-structural civil works such as bike lanes, gutters, ground slabs, leveling surfaces, and subgrades for foundations. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there have not been any upscaled applications of concrete with MRA and low cement content. PMID:28787892

Upscaling the Use of Mixed Recycled Aggregates in Non-Structural Low Cement Concrete.

PubMed

López-Uceda, Antonio; Ayuso, Jesús; Jiménez, José Ramón; Agrela, Francisco; Barbudo, Auxiliadora; De Brito, Jorge

2016-02-02

This research aims to produce non-structural concrete with mixed recycled aggregates (MRA) in upscaled applications with low-cement content. Four slabs were executed with concrete made with different ratios of coarse MRA (0%, 20%, 40% and 100%), using the mix design, the mixing procedures and the facilities from a nearby concrete production plant. The analysis of the long-term compressive and splitting tensile strengths in concrete cores, extracted from the slabs, allowed the highlighting of the long-term high strength development potential of MRA incorporation. The study of cast specimens produced in situ under the same conditions as the slabs showed, firstly, that the use of MRA has a great influence on the properties related to durability, secondly, that the loss of compressive strength for total MRA incorporation relative to control concrete increases proportionally with the class strength, and, thirdly, that the mechanical properties (including Schmidt hammer results) from the concrete slabs showed no significant differences relative to the control concrete for coarse aggregates replacements up to 40%. Therefore, this upscaled experimental study supports the application of concrete with 100% coarse MRA incorporation and low cement content in non-structural civil works such as bike lanes, gutters, ground slabs, leveling surfaces, and subgrades for foundations. To the best of the authors' knowledge, there have not been any upscaled applications of concrete with MRA and low cement content.

A review of nanoclay applications in the pervious concrete pavement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shakrani, Shahrul Azwan; Ayob, Afizah; Rahim, Mohd Asri Ab

2017-09-01

In recent years, the use of nanoclay has received various interests in order to enhance the properties of construction materials which can also be eligible for pavement technology and engineering application. This review paper summarizes the effect of nanoclay as cement replacement and additive to the performance of pervious concrete pavement. The addition of nanoclay to pervious concrete has demonstrated improvements in strength properties such as compressive and flexural strength, durability such as freeze-thaw and chloride penetration resistance, shrinkage, and denser microstructure but at the same time reduced the porosity, permeability and water absorption properties. This enhancement is due to the roles of nanoclay as nanoreinforcements, nanofillers, nucleation site, and reactive pozzolans in order to promote hydration and improve material properties.

Influence of Surface Abrasion on Creep and Shrinkage of Railway Prestressed Concrete Sleepers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Dan; Ngamkhanong, Chayut; Kaewunruen, Sakdirat

2017-10-01

Ballasted railway track is very suitable for heavy-rail networks because of its many superior advantages in design, construction, short- and long-term maintenance, sustainability, and life-cycle cost. The sleeper, which supports rail and distributes loads from rail to ballast, is a very important component of rail track system. Prestressed concrete is very popular used in manufacturing sleepers. Therefore, improved knowledge about design techniques for prestressed concrete (PC) sleepers has been developed. However, the ballast angularity causes differential abrasions on the soffit or bottom surface of sleepers. Furthermore, in sharp curves and rapid gradient change, longitudinal and lateral dynamics of rails increase the likelihood of abrasions in concrete sleepers. This paper presents a comparative investigation using a variety of methods to evaluate creep and shrinkage effects in railway prestressed concrete sleepers. The outcome of this study will improve the material design, which is very critical to the durability of railway track components.

Influence of compaction on the interfacial transition zone and the permeability of concrete

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leemann, Andreas; Muench, Beat; Gasser, Philippe

2006-08-15

The interfacial transition zone (ITZ) is regarded as a key feature for the transport properties and the durability of concrete. In this study one self-compacting concrete (SCC) mixture and two conventionally vibrated concrete (CVC) mixtures are studied in order to determine the influence of compaction on the porosity of the ITZ. Additionally oxygen permeability and water conductivity were measured in vertical and horizontal direction. The quantitative analysis of images made with an optical microscope and an environmental scanning electron microscope shows a significantly increased porosity and width of the ITZ in CVC compared to SCC. At the same time oxygenmore » permeability and water conductivity of CVC are increased in comparison to SCC. Moreover, considerable differences in the porosity of the lower, lateral and upper ITZ are observed in both types of concrete. The anisotropic distribution of pores in the ITZ does not necessarily cause anisotropy in oxygen permeability and water conductivity though.« less

Application of Electron Backscatter Diffraction to evaluate the ASR risk of concrete aggregates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rößler, C., E-mail: christiane.roessler@uni-weimar.de; Möser, B.; Giebson, C.

Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR) is a frequent cause of reduced concrete durability. Eliminating the application of alkali reactive aggregates would reduce the quantity of ASR concrete deterioration in the field. This study introduces an Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) technique to distinguish the ASR risk of slow-late reacting aggregates by measuring microstructural properties of quartz. Quantifying the amount of quartz grain boundaries and the associated misorientation of grains can thereby be used to differentiate microstructures bearing an ASR risk. It is also shown that dissolution of quartz in high pH environments occurs along quartz grain and subgrain boundaries. Results of EBSD analysismore » are compared with ASR performance testing on concrete prisms and optical light microscopy characterization of quartz microstructure. EBSD opens new possibilities to quantitatively characterize microstructure of quartz in concrete aggregates with respect to ASR. This leads to a better understanding on the actual cause of ASR.« less

Automated Detection of Alkali-silica Reaction in Concrete using Linear Array Ultrasound Data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Santos-Villalobos, Hector J; Clayton, Dwight A; Ezell, N Dianne Bull

Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) is a chemical reaction in either concrete or mortar between hydroxyl ions of the alkalis (sodium and potassium) from hydraulic cement (or other sources), and certain siliceous minerals present in some aggregates. The reaction product, an alkali-silica gel, is hygroscopic having a tendency to absorb water and swell, which under certain circumstances, leads to abnormal expansion and cracking of the concrete. This phenomenon affects the durability and performance of concrete structures severely since it can cause significant loss of mechanical properties. Developing reliable methods and tools that can evaluate the degree of the ASR damage in existingmore » structures, so that informed decisions can be made toward mitigating ASR progression and damage, is important to the long term operation of nuclear power plants especially if licenses are extended beyond 60 years. This paper examines an automated method of determining the extent of ASR damage in fabricated concrete specimens.« less

Degradation and mechanism of the mechanics and durability of reinforced concrete slab in a marine environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Sheng-xing; Liu, Guan-guo; Bian, Han-bing; Lv, Wei-bo; Jiang, Jian-hua

2016-04-01

An experimental research was conducted to determine the corrosion and bearing capacity of a reinforced concrete (RC) slab at different ages in a marine environment. Results show that the development of corrosion-induced cracks on a slab in a marine environment can be divided into three stages according to crack morphology at the bottom of the slab. In the first stage, cracks appear. In the second stage, cracks develop from the edges to the middle of the slab. In the third stage, longitudinal and transverse corrosion-induced cracks coexist. The corrosion ratio of reinforcements nonlinearly increases with the age, and the relationship between the corrosion ratio of the reinforcements and the corrosion-induced crack width of the concrete is established. The flexural capacity of the corroded RC slab nonlinearly decreases with the age, and the model for the bearing capacity factor of the corroded RC slab is established. The mid-span deflection of the corroded RC slab that corresponds to the yield of the reinforcements linearly increases with the increase in corrosion ratio. Finally, the mechanisms of corrosion morphology and the degradation of the mechanical properties of an RC slab in a marine environment are discussed on the basis of the basic theories of steel corrosion in concrete and concrete structure design.

Foamed concrete containing rice husk ash as sand replacement: an experimental study on compressive strength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rum, R. H. M.; Jaini, Z. M.; Boon, K. H.; Khairaddin, S. A. A.; Rahman, N. A.

2017-11-01

This study presents the utilization of rice husk ash (RHA) as sand replacement in foamed concrete. The study focuses on the effect of RHA on the compressive strength of foamed concrete. RHA contains high pozzolanic material that reacts with cementitious to enhance the strength and durability of foamed concrete. RHA also acts as filler causing the foamed concrete to become denser while retaining its unique low density. A total 243 cube specimens was prepared for the compression test. Two sets of mix design were employed at water-cement (W/C) ratio of 0.55, 0.60 and cement-sand ratio of 0.50, 0.33. The results revealed that the presence of RHA as sand replacement resulted in an increase in the compressive strength of foamed concrete. Moreover, 30% to 40% RHA was the optimum content level, contributing to the compressive strength of 18.1 MPa to 22.4 MPa. The W/C ratio and superplasticiser dosage play small roles in improving workability. In contrast, density governs the compressive strength of foamed concrete.

Effect of fly ash content towards Sulphate resistance of oil palm shell lightweight aggregate concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muthusamy, K.; Fadzil, M. Y.; Nazrin Akmal, A. Z. Muhammad; Ahmad, S. Wan; Nur Azzimah, Z.; Hanafi, H. Mohd; Mohamad Hafizuddin, R.

2018-04-01

Both oil palm shell (OPS) and fly ash are by-product generated from the industries. Disposal of these by-product as wastes cause negative impact to the environment. The use of both oil palm shell and fly ash in concrete is seen as an economical solution for making green and denser concrete. The primary aim of this research is to determine the effects of FA utilization as sand replacement in oil palm shell lightweight aggregate concrete (OPS LWAC) towards sulphate resistance. Five concrete mixes containing fly ash as sand replacement namely 0%, 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% were prepared in these experimental work. All mixes were cast in form of cubes before subjected to sulphate solution for the period of 5 months. It was found that addition of 10% fly ash as sand replacement content resulted in better sulphate resistance of OPS LWAC. The occurrence of pozzolanic reaction due to the presence of FA in concrete has consumed the vulnerable Calcium hydroxide to be secondary C-S-H gel making the concrete denser and more durable.

Long-term micro-Deval durability of andesite aggregate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czinder, Balázs; Török, Ákos

2017-04-01

Micro-Deval tests have been intensively used for analysing aggregate durability. The tests procedure described in details in the European Norm (EN 1097-1:2011). The current research intends to evaluate the long term durability of andesite aggregate by using extended micro-Deval tests. Andesite aggregate from Recsk (Hungary) was used for the tests. The tested andesite is a massive porphyritic biotite amphibol andesite that was formed during Eocene volcanism and forms a part of Mátra Mountains volcanic complex in NE Hungary. The aggregates were crushed and screened. Size fractions of 10.0/14.0 mm representing minimum and maximum grain sizes were used in the tests. 500 g of aggregate specimens were loaded in the steel drum and 2500 ml of water was added besides the 5000 g of steel balls into the device. The steel balls have a diameter of 10 mm according to EN. The test material - in the first stage - was subjected to 12,000 revolutions in the drum. This number is suggested by the EN. The micro-Deval coefficient was calculated after this first stage. Further wear of the andesitic material was tested by using additional revolutions. The increase in revolutions of the drum was in 12,000 rotation steps, reached 48,000 revolutions as a maximum. The tests were aimed to model the wear of aggregate on a longer term. It was also used to assess the durability of the aggregate when it is applied in engineering structures. The micro-Deval test results suggest that additional revolutions caused additional loss in material, i.e. increase in micro-Deval coefficient. A correlation is suggested between the revolution and andesite wear.

Inspection Guide for Reinforced Concrete Vessels. Volume 2. Commentary

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-01

situ testing of hardened concrete; and guidelines for inspection. < The material is designed for use by the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Inspector. It...Durability Tests 96 10.7 Other Tests 99 11. REPAIRS 102 11.1 Evaluation for Repair L02 11.2 Repair Materials 103 11.3 Repair of Cracks 104 11.4 Repair of...Cement 36 8 Characteristics and Tests of Aggregates 38 9 Tests for Deleterious Materials in Aggregates 39 10 Classification of Admixtures 43 11

Study of Interaction of Reinforcement with Concrete by Numerical Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tikhomirov, V. M.; Samoshkin, A. S.

2018-01-01

This paper describes the study of deformation of reinforced concrete. A mathematical model for the interaction of reinforcement with concrete, based on the introduction of a contact layer, whose mechanical characteristics are determined from the experimental data, is developed. The limiting state of concrete is described using the Drucker-Prager theory and the fracture criterion with respect to maximum plastic deformations. A series of problems of the theory of reinforced concrete are solved: stretching of concrete from a central-reinforced prism and pre-stressing of concrete. It is shown that the results of the calculations are in good agreement with the experimental data.

Combined Performance of Polypropylene Fibre and Weld Slag in High Performance Concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ananthi, A.; Karthikeyan, J.

2017-12-01

The effect of polypropylene fibre and weld slag on the mechanical properties of High Performance Concrete (HPC) containing silica fume as the mineral admixtures was experimentally verified in this study. Sixteen series of HPC mixtures(70 MPa) were designed with varying fibre fractions and Weld Slag (WS). Fibre added at different proportion (0, 0.1, 0.3 and 0.6%) to the weight of cement. Weld slag was substituted to the fine aggregate (0, 10, 20 and 30%) at volume. The addition of fibre decreases the slump at 5, 9 and 14%, whereas the substitution of weld slag decreases by about 3, 11 and 21% with respect to the control mixture. Mechanical properties like compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength, Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity test (UPV) and bond strength were tested. Durability studies such as Water absorption and Sorptivity test were conducted to check the absorption of water in HPC. Weld slag of 10% and fibre dosage of 0.3% in HPC, attains the maximum strength and hence this combination is most favourable for the structural applications.

Resistance to Internal Damage and Scaling of Concrete Air Entrained By Microspheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molendowska, Agnieszka; Wawrzenczyk, Jerzy

2017-10-01

This paper report the test results of high strength concrete produced with slag cement and air entrained with polymer microspheres in three diameters. The study focused on determining the effects of the microsphere size and quantity on the air void structure and resistance to internal cracking and scaling of the concrete. The resistance to internal cracking was determined in compliance with the requirements of the modified ASTM C666 A method on beam specimens. The scaling resistance in a 3% NaCl solution was determined using the slab test in accordance with PKN-CEN/TS 12390-9:2007. The air void structure parameters were determined to PN-EN 480-11:1998. The study results indicate that the use of microspheres is an effective air entrainment method providing very good air void structure parameters. The results show high freeze-thaw durability of polymer microsphere-based concrete in exposure class XF3. The scaling resistance test confirms that it is substantially more difficult to protect concrete against scaling in the presence of the 3% NaCl solution (exposure class XF4). Concrete scaling is a complex phenomenon controlled by a number of independent factors.

The development of a lower heat concrete mixture for mass concrete placement conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crowley, Aaron Martin

The hydration process of portland cement (PC) is exothermic; therefore, the thermal behavior of concrete has to be taken into consideration when placed in a large mass. The research presented involves a Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Class S (seal) portland cement concrete (PCC) which is used as a foundation seal during construction of bridge abutments and piers. A Class S PCC mixture meeting the 2006 TDOT specifications has the potential to generate excessive amounts of heat and induce thermal cracking in structural elements. The purpose of the study is to reduce the heat generation of a Class S PCC while maintaining adequate values of other engineering properties. Due to the possibility of underwater placement of a Class S PCC, reduction in the total cementing materials content were not considered in this study. Five candidate mixtures were used to compare against a typical TDOT Class S mixture. The five candidate Class S-LH (lower heat) mixtures were 45, 60, 70% Grade 120 slag substitutions for PC as well as two ternary mixtures containing Grade 120 slag and Class F fly ash. Ten batches of each mixture were produced. All plastic and hardened properties met TDOT 604.03 Class S requirements for analytical comparison. The 70% Grade 120 slag Class S-LH mixture was analytically superior for all hardened properties and at reducing heat generation. Since the 70% Grade 120 slag Class S-LH mixture proved to be superior in laboratory conditions; it was selected for further evaluation in the field testing portion of the research. The 70% Grade 120 slag mixture produced a significantly lower maximum temperature as well as a significantly lower maximum differential temperature than a TDOT Class S mixture with 20% Class C fly ash in side-by-side 18 cubic yard cube field placements. Research results and literature recommend that engineers should decide when mass concrete conditions are appropriate during construction practices. When mass concrete conditions are

High stenghth concrete with high cement substitution by adding fly ash, CaCO3, silica sand, and superplasticizer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wicaksono, Muchammad Ridho Sigit; Qoly, Amelia; Hidayah, Annisaul; Pangestuti, Endah Kanti

2017-03-01

Concrete is a mixture of cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate and water with or without additives. Concrete can be made with substitution of cement with materials like Fly Ash, CaCO3 and silica sand that can increase the binding on pasta and also increase the compressive strength of concrete. The Superplasticizer on a mixture is used to reduce the high water content, improve concrete durability, low permeability concrete by making it more resilient, and improve the quality of concrete. The combination between Fly Ash (30% of cement required), CaCO3 (10% of cement required) and silica sand (5% of cement required) with added MasterGlenium ACE 8595 as much as 1,2% from total cement will produces compressive strength of up to 1080 kN/cm2 or 73,34 Mpa when the concrete is aged at 28 day. By using this technique and innovation, it proves that the cost reduction is calculated at 27%, which is much more efficient. While the strength of the concrete is increased at 5% compared with normal mixture.

The application of A.C. impedance spectroscopy on the durability of hydrated cement paste subjected to various environmental conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perron, Stacey

Harsh Canadian winters cause many problems in reinforced concrete structures due to damaging freezing-thawing cycles which is exacerbated by the heavy use of de-icing salts on roadways. Evaluation of concrete durability with current ASTM methods may give unreliable results and are destructive to the structure. A relatively new and novel approach to evaluating the durability of concrete uses A. C. Impedance Spectroscopy (ACIS). Hydrated cement paste (hcp), mortar, brick and vycor glass were evaluated using ACIS during drying-rewetting and freezing-thawing cycles. Thermal mechanical analysis (TMA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) tests were also conducted and used as references. Results indicate that ACIS can be used to successfully evaluate the pore structure of hcp. The results from the drying-rewetting cycles are consistent with the pore coarsening theory. ACIS revealed pore structure changes consistent with the mechanical strains and pore solution chemistry. Increased pore continuity with each drying-rewetting cycle was indicated by a reduction in sample resistance. Unique tests were conducted on hydrated cement paste, mortar, brick and vycor glass that measured the ACIS and mechanical strains simultaneously while undergoing temperature changes. The temperature was lowered from 5°C to -80°C and then raised to +20°C. The ACIS results indicate that durability of the material can be assessed using the parameters R, material resistance, and phi, indicative of the frequency dispersion angle. The resistance on freezing values correlates with the amount of pore water freezing. The phi values on freezing are representative of the pore size distribution of the test sample. Resistance and phi data from freezing-thawing tests can be analyzed to assess durability of the sample. A material that is durable to freezing-thawing cycles can be described as having a high resistance at room temperature, a low freezing resistance and small changes in phi. Results were

Polylactic Acid-Based Polymer Blends for Durable Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finniss, Adam

, showing that no matter the treatment or formulation, PLA achieved a maximum of 30-35 percent crystallinity. Samples receiving no treatment as well as those with annealing, the addition of graphene, and in some cases annealing/graphene were subjected to both solvent and hydrolytic degradation in order to find the most stable blend or treatment. Both pellets and molded parts of varying thicknesses were investigated to evaluate the effect of diffusional resistance on long term durability. It was determined that while the addition of crystallinity or graphene platelets can provide a temporary barrier against diffusion of attacking species, PLA polymer itself is not dimensionally stable over the long lifecycle required for durable applications such as for automotive parts. In fact, PLA-only molded panels aged in distilled water at 50°C for 42 days experienced over 99% viscosity loss regardless of which treatment was applied, and nearly all mechanical strength was lost during this time. Furthermore, while the addition of graphene and the heat treatment produced diffusion barriers which could slightly enhance PLA's degradation resistance, the treatments caused the already fragile polymer to become very brittle. Solvent degradation experiments also showed that molded parts containing more than 40% PLA loading lost in excess of 75% of the original viscosity no matter what treatment was used. This showed that these materials are likely to fail well before a sufficiently long lifecycle for durable goods is achieved. Polycarbonate rich blends with less than 30% PLA as the dispersed phase showed excellent property retention after the accelerated aging tests. Formulations with up to 20% PLA content had degradation results that were nearly identical to those of 100% polycarbonate, which literature has shown to have useful lifecycles for durable applications of up to 20 years. By completely encapsulating the PLA in the polycarbonate matrix, which occurred at about 30% PLA by maximum, it

Measurement of the Rheological Properties of High Performance Concrete: State of the Art Report

PubMed Central

Ferraris, Chiara F.

1999-01-01

The rheological or flow properties of concrete in general and of high performance concrete (HPC) in particular, are important because many factors such as ease of placement, consolidation, durability, and strength depend on the flow properties. Concrete that is not properly consolidated may have defects, such as honeycombs, air voids, and aggregate segregation. Such an important performance attribute has triggered the design of numerous test methods. Generally, the flow behavior of concrete approximates that of a Bingham fluid. Therefore, at least two parameters, yield stress and viscosity, are necessary to characterize the flow. Nevertheless, most methods measure only one parameter. Predictions of the flow properties of concrete from its composition or from the properties of its components are not easy. No general model exists, although some attempts have been made. This paper gives an overview of the flow properties of a fluid or a suspension, followed by a critical review of the most commonly used concrete rheology tests. Particular attention is given to tests that could be used for HPC. Tentative definitions of terms such as workability, consistency, and rheological parameters are provided. An overview of the most promising tests and models for cement paste is given.

Testing Silica Fume-Based Concrete Composites under Chemical and Microbiological Sulfate Attacks

PubMed Central

Estokova, Adriana; Kovalcikova, Martina; Luptakova, Alena; Prascakova, Maria

2016-01-01

Current design practices based on descriptive approaches to concrete specification may not be appropriate for the management of aggressive environments. In this study, the durability of cement-based materials with and without the addition of silica fume, subjected to conditions that leach calcium and silicon, were investigated. Chemical corrosion was simulated by employing various H2SO4 and MgSO4 solutions, and biological corrosion was simulated using Acidithiobacillus sp. bacterial inoculation, leading to disrupted and damaged surfaces; the samples’ mass changes were studied following both chemical and biological attacks. Different leaching trends were observed via X-ray fluorescence when comparing chemical with biological leaching. Lower leaching rates were found for concrete samples fortified with silica fume than those without silica fume. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy confirmed a massive sulfate precipitate formation on the concrete surface due to bacterial exposure. PMID:28773452

Monitoring, Modeling, and Diagnosis of Alkali-Silica Reaction in Small Concrete Samples

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Agarwal, Vivek; Cai, Guowei; Gribok, Andrei V.

Assessment and management of aging concrete structures in nuclear power plants require a more systematic approach than simple reliance on existing code margins of safety. Structural health monitoring of concrete structures aims to understand the current health condition of a structure based on heterogeneous measurements to produce high-confidence actionable information regarding structural integrity that supports operational and maintenance decisions. This report describes alkali-silica reaction (ASR) degradation mechanisms and factors influencing the ASR. A fully coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical model developed by Saouma and Perotti by taking into consideration the effects of stress on the reaction kinetics and anisotropic volumetric expansion is presentedmore » in this report. This model is implemented in the GRIZZLY code based on the Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment. The implemented model in the GRIZZLY code is randomly used to initiate ASR in a 2D and 3D lattice to study the percolation aspects of concrete. The percolation aspects help determine the transport properties of the material and therefore the durability and service life of concrete. This report summarizes the effort to develop small-size concrete samples with embedded glass to mimic ASR. The concrete samples were treated in water and sodium hydroxide solution at elevated temperature to study how ingress of sodium ions and hydroxide ions at elevated temperature impacts concrete samples embedded with glass. Thermal camera was used to monitor the changes in the concrete sample and results are summarized.« less

Quantification of the Service Life Extension and Environmental Benefit of Chloride Exposed Self-Healing Concrete

PubMed Central

Van Belleghem, Bjorn; Van den Heede, Philip; Van Tittelboom, Kim; De Belie, Nele

2016-01-01

Formation of cracks impairs the durability of concrete elements. Corrosion inducing substances, such as chlorides, can enter the matrix through these cracks and cause steel reinforcement corrosion and concrete degradation. Self-repair of concrete cracks is an innovative technique which has been studied extensively during the past decade and which may help to increase the sustainability of concrete. However, the experiments conducted until now did not allow for an assessment of the service life extension possible with self-healing concrete in comparison with traditional (cracked) concrete. In this research, a service life prediction of self-healing concrete was done based on input from chloride diffusion tests. Self-healing of cracks with encapsulated polyurethane precursor formed a partial barrier against immediate ingress of chlorides through the cracks. Application of self-healing concrete was able to reduce the chloride concentration in a cracked zone by 75% or more. As a result, service life of steel reinforced self-healing concrete slabs in marine environments could amount to 60–94 years as opposed to only seven years for ordinary (cracked) concrete. Subsequent life cycle assessment calculations indicated important environmental benefits (56%–75%) for the ten CML-IA (Center of Environmental Science of Leiden University–Impact Assessment) baseline impact indicators which are mainly induced by the achievable service life extension. PMID:28772363

Evaluation of lightweight high performance concrete in bulb-T beams and decks in two bridges on Route 33 in Virginia.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-01-01

Lightweight high performance concrete (LWHPC) is expected to provide high strength and high durability along with reduced weight. The purpose of this research was to evaluate and compare the prestressed LWHPC bulb-T beams and decks in two bridge stru...

Shrinkage stress in concrete under dry-wet cycles: an example with concrete column

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Yuan; Zhang, Jun; Luosun, Yiming

2014-02-01

This paper focuses on the simulation of shrinkage stress in concrete structures under dry-wet environments. In the modeling, an integrative model for autogenous and drying shrinkage predictions of concrete under dry-wet cycles is introduced first. Second, a model taking both cement hydration and moisture diffusion into account synchronously is used to calculate the distribution of interior humidity in concrete. Using the above two models, the distributions of shrinkage strain and stress in concrete columns made by normal and high strength concrete respectively under dry-wet cycles are calculated. The model results show that shrinkage gradient along the radial direction of the column from the center to outer surface increases with age as the outer circumference suffers to dry. The maximum and minimum shrinkage occur at the outer surface and the center of the column, respectively, under drying condition. As wetting starts, the shrinkage strain decreases with increase of interior humidity. The closer to the wetting face, the higher the humidity and the lower the shrinkage strain, as well as the lower the shrinkage stress. As results of the dry-wet cycles acting on the outer circumference of the column, cyclic stress status is developed within the area close to the outer surface of the column. The depth of the influencing zone of dry-wet cyclic action is influenced by concrete strength and dry-wet regime. For low strength concrete, relatively deeper influencing zone is expected compared with that of high strength concrete. The models are verified by concrete-steel composite ring tests and a good agreement between model and test results is found.

Corrosion behaviour of steel rebars embedded in a concrete designed for the construction of an intermediate-level radioactive waste disposal facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duffó, G. S.; Arva, E. A.; Schulz, F. M.; Vazquez, D. R.

2013-07-01

The National Atomic Energy Commission of the Argentine Republic is developing a nuclear waste disposal management programme that contemplates the design and construction of a facility for the final disposal of intermediate-level radioactive wastes. The repository is based on the use of multiple, independent and redundant barriers. The major components are made in reinforced concrete so, the durability of these structures is an important aspect for the facility integrity. This work presents an investigation performed on an instrumented reinforced concrete prototype specifically designed for this purpose, to study the behaviour of an intermediate level radioactive waste disposal facility from the rebar corrosion point of view. The information obtained will be used for the final design of the facility in order to guarantee a service life more or equal than the foreseen durability for this type of facilities.

Experimental study on the performance of pervious concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Haojie; Liu, Rentai; Yang, Honglu; Ma, Chenyang; Zhou, Heng

2018-02-01

With the construction of sponge city, the pervious concrete material has been developed rapidly. A high-performance pervious concrete is developed by using cement, silica fume (SF) and superplasticizer (SP). The effects of SF, SP, aggregate size, water-cement ration and aggregate-cement ratio on the permeability coefficient, compressive strength and flexural strength are studied by controlling variables, and exploring the corrosion resistance and abrasion resistance of pervious concrete. The results show that using 0.5% SP, 5% SF and small aggregate can greatly improve the strength. There is an optimum value for water-cement ratio to make the strength and permeability coefficient maximum. Compared to ordinary pervious concrete, the corrosion resistance and abrasion resistance of this pervious concrete are very good.

Properties of concrete containing different type of waste materials as aggregate replacement exposed to elevated temperature – A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghadzali, N. S.; Ibrahim, M. H. W.; Sani, M. S. H. Mohd; Jamaludin, N.; Desa, M. S. M.; Misri, Z.

2018-04-01

Concrete is the chief material of construction and it is non-combustible in nature. However, the exposure to the high temperature such as fire can lead to change in the concrete properties. Due to the higher temperature, several changes in terms of mechanical properties were observed in concrete such as compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, tensile strength and durability of concrete will decrease significantly at high temperature. The exceptional fire-proof achievement of concrete is might be due to the constituent materials of concrete such as its aggregates. The extensive use of aggregate in concrete will leads to depletion of natural resources. Hence, the use of waste and other recycled and by-product material as aggregates replacements becomes a leading research. This review has been made on the utilization of waste materials in concrete and critically evaluates its effects on the concrete performances during the fire exposure. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to review the previous search work regarding the concrete containing waste material as aggregates replacement when exposed to elevated temperature and come up with different design recommendations to improve the fire resistance of structures.

Strength and Durability Performance of Alkali-Activated Rice Husk Ash Geopolymer Mortar

PubMed Central

Kim, Yun Yong; Lee, Byung-Jae; Saraswathy, Velu

2014-01-01

This paper describes the experimental investigation carried out to develop the geopolymer concrete based on alkali-activated rice husk ash (RHA) by sodium hydroxide with sodium silicate. Effect on method of curing and concentration of NaOH on compressive strength as well as the optimum mix proportion of geopolymer mortar was investigated. It is possible to achieve compressive strengths of 31 N/mm2 and 45 N/mm2, respectively for the 10 M alkali-activated geopolymer mortar after 7 and 28 days of casting when cured for 24 hours at 60°C. Results indicated that the increase in curing period and concentration of alkali activator increased the compressive strength. Durability studies were carried out in acid and sulfate media such as H2SO4, HCl, Na2SO4, and MgSO4 environments and found that geopolymer concrete showed very less weight loss when compared to steam-cured mortar specimens. In addition, fluorescent optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies have shown the formation of new peaks and enhanced the polymerization reaction which is responsible for strength development and hence RHA has great potential as a substitute for ordinary Portland cement concrete. PMID:25506063

Strength and durability performance of alkali-activated rice husk ash geopolymer mortar.

PubMed

Kim, Yun Yong; Lee, Byung-Jae; Saraswathy, Velu; Kwon, Seung-Jun

2014-01-01

This paper describes the experimental investigation carried out to develop the geopolymer concrete based on alkali-activated rice husk ash (RHA) by sodium hydroxide with sodium silicate. Effect on method of curing and concentration of NaOH on compressive strength as well as the optimum mix proportion of geopolymer mortar was investigated. It is possible to achieve compressive strengths of 31 N/mm(2) and 45 N/mm(2), respectively for the 10 M alkali-activated geopolymer mortar after 7 and 28 days of casting when cured for 24 hours at 60°C. Results indicated that the increase in curing period and concentration of alkali activator increased the compressive strength. Durability studies were carried out in acid and sulfate media such as H2SO4, HCl, Na2SO4, and MgSO4 environments and found that geopolymer concrete showed very less weight loss when compared to steam-cured mortar specimens. In addition, fluorescent optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies have shown the formation of new peaks and enhanced the polymerization reaction which is responsible for strength development and hence RHA has great potential as a substitute for ordinary Portland cement concrete.

Alkali-Activated Natural Pozzolan/Slag Binder for Sustainable Concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Najimi, Meysam

This study aimed to fully replace Portland cement (PC) with environmentally friendly binders capable of improving longevity of concrete. The new binders consisted of different proportions of natural Pozzolan and slag which were alkaline-activated with various combinations of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate. A step-by-step research program was designed to (1) develop alkali-activated natural Pozzolan/slag pastes with adequate fresh and strength properties, (2) produce alkali-activated natural Pozzolan/slag mortars to assess the effects of dominant variables on their plastic and hardened properties, and (3) finally produce and assess fresh, mechanical, dimensional, transport and durability properties of alkali-activated natural Pozzolan/slag concretes. The major variables included in this study were binder combination (natural Pozzolan/slag combinations of 70/30, 50/50 and 30/70), activator combination (sodium silicate/sodium hydroxide combinations of 20/80, 25/75 and 30/70), and sodium hydroxide concentration (1, 1.75 and 2.5M). The experimental program assessed performance of alkali-activated natural Pozzolan/slag mixtures including fresh properties (flow and setting times), unit weights (fresh, demolded and oven-dry), mechanical properties (compressive and tensile strengths, and modulus of elasticity), transport properties (absorption, rapid chloride penetration, and rapid chloride migration), durability (frost resistance, chloride induced corrosion, and resistance to sulfuric acid attack), and dimensional stability (drying shrinkage). This study also compared the performance of alkali-activated natural Pozzolan/slag concretes with that of an equivalent reference Portland cement concrete having a similar flow and strength characteristics. The results of this study revealed that it was doable to find optimum binder proportions, activator combinations and sodium hydroxide concentrations to achieve adequate plastic and hardened properties. Nearly for all studied

Durability of traditional plasters with respect to blast furnace slag-based plaster

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cerulli, T.; Pistolesi, C.; Maltese, C.

2003-09-01

Blast furnace slag is a residue of steel production. It is a latent hydraulic binder and is normally used to improve the durability of concrete and mortars. Slag could be also used as rendering mortar for masonry and old buildings. Today, cement and hydraulic lime are the most popular hydraulic binders used to make plasters. They are characterised by a low durability when exposed to the action of chemical and physical agents. The aim of this study was to provide a comparison between the physical-mechanical properties of some renders made with ordinary Portland cement, hydraulic lime, or slag. Furthermore, anmore » investigation was carried out to analyse mortar resistance to several aggressive conditions like acid attack, freezing and thawing cycles, abrasion, sulphate aggression, cycles in ultraviolet screening device, and salt diffusion. The specimens, after chemical attack, have been characterised from the chemical-physical [specific surface according to the BET (Brunauer-Emmet-Teller) method], crystal-chemical (X-ray diffraction, XRD), and morphological (scanning electron microscopy, SEM) points of view.« less

Parameters of Concrete Modified with Glass Meal and Chalcedonite Dust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotwa, Anna

2017-10-01

Additives used for production of concrete mixtures affect the rheological properties and parameters of hardened concrete, including compressive strength, water resistance, durability and shrinkage of hardened concrete. By their application, the use of cement and production costs may be reduced. The scheduled program of laboratory tests included preparation of six batches of concrete mixtures with addition of glass meal and / or chalcedonite dust. Mineral dust is a waste product obtained from crushed aggregate mining, with grain size below 0,063μm. The main ingredient of chalcedonite dust is silica. Glass meal used in the study is a material with very fine grain size, less than 65μm. This particle size is present in 60% - 90% of the sample. Additives were used to replace cement in concrete mixes in an amount of 15% and 25%. The amount of aggregate was left unchanged. The study used Portland cement CEM I 42.5R. Concrete mixes were prepared with a constant rate w / s = 0.4. The aim of the study was to identify the effect of the addition of chalcedonite dust and / or glass meal on the parameters of hardened concrete, i.e. compressive strength, water absorption and capillarity. Additives used in the laboratory tests significantly affect the compressive strength. The largest decrease in compressive strength of concrete samples was recorded for samples with 50% substitutes of cement additives. This decrease is 34.35%. The smallest decrease in compressive strength was noted in concrete with the addition of 15% of chalcedonite dust or 15% glass meal, it amounts to an average of 15%. The study of absorption shows that all concrete with the addition of chalcedonite dust and glass meal gained a percentage weight increase between 2.7 ÷ 3.1% for the test batches. This is a very good result, which is probably due to grout sealing. In capillary action for the test batches, the percentage weight gains of samples ranges from 4.6% to 5.1%. However, the reference concrete obtained

Rebar corrosion monitoring in concrete structure under salt water enviroment using fiber Bragg grating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Yuheng; Liu, Tiegen; Jiang, Junfeng; Liu, Kun; Wang, Shuang; He, Pan; Yan, Jinlin

2015-08-01

Monitoring corrosion of steel reinforcing bars is critical for the durability and safety of reinforced concrete structures. Corrosion sensors based on fiber optic have proved to exhibit meaningful benefits compared with the conventional electric ones. In recent years, Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) has been used as a new kind of sensing element in an attempt to directly monitor the corrosion in concrete structure due to its remarkable advantages. In this paper, we present a novel kind of FBG based rebar corrosion monitoring sensor. The rebar corrosion is detected by volume expansion of the corroded rebar by transferring it to the axial strain of FBG when concrete structure is soaked in salt water. An accelerated salt water corrosion test was performed. The experiment results showed the corrosion can be monitored effectively and the corrosion rate is obtained by volume loss rate of rebar.

Application of Desalination with CFRP Composite Electrode to Concrete Deteriorated by Chloride Attack

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Keisuke; Ueda, Takao; Nanasawa, Akira

As a new rehabilitation technique for recovery both of loading ability and durability of concrete structures deteriorated by chloride attack, desalination (electrochemical chloride removal technique from concrete) using CFRP composite electrode bonding to concrete has been developed. In this study, basic application was tried using small RC specimens, and also application to the large-scale RC beams deteriorated by the chloride attack through the long-term exposure in the outdoors was investigated. As the result of bending test of treated specimens, the decrease of strengthening effect with the electrochemical treatment was observed in the case of small specimens using low absorption rate resin for bonding, on the other hand, in the case of large-scale RC beam using 20% absorption rate resin for bonding CFRP composite electrode, enough strengthening effect was obtained by the bending failure of RC beam with the fracture of CFRP board.

Development of lightweight concrete mixes for construction industry at the state of Arkansas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almansouri, Mohammed Abdulwahab

As the construction industry evolved, the need for more durable, long lasting infrastructure increased. Therefore, more efforts have been put to find new methods to improve the properties of the concrete to prolong the service life of the structural elements. One of these methods is the use of lightweight aggregate as an internal curing agent to help reducing self-desiccation and shrinkage. This research studied the effects of using locally available lightweight aggregate (expanded clay), as a partial replacement of normal weight aggregate in the concrete matrix. The concrete mixtures contained lightweight aggregate with a replacement percentage of 12.5, 25, 37.5, and 50 percent by volume. Fresh properties as well as compressive strength, modulus of rupture, and drying shrinkage were measured. While was effective in reducing drying shrinkage, the use of lightweight aggregate resulted in slightly reducing both the compressive strength and modulus of rupture.

A shape memory polymer concrete crack closure system activated by electrical current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teall, Oliver; Pilegis, Martins; Davies, Robert; Sweeney, John; Jefferson, Tony; Lark, Robert; Gardner, Diane

2018-07-01

The presence of cracks has a negative impact on the durability of concrete by providing paths for corrosive materials to the embedded steel reinforcement. Cracks in concrete can be closed using shape memory polymers (SMP) which produce a compressive stress across the crack faces. This stress has been previously found to enhance the load recovery associated with autogenous self-healing. This paper details the experiments undertaken to incorporate SMP tendons containing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) filaments into reinforced and unreinforced 500 × 100 × 100 mm structural concrete beam samples. These tendons are activated via an electrical supply using a nickel-chrome resistance wire heating system. The set-up, methodology and results of restrained shrinkage stress and crack closure experiments are explained. Crack closure of up to 85% in unreinforced beams and 26%–39% in reinforced beams is measured using crack-mouth opening displacement, microscope and digital image correlation equipment. Conclusions are made as to the effectiveness of the system and its potential for application within industry.

Epoxy asphalt concrete is a perspective material for the construction of roads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vyrozhemskyi, Valerii; Kopynets, Ivan; Kischynskyi, Sergii; Bidnenko, Nataliia

2017-09-01

An effective way to increase the durability of asphalt concrete pavements that are subject to high traffic loads and adverse weather and climatic factors is the use of polymer additives which drastically improve the rheological and physical-mechanical properties of bitumen. The use of thermosetting polymers including epoxy resins for asphalt and bitumen modification is seen as a perspective solution for this issue. Conducted at DerzhdorNDI SE studies have proved high riding qualities of asphalt pavements that contain epoxy resins. When replacing 20-35% of bitumen with epoxy component, a significant improvement in strength characteristics of asphalt pavement is noted, especially at elevated temperatures. Specific feature of epoxy asphalt concrete is its ability to gain strength over a long-term operation. Thus, despite the increased cost of epoxy asphalt concrete, long service life of pavements on its basis (up to 30 years as predicted) ensures a high profitability of using this material, especially on the roads with heavy traffic and severe traffic conditions.

Importance of microscopy in durability studies of solidified and stabilized contaminated soils

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klich, I.; Wilding, L.P.; Drees, L.R.; Landa, E.R.

1999-01-01

Solidification/stabilization (S/S) is recognized by the U.S. EPA as a best demonstrated available technology for the containment of contaminated soils and other hazardous wastes that cannot be destroyed by chemical, thermal, or biological means. Despite the increased use of S/S technologies, little research has been conducted on the weathering and degradation of solidified and stabilized wastes once the treated materials have been buried. Published data to verify the performance and durability of landfilled treated wastes over time are rare. In this preliminary study, optical and electron microscopy (scanning electron microscopy [SEM], transmission electron microscopy [TEM] and electron probe microanalyses [EPMA]) were used to evaluate weathering features associated with metal-bearing contaminated soil that had been solidified and stabilized with Portland cement and subsequently buried on site, stored outdoors aboveground, or achieved in a laboratory warehouse for up to 6 yr. Physical and chemical alteration processes identified include: freeze-thaw cracking, cracking caused by the formation of expansive minerals such as ettringite, carbonation, and the movement of metals from waste aggregates into the cement micromass. Although the extent of degradation after 6 yr is considered slight to moderate, results of this study show that the same environmental concerns that affect the durability of concrete must be considered when evaluating the durability and permanence of the solidification and stabilization of contaminated soils with cement. In addition, such evaluations cannot be based on leaching and chemical analyses alone. The use of all levels of microscopic analyses must be incorporated into studies of the long-term performance of S/S technologies.Solidification/stabilization (S/S) is recognized by the U.S. EPA as a best demonstrated available technology for the containment of contaminated soils and other hazardous wastes that cannot be destroyed by chemical

Copolymer natural latex in concrete: Dynamic evaluation through energy dissipation of polymer modified concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andayani, Sih Wuri; Suratman, Rochim; Imran, Iswandi; Mardiyati

2018-05-01

Portland cement concrete have been used in construction due to its strength and ecomical value. But it has some limitations, such low flexural strength, low tensile strength, low chemical resistant and etc. Due to its limitations in flexural and tensile strength, Portland cement concrete more susceptible by seismic force. There are some methods for improving its limitations. Polymer addition into concrete mixture could be one of solution for improving the flexural and tensile strength, in aiming to get erthquake resistant properties. Also, the eartquake resistant could be achieved by improving energy dissipation capacity. In this research, the earthquake resistant evalution was approached from dynamic evaluation through energy dissipation capacity, after polymer addition as concrete additives. The polymers were natural latex (Indonesian naural resource) grafted with styrene and methacrylate, forming copolymer - natural latex methacrylate (KOLAM) and copolymer - natural latex styrene (KOLAS). They were added into concrete mixture resulting polymer modified concrete. The composition of polymer are 1%, 5% and 10% weight/weight of cement. The higher capacity of energy dissipation will give more capability in either absorbing or dissipating energy, and it was predicted would give better earthquake resistant.. The use of KOLAM gave better performance than KOLAS in energy dissipation capacity. It gave about 46% for addition of 1% w/w compared to Portland cement concrete. But for addition 5% w/w and 10% w/w, they gave about 7% and 5% higher energy dissipation capacity. The KOLAM addition into concrete mixture would reduce the maximum impact load with maximumabout 35% impact load reducing after 1% w/w addition. The higher concentration of KOLAM in concrete mixture, lower reducing of impact load, they were about 4% and 3% for KOLAM 5% and 10%. For KOLAS addition in any compositions, there were no positive trend either in energy dissipation capacity or impact load properties

Ultra-High-Performance Concrete And Advanced Manufacturing Methods For Modular Construction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sawab, Jamshaid; Lim, Ing; Mo, Yi-Lung

nuclear containment structures to resist lateral forces induced by severe earthquakes and heavy winds. SC modules have good potential for SMR because of their cost-effectiveness and reduced construction time. However, the minimum shear reinforcement (i.e. cross tie) ratio needs to be determined for the steel plate-UHPC (S-UHPC) beams to exhibit a ductile failure mode. In this project, S-UHPC beams were designed and constructed. The beams were tested to evaluate structural capacity and identify the minimum cross ties ratios. In addition, as the bond between UHPC and steel plate is essential for ensuring structural integrity under shear and flexure, it was measured and examined in this project through digital image correlation system and smart piezoelectric aggregate sensors. Large-scale testing and finite element simulation were also performed on S-UHPC wall panels. New bond slip-based constitutive models of steel plate were developed for S-UHPC, which were used in finite element analysis program to predict S-UHPC behavior under shear. The results were well validated through experimental data. The long-term durability of UHPC were established in this project. UHPC specimens were tested under free shrinkage, restrained shrinkage, elevated temperature, water permeation, chloride diffusion, corrosion, and alkali silica reaction. UHPC has demonstrated significantly improved durability compared with control concrete specimens. This research led to a new generation of steel plate-UHPC modules for SMR that can provide large benefits to the electric power industry. Taking advantage of the high strength and durability of UHPC, their modularity and ease of assembly can address the high cost barriers of typical nuclear power plants.« less

Experimental Study on Modification of Concrete with Asphalt Admixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bołtryk, Michał; Małaszkiewicz, Dorota; Pawluczuk, Edyta

2017-10-01

Durability of engineering structures made of cement concrete with high compressive strength is a very vital issue, especially when they are exposed to different aggressive environments and dynamic loads. Concrete resistance to weathering actions and chemical attack can be improved by combined chemical and mechanical modification of concrete microstructure. Asphalt admixture in the form of asphalt paste (AP) was used for chemical modification of cement composite microstructure. Concrete structure was formed using special technology of compaction. A stand for vibro-vibropressing with regulated vibrator force and pressing force was developed. The following properties of the modified concrete were tested: compressive strength, water absorption, freeze-thaw resistance, scaling resistance in the presence of de-icing agents, chloride migration, resistance to CO2 and corrosion in aggressive solutions. Corrosion resistance was tested alternately in 1.8% solutions of NH4Cl, MgSO4, (NH2)2CO and CaCl2, which were altered every 7 days; the experiment lasted 9.5 months. Optimum compaction parameters in semi-industrial conditions were determined: ratio between piston stress (Qp ) and external top vibrator force (Po ) in the range 0.4÷-0.5 external top vibrator force 4 kN. High strength concretes with compressive strength fcm = 60÷70 MPa, very low water absorption (<1%) and high resistance to aggressive environments were obtained in this study. AP content was reduced from 10% (previous investigations) to 2-4% of cement mass thanks to the special compaction method. Excellent chloride ion penetration resistance and carbonation resistance of concrete containing AP admixture is due to the asphalt barrier formed in pores of cement hydrates against dioxide and chloride ions. Concrete specimens containing AP 4% c.m. and consolidated by vibro-vibropressing method proved to be practically resistant to highly corrosive environment. Vibro-vibropressing compaction technology of concrete

A PERMEABLE ACTIVE AMENDMENT CONCRETE (PAAC) FOR CONTAMINANT REMEDIATION AND EROSION CONTROL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Knox, A.; Paller, M.; Dixon, K.

2012-06-29

The final project report for SEED SERDP ER - 2134 describes the development of permeable active amendment concrete (PAAC), which was evaluated through four tasks: 1) development of PAAC; 2) assessment of PAAC for contaminant removal; 3) evaluation of promising PAAC formulations for potential environmental impacts; and 4) assessment of the hydraulic, physical, and structural properties of PAAC. Conventional permeable concrete (often referred to as pervious concrete) is concrete with high porosity as a result of an extensive and interconnected void content. It is made from carefully controlled amounts of water and cementitious materials used to create a paste thatmore » forms a coating around aggregate particles. The mixture has a substantial void content (e.g., 15% - 25%) that results in a highly permeable structure that drains quickly. In PAAC, the aggregate material is partly replaced by chemically-active amendments that precipitate or adsorb contaminants in water that flows through the concrete interstices. PAAC combines the relatively high structural strength, ample void space, and water permeability of pervious concrete with the contaminant sequestration ability of chemically-active amendments to produce a new material with superior durability and ability to control contaminant mobility. The high surface area provided by the concrete interstices in PAAC provides significant opportunity for contaminants to react with the amendments incorporated into the concrete matrix. PAAC has the potential to immobilize a large variety of organic and inorganic contaminants by incorporating different active sequestering agents including phosphate materials (rock phosphate), organoclays, zeolite, and lime individually or in combinations.« less

Effects of curing methods and supplementary cementitious material use on freeze thaw durability of concrete containing d-cracking aggregates.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-12-01

For concrete pavements in Kansas, the most effective method of increasing their sustainability is to : increase the service life. One of the principle mechanisms of concrete pavement deterioration in Kansas is : freezing and thawing damage. Some Kans...

EVALUATION OF THE DURABILITY OF THE STRUCTURAL CONCRETE OF REACTOR BUILDINGS AT SRS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duncan, A.; Reigel, M.

2011-02-28

The Department of Energy (DOE) intends to close 100-150 facilities in the DOE complex using an in situ decommissioning (ISD) strategy that calls for grouting the below-grade interior volume of the structure and leaving the above-grade interior open or demolishing it and disposing of it in the slit trenches in E Area. These closures are expected to persist and remain stable for centuries, but there are neither facility-specific monitoring approaches nor studies on the rate of deterioration of the materials used in the original construction or on the ISD components added during closure (caps, sloped roofs, etc). This report willmore » focus on the evaluation of the actual aging/degradation of the materials of construction used in the ISD structures at Savannah River Site (SRS) above grade, specifically P & R reactor buildings. Concrete blocks (six 2 to 5 ton blocks) removed from the outer wall of the P Reactor Building were turned over to SRNL as the first source for concrete cores. Larger cores were received as a result of grouting activities in P and R reactor facilities. The cores were sectioned and evaluated using microscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD), ion chromatography (IC) and thermal analysis. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the aggregate and cement phases present in the concrete are consistent with the mix design and no degradation mechanisms are evident at the aggregate-cement interfaces. Samples of the cores were digested and analyzed for chloride ingress as well as sulfate attack. The concentrations of chloride and sulfate ions did not exceed the limits of the mix design and there is no indication of any degradation due to these mechanisms. Thermal analysis on samples taken along the longitudinal axis of the cores show that there is a 1 inch carbonation layer (i.e., no portlandite) present in the interior wall of the reactor building and a negligible carbonation layer in the exterior wall. A mixed layer of carbonate and portlandite extends deeper

Digital Image Correlation of Concrete Slab at University of Tennessee, Knoxville

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mahadevan, Sankaran; Agarwal, Vivek; Pham, Binh T.

Assessment and management of aging concrete structures in nuclear power plants require a more systematic approach than simple reliance on existing code margins of safety. Some degradation mechanisms of concrete manifest themselves via swelling or by other shape deformation of the concrete. Specifically, degradation of concrete structure damaged by ASR is viewed as one of the dominant factors impacting the structural integrity of aging nuclear power plants. Structural health monitoring of concrete structures aims to understand the current health condition of a structure based on heterogeneous measurements to produce high-confidence actionable information regarding structural integrity that supports operational and maintenancemore » decisions. Number of nondestructive examination techniques (i.e., thermography, digital image correlation, mechanical deformation measurements, nonlinear impact resonance (DIC) acoustic spectroscopy, and vibro-acoustic modulation) is used to detect the damage caused by ASR. DIC techniques have been increasing in popularity, especially in micro- and nano-scale mechanical testing applications due to its relative ease of implementation and use. Advances in computer technology and digital cameras help this method moving forward. To ensure the best outcome of the DIC system, important factors in the experiment are identified. They include standoff distance, speckle size, speckle pattern, and durable paint. These optimal experimental options are selected basing on a thorough investigation. The resulting DIC deformation map indicates that this technique can be used to generate data related to degradation assessment of concrete structure damaged by the impact of ASR.« less

Influence of Blended Cements with Calcareous Fly Ash on Chloride Ion Migration and Carbonation Resistance of Concrete for Durable Structures.

PubMed

Glinicki, Michał A; Jóźwiak-Niedźwiedzka, Daria; Gibas, Karolina; Dąbrowski, Mariusz

2016-01-02

The objective of this paper is to examine the possible use of new blended cements containing calcareous fly ash in structural concrete, potentially adequate for structural elements of nuclear power plants. The investigation included five new cements made with different contents of non-clinker constituents: calcareous fly ash, siliceous fly ash, ground granulated blastfurnace slag, and a reference cement-ordinary Portland cement. The influence of innovative cements on the resistance of concrete to chloride and carbonation exposure was studied. Additionally, an evaluation of the microstructure was performed using optical microscopy on concrete thin sections. Test results revealed a substantial improvement of the resistance to chloride ion penetration into concrete containing blended cements. The resistance was higher for increased clinker replacement levels and increased with curing time. However, concrete made with blended cements exhibited higher depth of carbonation than the Portland cement concrete, except the Portland-fly ash cement with 14.3% of calcareous fly ash. The thin sections analysis confirmed the values of the carbonation depth obtained from the phenolphthalein test. Test results indicate the possible range of application for new cements containing calcareous fly ash.

Influence of Blended Cements with Calcareous Fly Ash on Chloride Ion Migration and Carbonation Resistance of Concrete for Durable Structures

PubMed Central

Glinicki, Michał A.; Jóźwiak-Niedźwiedzka, Daria; Gibas, Karolina; Dąbrowski, Mariusz

2016-01-01

The objective of this paper is to examine the possible use of new blended cements containing calcareous fly ash in structural concrete, potentially adequate for structural elements of nuclear power plants. The investigation included five new cements made with different contents of non-clinker constituents: calcareous fly ash, siliceous fly ash, ground granulated blastfurnace slag, and a reference cement—ordinary Portland cement. The influence of innovative cements on the resistance of concrete to chloride and carbonation exposure was studied. Additionally, an evaluation of the microstructure was performed using optical microscopy on concrete thin sections. Test results revealed a substantial improvement of the resistance to chloride ion penetration into concrete containing blended cements. The resistance was higher for increased clinker replacement levels and increased with curing time. However, concrete made with blended cements exhibited higher depth of carbonation than the Portland cement concrete, except the Portland-fly ash cement with 14.3% of calcareous fly ash. The thin sections analysis confirmed the values of the carbonation depth obtained from the phenolphthalein test. Test results indicate the possible range of application for new cements containing calcareous fly ash. PMID:28787821

Selected durability studies of geopolymer concrete with respect to carbonation, elevated temperature, and microbial induced corrosion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badar, Mohammad Sufian

This thesis reports a comprehensive study related to the experimental evaluation of carbonation in reinforced geopolymer concrete, the evaluation of geopolymer concretes at elevated temperature, and the resistance of geopolymer concrete to microbial induced corrosion (MIC). Carbonation: Reinforced concretes, made of geopolymer, prepared from two class F fly ashes and one class C fly ash, were subjected to accelerated carbonation treatment for a period of 450 days. Electrochemical, microstructure and pore structure examinations were performed to evaluate the effect of corrosion caused due to carbonation. GPC specimens prepared from class F fly ash exhibited lower corrosion rates by a factor of 21, and higher pH values (pH>12) when compared with concrete specimens prepared from class C Fly ash (GPCMN). Microstructure and pore characterization of GPC prepared using class F fly ash revealed lower porosity by a factor of 2.5 as compared with thier counterparts made using GPC-MN. The superior performace of GPC prepared with the class F fly ash could be attributed to the dense pore structure and formation of the protective layer of calcium and sodium alumino silicate hydrates (C/N-A-S-H) geopolymeric gels around the steel reinforcement. Elevated Temperature: Geopolymers are an emerging class of cementitious binders which possess a potential for high temperature resistance that could possibly be utilized in applications such as nozzles, aspirators and refractory linings. This study reports on the results of an investigation into the performance of a fly ash based geopolymer binder in high temperature environments. Geopolymer concrete (GPC) was prepared using eleven types of fly ashes obtained from four countries. High content alumina and silica sand was used in the mix for preparing GPC. GPC was subjected to thermal shock tests following ASTM C 1100-88. The GPC samples prepared with tabular alumina were kept at 1093° C and immediately quenched in water. GPC specimens

An anisotropic thermomechanical damage model for concrete at transient elevated temperatures.

PubMed

Baker, Graham; de Borst, René

2005-11-15

The behaviour of concrete at elevated temperatures is important for an assessment of integrity (strength and durability) of structures exposed to a high-temperature environment, in applications such as fire exposure, smelting plants and nuclear installations. In modelling terms, a coupled thermomechanical analysis represents a generalization of the computational mechanics of fracture and damage. Here, we develop a fully coupled anisotropic thermomechanical damage model for concrete under high stress and transient temperature, with emphasis on the adherence of the model to the laws of thermodynamics. Specific analytical results are given, deduced from thermodynamics, of a novel interpretation on specific heat, evolution of entropy and the identification of the complete anisotropic, thermomechanical damage surface. The model is also shown to be stable in a computational sense, and to satisfy the laws of thermodynamics.

Application of Non-pressure Reinforced Concrete Pipes in Modern Construction and Reconstruction of Highways

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakitin, B. A.; Pogorelov, S. N.; Kolmogorova, A. O.

2017-11-01

Modern highway construction technologies provide for the quality water discharge systems to increase facilities’ service life. Pipeline operating conditions require the use of durable and reliable materials and structures. The experience in using reinforced concrete pipes for these purposes shows their utilization efficiency. The present paper considers the experience in the use of non-pressure reinforced concrete pipes manufactured by the German company SCHLOSSER-PFEIFFER under the Ural region geological and climatic conditions. The authors analyzed the actual operation of underground pipelines and effective loads upon them. A detailed study of the mechanical properties of reinforced concrete pipes is necessary to improve their production technology and to enhance their serviceability. The use of software-based methods helped to develop a mathematical model and to estimate the strength and crack resistance of reinforced concrete pipes at different laying depths. The authors carried out their complex research of the strain-stress behaviour of reinforced concrete pipes and identified the most hazardous sections in the structure. The calculations performed were confirmed by the results of laboratory tests completed in the construction materials, goods, and structures test center. Based on the completed research, the authors formulated their recommendations to improve the design and technology of non-pressure reinforced concrete pipes.

Biopolymers to improve physical properties and leaching characteristics of mortar and concrete: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olivia, M.; Jingga, H.; Toni, N.; Wibisono, G.

2018-04-01

The invention of environmentally friendly, high performance, and green material such as biopolymers marked an emerging trend for sustainable construction over the past decades. Biopolymer comprises of natural monomers and synthesized by plants or other organisms. The sustainable, biodegradable, and renewable biopolymers were used in concrete mixes to improve their physical and mechanical properties and durability. The aim of this paper is to provide a brief an overview of the impact of biopolymer addition into concrete and mortar mixes. Many studies on the influence of biopolymer on the properties of concrete and mortar by adding biopolymers at a certain proportion (usually less than one wt.%) to the concrete or mortar mixes, and the heavy metal leaching, rheological, and mechanical properties of the mixes were conducted. Biopolymers included in this review are chitosan (CH), xanthan gum (XG), guar gum (GG), lignosulphonate (LS), and cellulose ethers (CE). Data from previous studies showed that the addition of certain types of biopolymer into concrete and mortar mixes improve workability, water retention, and compressive strength by up to 30 percent. Chitosan strengthens heavy metal encapsulation in the mortar and neutralizes the negative impact of heavy metal on the mortar properties and environment. To sum up, the use of biopolymers improve physical properties and leaching characteristics of mortar and concrete.

Design and evaluation of high-volume fly ash (HVFA) concrete mixes, report E : hardened mechanical properties and durability performance of HVFA concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-10-01

A rising concern in todays construction industry is environmental responsibility. : The addition of fly ash is a leading innovation in sustainable design of concrete. Fly ash, : a waste by-product of coal burning power plants, can be used to repla...

Strength and fracture energy of foamed concrete incorporating rice husk ash and polypropylene mega-mesh 55

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaini, Z. M.; Rum, R. H. M.; Boon, K. H.

2017-10-01

This paper presents the utilization of rice husk ash (RHA) as sand replacement and polypropylene mega-mesh 55 (PMM) as fiber reinforcement in foamed concrete. High pozzolanic reaction and the ability to become filler make RHA as a strategic material to enhance the strength and durability of foamed concrete. Furthermore, the presence of PMM optimizes the toughness of foamed concrete in resisting shrinkage and cracking. In this experimental study, cube and cylinder specimens were prepared for the compression and splitting-tensile tests. Meanwhile, notched beam specimens were cast for the three-point bending test. It was found that 40% RHA and 9kg/m3 PMM contribute to the highest strength and fracture energy. The compressive, tensile and flexural strengths are 32MPa, 2.88MPa and 6.68MPa respectively, while the fracture energy achieves 42.19N/m. The results indicate high potential of RHA and PMM in enhancing the mechanical properties of foamed concrete.

A review of the application Acoustic Emission (AE) incorporating mechanical approach to monitor Reinforced concrete (RC) strengthened with Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) properties under fracture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syed Mazlan, S. M. S.; Abdullah, S. R.; Shahidan, S.; Noor, S. R. Mohd

2017-11-01

Concrete durability may be affected by so many factors such as chemical attack and weathering action that reduce the performance and the service life of concrete structures. Low durability Reinforced concrete (RC) can be greatly improved by using Fiber Reinforce Polymer (FRP). FRP is a commonly used composite material for repairing and strengthening RC structures. A review on application of Acoustic Emission (AE) techniques of real time monitoring for various mechanical tests for RC strengthened with FRP involving four-point bending, three-point bending and cyclic loading was carried out and discussed in this paper. Correlations between each AE analyses namely b-value, sentry and intensity analysis on damage characterization also been critically reviewed. From the review, AE monitoring involving RC strengthened with FRP using b-value, sentry and intensity analysis are proven to be successful and efficient method in determining damage characterization. However, application of AE analysis using sentry analysis is still limited compared to b-value and intensity analysis in characterizing damages especially for RC strengthened with FRP specimen.

Numerical Analysis on the High-Strength Concrete Beams Ultimate Behaviour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smarzewski, Piotr; Stolarski, Adam

2017-10-01

Development of technologies of high-strength concrete (HSC) beams production, with the aim of creating a secure and durable material, is closely linked with the numerical models of real objects. The three-dimensional nonlinear finite element models of reinforced high-strength concrete beams with a complex geometry has been investigated in this study. The numerical analysis is performed using the ANSYS finite element package. The arc-length (A-L) parameters and the adaptive descent (AD) parameters are used with Newton-Raphson method to trace the complete load-deflection curves. Experimental and finite element modelling results are compared graphically and numerically. Comparison of these results indicates the correctness of failure criteria assumed for the high-strength concrete and the steel reinforcement. The results of numerical simulation are sensitive to the modulus of elasticity and the shear transfer coefficient for an open crack assigned to high-strength concrete. The full nonlinear load-deflection curves at mid-span of the beams, the development of strain in compressive concrete and the development of strain in tensile bar are in good agreement with the experimental results. Numerical results for smeared crack patterns are qualitatively agreeable as to the location, direction, and distribution with the test data. The model was capable of predicting the introduction and propagation of flexural and diagonal cracks. It was concluded that the finite element model captured successfully the inelastic flexural behaviour of the beams to failure.

Estimation of Prestress Force Distribution in the Multi-Strand System of Prestressed Concrete Structures

PubMed Central

Cho, Keunhee; Park, Sung Yong; Cho, Jeong-Rae; Kim, Sung Tae; Park, Young-Hwan

2015-01-01

Prestressed concrete (PSC) is one of the most reliable, durable and widely used construction materials, which overcomes the weakness of concrete in tension by the introduction of a prestress force. Smart strands enabling measurement of the prestress force have recently been developed to maintain PSC structures throughout their lifetime. However, the smart strand cannot give a representative indication of the whole prestress force when used in multi-strand systems since each strand sustains a different prestress force. In this paper, the actual distribution of the prestress force in a multi-strand system is examined using elastomagnetic (EM) sensors to develop a method for tracking representative indicators of the prestress force using smart strands. PMID:26083230

Performance of asphaltic concrete incorporating styrene butadiene rubber subjected to varying aging condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salah, Faisal Mohammed; Jaya, Ramadhansyah Putra; Mohamed, Azman; Hassan, Norhidayah Abdul; Rosni, Nurul Najihah Mad; Mohamed, Abdullahi Ali; Agussabti

2017-12-01

The influence of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) on asphaltic concrete properties at different aging conditions was presented in this study. These aging conditions were named as un-aged, short-term, and long-term aging. The conventional asphalt binder of penetration grade 60/70 was used in this work. Four different levels of SBR addition were employed (i.e., 0 %, 1 %, 3 %, and 5 % by binder weight). Asphalt concrete mixes were prepared at selected optimum asphalt content (5 %). The performance was evaluated based on Marshall Stability, resilient modulus, and dynamic creep tests. Results indicated the improving stability and permanent deformation characteristics that the mixes modified with SBR polymer have under aging conditions. The result also showed that the stability, resilient modulus, and dynamic creep tests have the highest rates compared to the short-term aging and un-aged samples. Thus, the use of 5 % SBR can produce more durable asphalt concrete mixtures with better serviceability.

Some engineering properties of heavy concrete added silica fume

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Akkaş, Ayşe; Başyiğit, Celalettin; Esen, Serap

Many different types of building materials have been used in building construction for years. Heavy concretes can be used as a building material for critical building as it can contain a mixture of many heavy elements. The barite itself for radiation shielding can be used and also in concrete to produce the workable concrete with a maximum density and adequate structural strength. In this study, some engineering properties like compressive strength, elasticity modules and flexure strength of heavy concretes’ added Silica fume have been investigated.

Durable solar mirror films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O'Neill, Mark B.; Henderson, Andrew J.; Hebrink, Timothy J.

The present disclosure generally relates to durable solar mirror films, methods of making durable solar mirror films, and constructions including durable solar mirror films. In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a solar mirror film comprising: a multilayer optical film layer including having a coefficient of hygroscopic expansion of less than about 30 ppm per percent relative humidity; and a reflective layer having a coefficient of hygroscopic expansion.

Durable solar mirror films

DOEpatents

O'Neill, Mark B.; Henderson, Andrew J.; Hebrink, Timothy J.; Katare, Rajesh K.; Jing, Naiyong; North, Diane; Peterson, Eric M.

2017-02-14

The present disclosure generally relates to durable solar mirror films, methods of making durable solar mirror films, and constructions including durable solar mirror films. In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a solar mirror film comprising: a multilayer optical film layer including having a coefficient of hygroscopic expansion of less than about 30 ppm per percent relative humidity; and a reflective layer having a coefficient of hygroscopic expansion.

Development of Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) micro-mechanical simulations of concrete specimens characterized by micro-X-ray fluorescence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Giorla, Alain B.

Concrete in Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) can be exposed to a wide range of degradation phenomena. In the past years, the Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) program has investigated Radiation-Induced Volumetric Expansion (RIVE) as a potential degradation mechanism for concrete biological shields [Graves et al., 2014, Rosseel et al., 2016]. RIVE causes swelling and micro-mechanical damage in concrete due to the amorphization of mineral phases contained in the aggregates under neutron irradiation [Hilsdorf et al., 1978, Rosseel et al., 2016]. For long-term operations, it is critical to assess the durability of concrete after 60 or 80 years of exposure tomore » NPP operating conditions against this phenomenon. RIVE is dependent on the composition of the aggregates used in concrete. Quartz-bearing aggregates are more sensitive to RIVE than calcite-bearing aggregates, for example. However, the aggregate composition of a specific plant is generally not explicitly given in the concrete formulation, which makes it nearly impossible to predict the resistance of that concrete to RIVE. Additional characterization is needed to identify the radiation-sensitive mineral phases contained in the aggregates.« less

Non-destructive testing (NDT) of a segmental concrete bridge scheduled for demolition, with a focus on condition assessment and corrosion detection of internal tendons.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-05-01

The service life and durability of prestressed concrete in bridges are vulnerable to corrosion damages due to many factors such as construction, material, and environment. To ensure public safety, it is important to inspect these structures and to de...

Statistical and Detailed Analysis on Fiber Reinforced Self-Compacting Concrete Containing Admixtures- A State of Art of Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Athiyamaan, V.; Mohan Ganesh, G.

2017-11-01

Self-Compacting Concrete is one of the special concretes that have ability to flow and consolidate on its own weight, completely fill the formwork even in the presence of dense reinforcement; whilst maintaining its homogeneity throughout the formwork without any requirement for vibration. Researchers all over the world are developing high performance concrete by adding various Fibers, admixtures in different proportions. Various different kinds Fibers like glass, steel, carbon, Poly propylene and aramid Fibers provide improvement in concrete properties like tensile strength, fatigue characteristic, durability, shrinkage, impact, erosion resistance and serviceability of concrete[6]. It includes fundamental study on fiber reinforced self-compacting concrete with admixtures; its rheological properties, mechanical properties and overview study on design methodology statistical approaches regarding optimizing the concrete performances. The study has been classified into seven basic chapters: introduction, phenomenal study on material properties review on self-compacting concrete, overview on fiber reinforced self-compacting concrete containing admixtures, review on design and analysis of experiment; a statistical approach, summary of existing works on FRSCC and statistical modeling, literature review and, conclusion. It is so eminent to know the resent studies that had been done on polymer based binder materials (fly ash, metakaolin, GGBS, etc.), fiber reinforced concrete and SCC; to do an effective research on fiber reinforced self-compacting concrete containing admixtures. The key aim of the study is to sort-out the research gap and to gain a complete knowledge on polymer based Self compacting fiber reinforced concrete.

Investigation of the Durability of a Diaphragm for a Total Artificial Heart.

PubMed

Gräf, Felix; Rossbroich, Ralf; Finocchiaro, Thomas; Steinseifer, Ulrich

2016-10-01

One of the most critical components regarding the durability of the ReinHeart total artificial heart (TAH) is its biocompatible diaphragm, which separates the drive unit from the ventricles. Hence, a durability tester was designed to investigate its required 5-year lifetime. The aim of this study was to prove the validity of accelerated testing of the polyurethane diaphragm. The durability tester allows simultaneous testing of 12 diaphragms and mimics physiological conditions. To accelerate the time of testing, it operates with an increased speed at a frequency of 8 Hz. To prove the correctness of this acceleration, a servo-hydraulic testing machine was used to study the effect of different frequencies and their corresponding loads. Thereby the viscoelastic behavior of the polyurethane was investigated. Additionally, high-speed video measurements were performed. The force against frequency and the high-speed video measurements showed constant behavior. In the range of 1-10 Hz, the maximum resulting forces varied by 3%, and the diaphragm movement was identical. Frequencies below 10 Hz allow a valid statement of the diaphragm's mechanical durability. Viscoelasticity of the polyurethane in the considered frequency-range is negligible. The accelerated durability test is applicable to polyurethane diaphragms, and the results are applicable to TAH use. The reliability of the diaphragm for a lifetime of 5 years was found to be 80% with a confidence of 62%. Copyright © 2015 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Experimental Evaluation of Sodium Silicate-Based Nanosilica against Chloride Effects in Offshore Concrete

PubMed Central

Kim, Kyoung-Min; Kim, Hak-Young; Heo, Young-Sun; Jung, Sang-Jin

2014-01-01

This study investigates the effect of a new pore filling material, named sodium silicate-based nanosilica (SS), on resisting the diffusion of the chloride ions. The proposed SS is chosen, mainly due to its smaller particle size, compared to the conventional ethyl silicate-based nanosilica. Each particle of SS is chemically treated to have the negative (−) charge on its surface. Four types of mixes with different amounts of partial replacement with fly ash and slag are prepared. Effect of water to binder ratios (0.35, 0.40, and 0.45) is also examined. Test results showed that the inclusion of SS was significantly beneficial for protecting the concrete from chloride attack. At a given strength, the SS inclusion in concrete was up to three times more effective than the control concrete without SS. It is believed that these excellent results are attributed to the small particle size and the chemical surface treatment of SS. In this study, experiments of compressive strength, hydration heat, accelerated neutralization, and sulfate erosion tests were also conducted to find the general effect of SS inclusion on the fundamental properties and durability of concrete. PMID:25574486

Experimental evaluation of sodium silicate-based nanosilica against chloride effects in offshore concrete.

PubMed

Kim, Kyoung-Min; Kim, Hak-Young; Heo, Young-Sun; Jung, Sang-Jin

2014-01-01

This study investigates the effect of a new pore filling material, named sodium silicate-based nanosilica (SS), on resisting the diffusion of the chloride ions. The proposed SS is chosen, mainly due to its smaller particle size, compared to the conventional ethyl silicate-based nanosilica. Each particle of SS is chemically treated to have the negative (-) charge on its surface. Four types of mixes with different amounts of partial replacement with fly ash and slag are prepared. Effect of water to binder ratios (0.35, 0.40, and 0.45) is also examined. Test results showed that the inclusion of SS was significantly beneficial for protecting the concrete from chloride attack. At a given strength, the SS inclusion in concrete was up to three times more effective than the control concrete without SS. It is believed that these excellent results are attributed to the small particle size and the chemical surface treatment of SS. In this study, experiments of compressive strength, hydration heat, accelerated neutralization, and sulfate erosion tests were also conducted to find the general effect of SS inclusion on the fundamental properties and durability of concrete.

Stainless and Galvanized Steel, Hydrophobic Admixture and Flexible Polymer-Cement Coating Compared in Increasing Durability of Reinforced Concrete Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tittarelli, Francesca; Giosuè, Chiara; Mobili, Alessandra

2017-08-01

The use of stainless or galvanized steel reinforcements, a hydrophobic admixture or a flexible polymer-cement coating were compared as methods to improve the corrosion resistance of sound or cracked reinforced concrete specimens exposed to chloride rich solutions. The results show that in full immersion condition, negligible corrosion rates were detected in all cracked specimens, except those treated with the flexible polymer-cement mortar as preventive method against corrosion and the hydrophobic concrete specimens. High corrosion rates were measured in all cracked specimens exposed to wet-dry cycles, except for those reinforced with stainless steel, those treated with the flexible polymer-cement coating as restorative method against reinforcement corrosion and for hydrophobic concrete specimens reinforced with galvanized steel reinforcements.

The size effect in corrosion greatly influences the predicted life span of concrete infrastructures.

PubMed

Angst, Ueli M; Elsener, Bernhard

2017-08-01

Forecasting the life of concrete infrastructures in corrosive environments presents a long-standing and socially relevant challenge in science and engineering. Chloride-induced corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete is the main cause for premature degradation of concrete infrastructures worldwide. Since the middle of the past century, this challenge has been tackled by using a conceptual approach relying on a threshold chloride concentration for corrosion initiation ( C crit ). All state-of-the-art models for forecasting chloride-induced steel corrosion in concrete are based on this concept. We present an experiment that shows that C crit depends strongly on the exposed steel surface area. The smaller the tested specimen is, the higher and the more variable C crit becomes. This size effect in the ability of reinforced concrete to withstand corrosion can be explained by the local conditions at the steel-concrete interface, which exhibit pronounced spatial variability. The size effect has major implications for the future use of the common concept of C crit . It questions the applicability of laboratory results to engineering structures and the reproducibility of typically small-scale laboratory testing. Finally, we show that the weakest link theory is suitable to transform C crit from small to large dimensions, which lays the basis for taking the size effect into account in the science and engineering of forecasting the durability of infrastructures.

The size effect in corrosion greatly influences the predicted life span of concrete infrastructures

PubMed Central

Angst, Ueli M.; Elsener, Bernhard

2017-01-01

Forecasting the life of concrete infrastructures in corrosive environments presents a long-standing and socially relevant challenge in science and engineering. Chloride-induced corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete is the main cause for premature degradation of concrete infrastructures worldwide. Since the middle of the past century, this challenge has been tackled by using a conceptual approach relying on a threshold chloride concentration for corrosion initiation (Ccrit). All state-of-the-art models for forecasting chloride-induced steel corrosion in concrete are based on this concept. We present an experiment that shows that Ccrit depends strongly on the exposed steel surface area. The smaller the tested specimen is, the higher and the more variable Ccrit becomes. This size effect in the ability of reinforced concrete to withstand corrosion can be explained by the local conditions at the steel-concrete interface, which exhibit pronounced spatial variability. The size effect has major implications for the future use of the common concept of Ccrit. It questions the applicability of laboratory results to engineering structures and the reproducibility of typically small-scale laboratory testing. Finally, we show that the weakest link theory is suitable to transform Ccrit from small to large dimensions, which lays the basis for taking the size effect into account in the science and engineering of forecasting the durability of infrastructures. PMID:28782038

A highly durable fuel cell electrocatalyst based on double-polymer-coated carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Berber, Mohamed R; Hafez, Inas H; Fujigaya, Tsuyohiko; Nakashima, Naotoshi

2015-11-23

Driven by the demand for the commercialization of fuel cell (FC) technology, we describe the design and fabrication of a highly durable FC electrocatalyst based on double-polymer-coated carbon nanotubes for use in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. The fabricated electrocatalyst is composed of Pt-deposited polybenzimidazole-coated carbon nanotubes, which are further coated with Nafion. By using this electrocatalyst, a high FC performance with a power density of 375 mW/cm(2) (at 70 ˚C, 50% relative humidity using air (cathode)/H2(anode)) was obtained, and a remarkable durability of 500,000 accelerated potential cycles was recorded with only a 5% loss of the initial FC potential and 20% loss of the maximum power density, which were far superior properties compared to those of the membrane electrode assembly prepared using carbon black in place of the carbon nanotubes. The present study indicates that the prepared highly durable fuel cell electrocatalyst is a promising material for the next generation of PEMFCs.

Experimental study of self-compacted concrete in hardened state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parra Costa, Carlos Jose

The main aim of this work is to investigate the hardened behaviour of Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC). Self compacting Concrete is a special concrete that can flow in its gravity and fill in the formwork alone to its self-weight, passing through the bars and congested sections without the need of any internal or external vibration, while maintaining adequate homogeneity. SCC avoids most of the materials defects due to bleeding or segregation. With regard to its composition, SCC consists of the same components as traditional vibrated concrete (TC), but in different proportions. Thus, the high amount of superplasticizer and high powder content have to taken into account. The high workability of SCC does not allow to use traditional methods for measuring the fresh state properties, so new tests has developed (slump-flow, V-funnel, L-box, and others). The properties of the hardened SCC, which depend on the mix design, should be different from traditional concrete. In order to study the possible modifications of SCC hardened state properties, a review of the bibliography was done. The state of art was focused on the mechanical behaviour (compressive strength, tension strength and elastic modulus), on bond strength of reinforcement steel, and on material durability. The experimental program consisted in the production of two types of concretes: Self-Compacting Concrete and Traditional Concrete. Four different dosages was made with three different water/cement ratio and two strength types of Portland cement, in order to cover the ordinary strength used in construction. Based on this study it can be concluded that compressive strength of SCC and TC are similar (the differences are lesser than 10%), whereas the tensile strength of TC are up to 18% higher. The values of elastic modulus of both concrete are similar. On the other hand, in the ultimate state the bond strength of SCC and TC is similar, although SCC shows higher bond stiffness in the serviceability state (initial

D.R.O.P. The Durable Reconnaissance and Observation Platform

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McKenzie, Clifford; Parness, Aaron

2012-01-01

The Durable Reconnaissance and Observation Platform (DROP) is a prototype robotic platform with the ability to climb concrete surfaces up to 85deg at a rate of 25cm/s, make rapid horizontal to vertical transitions, carry an audio/visual reconnaissance payload, and survive impacts from 3 meters. DROP is manufactured using a combination of selective laser sintering (SLS) and shape deposition manufacturing (SDM) techniques. The platform uses a two-wheel, two-motor design that delivers high mobility with low complexity. DROP extends microspine climbing technology from linear to rotary applications, providing improved transition ability, increased speeds, and simpler body mechanics while maintaining microspines ability to opportunistically grip rough surfaces. Various aspects of prototype design and performance are discussed, including the climbing mechanism, body design, and impact survival.

Voids characteristics of asphaltic concrete containing coconut shell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ezree Abdullah, Mohd; Hannani Madzaili, Amirah; Putra Jaya, Ramadhansyah; Yaacob, Haryati; Hassan, Norhidayah Abdul; Nazri, Fadzli Mohamed

2017-07-01

Asphalt durability is often linked to the thickness of the asphalt coating on the aggregate particles. In order to have adequate film thickness in asphaltic concrete, there must be sufficient space between the aggregate particles in the compacted pavement. This void space is referred to as voids in total mix (VTM), voids with filled bitumen (VFB), and voids in mineral aggregate (VMA). Hence, this study investigates the performance of coconut shell (CS) as coarse aggregate replacement on voids characteristics of asphaltic concrete. Four CS were used as coarse aggregates replacement in asphalt mixture namely 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% (by weight volume). The voids properties of asphalt mixture were determined based on Marshall Mix design test. Test results show that VTM and VMA values were decrease with the increasing bitumen content where VFB was increase with increasing bitumen content. Furthermore, increasing the percentage of coconut shell in asphalt mixture was found to increases the voids value up to a peak level and then decreases with further additions of CS.

Irradiated recycled plastic as a concrete additive for improved chemo-mechanical properties and lower carbon footprint.

PubMed

Schaefer, Carolyn E; Kupwade-Patil, Kunal; Ortega, Michael; Soriano, Carmen; Büyüköztürk, Oral; White, Anne E; Short, Michael P

2018-01-01

Concrete production contributes heavily to greenhouse gas emissions, thus a need exists for the development of durable and sustainable concrete with a lower carbon footprint. This can be achieved when cement is partially replaced with another material, such as waste plastic, though normally with a tradeoff in compressive strength. This study discusses progress toward a high/medium strength concrete with a dense, cementitious matrix that contains an irradiated plastic additive, recovering the compressive strength while displacing concrete with waste materials to reduce greenhouse gas generation. Compressive strength tests showed that the addition of high dose (100kGy) irradiated plastic in multiple concretes resulted in increased compressive strength as compared to samples containing regular, non-irradiated plastic. This suggests that irradiating plastic at a high dose is a viable potential solution for regaining some of the strength that is lost when plastic is added to cement paste. X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Backscattered Electron Microscopy (BSE), and X-ray microtomography explain the mechanisms for strength retention when using irradiated plastic as a filler for cement paste. By partially replacing Portland cement with a recycled waste plastic, this design may have a potential to contribute to reduced carbon emissions when scaled to the level of mass concrete production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of high-performance concrete mixtures for durable bridge decks in Montana using locally available materials.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-03-01

"The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) is performing research to develop a cost-effective, indigenous highperformance : concrete (HPC) for use in bridge deck applications. The investigation was divided into two tasks: 1) : identification of ...

Effect of Silica Fume on two-stage Concrete Strength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdelgader, H. S.; El-Baden, A. S.

2015-11-01

Two-stage concrete (TSC) is an innovative concrete that does not require vibration for placing and compaction. TSC is a simple concept; it is made using the same basic constituents as traditional concrete: cement, coarse aggregate, sand and water as well as mineral and chemical admixtures. As its name suggests, it is produced through a two-stage process. Firstly washed coarse aggregate is placed into the formwork in-situ. Later a specifically designed self compacting grout is introduced into the form from the lowest point under gravity pressure to fill the voids, cementing the aggregate into a monolith. The hardened concrete is dense, homogeneous and has in general improved engineering properties and durability. This paper presents the results from a research work attempt to study the effect of silica fume (SF) and superplasticizers admixtures (SP) on compressive and tensile strength of TSC using various combinations of water to cement ratio (w/c) and cement to sand ratio (c/s). Thirty six concrete mixes with different grout constituents were tested. From each mix twenty four standard cylinder samples of size (150mm×300mm) of concrete containing crushed aggregate were produced. The tested samples were made from combinations of w/c equal to: 0.45, 0.55 and 0.85, and three c/s of values: 0.5, 1 and 1.5. Silica fume was added at a dosage of 6% of weight of cement, while superplasticizer was added at a dosage of 2% of cement weight. Results indicated that both tensile and compressive strength of TSC can be statistically derived as a function of w/c and c/s with good correlation coefficients. The basic principle of traditional concrete, which says that an increase in water/cement ratio will lead to a reduction in compressive strength, was shown to hold true for TSC specimens tested. Using a combination of both silica fume and superplasticisers caused a significant increase in strength relative to control mixes.

Causes of Early-Age Thermal Cracking of Concrete Foundation Slabs and their Reinforcement to Control the Cracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilčík, Juraj; Sonnenschein, Róbert; Gažovičová, Natália

2017-09-01

This paper focuses on the causes and consequences of early-age cracking of mass concrete foundation slabs due to restrained volume changes. Considering the importance of water leaking through cracks in terms of the serviceability, durability and environmental impact of watertight concrete structures, emphasis is placed on the effect of temperature loads on foundation slabs. Foundation slabs are usually restrained to some degree externally or internally. To evaluate the effect of external restraints on foundation slabs, friction and interaction models are introduced. The reinforcement of concrete cannot prevent the initiation of cracking, but when cracking has occurred, it may act to reduce the spacing and width of cracks. According to EN 1992-1-1, results of calculating crack widths with local variations included in National Annexes (NAs) vary considerably. A comparison of the required reinforcement areas according to different NAs is presented.

Characterizing the Nano and Micro Structure of Concrete toImprove its Durability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Monteiro, P.J.M.; Kirchheim, A.P.; Chae, S.

2009-01-13

New and advanced methodologies have been developed to characterize the nano and microstructure of cement paste and concrete exposed to aggressive environments. High resolution full-field soft X-ray imaging in the water window is providing new insight on the nano scale of the cement hydration process, which leads to a nano-optimization of cement-based systems. Hard X-ray microtomography images of ice inside cement paste and cracking caused by the alkali?silica reaction (ASR) enables three-dimensional structural identification. The potential of neutron diffraction to determine reactive aggregates by measuring their residual strains and preferred orientation is studied. Results of experiments using these tools aremore » shown on this paper.« less

Characterizing the nano and micro structure of concrete to improve its durability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Monteiro, P.J.M.; Kirchheim, A.P.; Chae, S.

2008-10-22

New and advanced methodologies have been developed to characterize the nano and microstructure of cement paste and concrete exposed to aggressive environments. High resolution full-field soft X-ray imaging in the water window is providing new insight on the nano scale of the cement hydration process, which leads to a nano-optimization of cement-based systems. Hard X-ray microtomography images on ice inside cement paste and cracking caused by the alkali-silica reaction (ASR) enables three-dimensional structural identification. The potential of neutron diffraction to determine reactive aggregates by measuring their residual strains and preferred orientation is studied. Results of experiments using these tools willmore » be shown on this paper.« less

Brillouin corrosion expansion sensors for steel reinforced concrete structures using a fiber optic coil winding method.

PubMed

Zhao, Xuefeng; Gong, Peng; Qiao, Guofu; Lu, Jie; Lv, Xingjun; Ou, Jinping

2011-01-01

In this paper, a novel kind of method to monitor corrosion expansion of steel rebars in steel reinforced concrete structures named fiber optic coil winding method is proposed, discussed and tested. It is based on the fiber optical Brillouin sensing technique. Firstly, a strain calibration experiment is designed and conducted to obtain the strain coefficient of single mode fiber optics. Results have shown that there is a good linear relationship between Brillouin frequency and applied strain. Then, three kinds of novel fiber optical Brillouin corrosion expansion sensors with different fiber optic coil winding packaging schemes are designed. Sensors were embedded into concrete specimens to monitor expansion strain caused by steel rebar corrosion, and their performance was studied in a designed electrochemical corrosion acceleration experiment. Experimental results have shown that expansion strain along the fiber optic coil winding area can be detected and measured by the three kinds of sensors with different measurement range during development the corrosion. With the assumption of uniform corrosion, diameters of corrosion steel rebars were obtained using calculated average strains. A maximum expansion strain of 6,738 με was monitored. Furthermore, the uniform corrosion analysis model was established and the evaluation formula to evaluate mass loss rate of steel rebar under a given corrosion rust expansion rate was derived. The research has shown that three kinds of Brillouin sensors can be used to monitor the steel rebar corrosion expansion of reinforced concrete structures with good sensitivity, accuracy and monitoring range, and can be applied to monitor different levels of corrosion. By means of this kind of monitoring technique, quantitative corrosion expansion monitoring can be carried out, with the virtues of long durability, real-time monitoring and quasi-distribution monitoring.

Brillouin Corrosion Expansion Sensors for Steel Reinforced Concrete Structures Using a Fiber Optic Coil Winding Method

PubMed Central

Zhao, Xuefeng; Gong, Peng; Qiao, Guofu; Lu, Jie; Lv, Xingjun; Ou, Jinping

2011-01-01

In this paper, a novel kind of method to monitor corrosion expansion of steel rebars in steel reinforced concrete structures named fiber optic coil winding method is proposed, discussed and tested. It is based on the fiber optical Brillouin sensing technique. Firstly, a strain calibration experiment is designed and conducted to obtain the strain coefficient of single mode fiber optics. Results have shown that there is a good linear relationship between Brillouin frequency and applied strain. Then, three kinds of novel fiber optical Brillouin corrosion expansion sensors with different fiber optic coil winding packaging schemes are designed. Sensors were embedded into concrete specimens to monitor expansion strain caused by steel rebar corrosion, and their performance was studied in a designed electrochemical corrosion acceleration experiment. Experimental results have shown that expansion strain along the fiber optic coil winding area can be detected and measured by the three kinds of sensors with different measurement range during development the corrosion. With the assumption of uniform corrosion, diameters of corrosion steel rebars were obtained using calculated average strains. A maximum expansion strain of 6,738 με was monitored. Furthermore, the uniform corrosion analysis model was established and the evaluation formula to evaluate mass loss rate of steel rebar under a given corrosion rust expansion rate was derived. The research has shown that three kinds of Brillouin sensors can be used to monitor the steel rebar corrosion expansion of reinforced concrete structures with good sensitivity, accuracy and monitoring range, and can be applied to monitor different levels of corrosion. By means of this kind of monitoring technique, quantitative corrosion expansion monitoring can be carried out, with the virtues of long durability, real-time monitoring and quasi-distribution monitoring. PMID:22346672

Strength and durability of near-surface mounted CFRP bars for shear strengthening reinforced concrete bridge girders.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-03-01

During the interstate expansion of the 1950s, many conventionally reinforced concrete deck girder bridges were built throughout the country. These aging bridges commonly exhibit diagonal cracking and rate inadequately for shear, thus they are candida...

Geotechnical valorisation of large recycling concrete in FezMeknes region (Morocco)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demehati, A.; Abidi, A.; El Qandil, M.

2018-05-01

The growing and accelerated development of agglomerations is resulting in increasing pressure on deposits of materials as natural resources. This results in shortages of aggregates including sand. Situation in the different regions of Morocco, including that of FezMeknes. In addition, the threat to the stability or durability of buildings in general and road works and their annexes in particular is often started either from the surface of the grounds or from areas vulnerable to their geotechnical contact as seating materials surrounding them. The large concrete with recycles aggregates filling or protective mask provides adequate solutions. According to the results of our research, it offers a well-adapted physical and mechanical characterization in transition between conventional concretes, whether or not they are armed, and their support. Its use of protection against the effects of erosion or scouring and against the seismic movements further strengthens its potential field employment.

Influence of synthetic calcium silicates on the strength properties of fine-grained concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yarusova, S. B.; Gordienko, P. S.; Kozin, A. V.; Zhevtun, I. G.; Perfilev, A. V.

2018-04-01

The effect of additives based on acicular calcium hydrosilicates (xonotlite and tobermorite) and wollastonite, obtained from boric acid production waste in autoclave synthesis at a temperature of 220 °C, on the strength of fine-grained concrete, has been studied in this paper. It was shown that when the calcium hydrosilicates and wollastonite are introduced, an increase in the strength characteristics of concrete is observed. After heat and moisture treatment, the maximum increase in strength is observed with the addition of 4% of mass content of calcium hydrosilicates and 6% of mass content of wollastonite. After 28 days of hardening under normal conditions, the maximum increase in strength of concrete is observed with the addition of 4% of mass content of both types of additives. It was shown that the water absorption of concrete decreases with a maximum when 4% of mass content is added, as in the case of the introduction of calcium hydrosilicates, and wollastonite. With a further increase in the number of additives, the amount of water absorption increases, but these values remain below the values for the control sample without additives.

High temperature behaviour of self-consolidating concrete

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fares, Hanaa, E-mail: hanaafares@yahoo.f; Remond, Sebastien; Noumowe, Albert

2010-03-15

This paper presents an experimental study on the properties of self-compacting concrete (SCC) subjected to high temperature. Two SCC mixtures and one vibrated concrete mixture were tested. These concrete mixtures come from the French National Project B-P. The specimens of each concrete mixture were heated at a rate of 1 deg. C/min up to different temperatures (150, 300, 450 and 600 deg. C). In order to ensure a uniform temperature throughout the specimens, the temperature was held constant at the maximum temperature for 1 h before cooling. Mechanical properties at ambient temperature and residual mechanical properties after heating have alreadymore » been determined. In this paper, the physicochemical properties and the microstuctural characteristics are presented. Thermogravimetric analysis, thermodifferential analysis, X-ray diffraction and SEM observations were used. The aim of these studies was in particular to explain the observed residual compressive strength increase between 150 and 300 deg. C.« less

Application of Bacillus subtilis 168 as a multifunctional agent for improvement of the durability of cement mortar.

PubMed

Park, Sung-Jin; Park, Jong-Myong; Kim, Wha-Jung; Ghim, Sa-Youl

2012-11-01

Microbiological calcium carbonate precipitation (MCCP) has been investigated for its ability to improve the durability of cement mortar. However, very few strains have been applied to crack remediation and strengthening of cementitious materials. In this study, we report the biodeposition of Bacillus subtilis 168 and its ability to enhance the durability of cement material. B. subtilis 168 was applied to the surface of cement specimens. The results showed a new layer of deposited organic-inorganic composites on the surface of the cement paste. In addition, the water permeability of the cement paste treated with B. subtilis 168 was lower than that of non-treated specimens. Furthermore, artificial cracks in the cement paste were completely remediated by the biodeposition of B. subtilis 168. The compressive strength of cement mortar treated with B. subtilis 168 increased by about 19.5% when compared with samples completed with only B4 medium. Taken together, these findings suggest that the biodeposition of B. subtilis 168 could be used as a sealing and coating agent to improve the strength and water resistance of concrete. This is the first paper to report the application of Bacillus subtilis 168 for its ability to improve the durability of cement mortar through calcium carbonate precipitation.

Repair, Evaluation, Maintenance, and Rehabilitation Research Program. Underwater Repair of Concrete Damaged by Abrasion-Erosion

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-01

and compatible placement tech- niques that can ensure successful and cost effective repairs of scour holes of different sizes and depths under water...bridge foundation in Japan. The valve was attached to the bottom of a pump line and was moved to cast concrete in successive layers at several locations...surfaces, reinforc- ing steel, and dowel bars in order to ensure successful and durable repairs. Thi. is ( specizlly important since it is not practical to

Effects of curing methods and supplementary cementitious material use on freeze thaw durability of concrete containing d-cracking aggregates : [technical summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-12-01

For concrete pavements in Kansas, the most effective method of increasing their sustainability is to increase the service life. One of the principle mechanism of concrete pavement deterioration in Kansas is freezing and thawing damage. Some Kansas li...

Engineering properties of cement mortar with pond ash in South Korea as construction materials: from waste to concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Sang Hwa; Kwon, Seung-Jun

2013-09-01

Among the wastes from coal combustion product, only fly ash is widely used for mineral mixture in concrete for its various advantages. However the other wastes including bottom ash, so called PA (pond ash) are limitedly reused for reclamation. In this paper, the engineering properties of domestic pond ash which has been used for reclamation are experimentally studied. For this, two reclamation sites (DH and TA) in South Korea are selected, and two domestic PAs are obtained. Cement mortar with two different w/c (water to cement) ratios and 3 different replacement ratios (0%, 30%, and 60%) of sand are prepared for the tests. For workability and physical properties of PA cement mortar, several tests like flow, setting time, and compressive strength are evaluated. Several durability tests including porosity measuring, freezing and thawing, chloride migration, and accelerated carbonation are also performed. Through the tests, PA (especially from DH area) in surface saturated condition is evaluated to have internal curing action which leads to reasonable strength development and durability performances. The results show a potential applicability of PA to concrete aggregate, which can reduce consuming natural resources and lead to active reutilization of coal product waste.

Highly Dispersed Alloy Catalyst for Durability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vivek S. Murthi; Izzo, Elise; Bi, Wu

2013-01-08

Achieving DOE's stated 5000-hr durability goal for light-duty vehicles by 2015 will require MEAs with characteristics that are beyond the current state of the art. Significant effort was placed on developing advanced durable cathode catalysts to arrive at the best possible electrode for high performance and durability, as well as developing manufacturing processes that yield significant cost benefit. Accordingly, the overall goal of this project was to develop and construct advanced MEAs that will improve performance and durability while reducing the cost of PEMFC stacks. The project, led by UTC Power, focused on developing new catalysts/supports and integrating them withmore » existing materials (membranes and gas diffusion layers (GDLs)) using state-of-the-art fabrication methods capable of meeting the durability requirements essential for automotive applications. Specifically, the project work aimed to lower platinum group metals (PGM) loading while increasing performance and durability. Appropriate catalysts and MEA configuration were down-selected that protects the membrane, and the layers were tailored to optimize the movements of reactants and product water through the cell to maximize performance while maintaining durability.« less

40 CFR 610.33 - Durability tests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... applied. After identification of a potential failure mode, durability tests may be conducted to... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Durability tests. 610.33 Section 610... RETROFIT DEVICES Test Procedures and Evaluation Criteria Test Requirement Criteria § 610.33 Durability...

40 CFR 610.33 - Durability tests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Durability tests. 610.33 Section 610... RETROFIT DEVICES Test Procedures and Evaluation Criteria Test Requirement Criteria § 610.33 Durability tests. The Administrator may determine that a device under evaluation will require durability testing in...

40 CFR 610.33 - Durability tests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Durability tests. 610.33 Section 610... RETROFIT DEVICES Test Procedures and Evaluation Criteria Test Requirement Criteria § 610.33 Durability tests. The Administrator may determine that a device under evaluation will require durability testing in...

40 CFR 610.33 - Durability tests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Durability tests. 610.33 Section 610... RETROFIT DEVICES Test Procedures and Evaluation Criteria Test Requirement Criteria § 610.33 Durability tests. The Administrator may determine that a device under evaluation will require durability testing in...

40 CFR 610.33 - Durability tests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Durability tests. 610.33 Section 610... RETROFIT DEVICES Test Procedures and Evaluation Criteria Test Requirement Criteria § 610.33 Durability tests. The Administrator may determine that a device under evaluation will require durability testing in...

Durability of a novel durable bait for control of subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae): results of five-year field aging studies.

PubMed

Eger, J E; Hamm, R L; Demark, J J; Chin-Heady, E; Tolley, M P; Benson, E P; Zungoli, P A; Smith, M S; Spomer, N A

2014-06-01

A durable termite bait containing 0.5% noviflumuron was evaluated for physical durability, retention of active ingredient, consumption by termites, and toxicity to termites over 5 yr in field studies at locations in Indiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina. Plots in Indiana and Mississippi included both natural rainfall and irrigated plots, while plots in South Carolina received only natural rainfall. Samples collected every 3 mo for the first 4 yr were evaluated for consumption with a 7 d no-choice bioassay using Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar). Consumption and toxicity of 5 yr samples were evaluated in similar bioassays conducted for 42 d. Durable baits received from field sites had some cracking, and a small amount of external flaking, but no major deterioration based on visual observation. There were no significant differences in noviflumuron concentration over the 5-yr period and no trend toward reduced concentrations of noviflumuron over time. Consumption of aged durable baits over 4 yr was variable, but termites usually consumed more aged durable bait than fresh durable bait and the differences were frequently significant. There were some exceptions, but termites consumed significantly more fresh durable bait than aged durable bait in only 4% of observations. When 5 yr samples were evaluated, consumption was lowest for fresh durable bait and termites consumed significantly more aged durable bait from irrigated plots in Indiana and from both natural and irrigated plots in Mississippi than fresh durable bait. Survival of termites fed blank durable bait was significantly higher than that for termites fed any of the baits containing noviflumuron and there were no significant differences in survival among the noviflumuron durable baits. Our results suggest that the bait would be durable for at least 5 yr and possibly longer under most environmental conditions.

A highly durable fuel cell electrocatalyst based on double-polymer-coated carbon nanotubes

PubMed Central

Berber, Mohamed R.; Hafez, Inas H.; Fujigaya, Tsuyohiko; Nakashima, Naotoshi

2015-01-01

Driven by the demand for the commercialization of fuel cell (FC) technology, we describe the design and fabrication of a highly durable FC electrocatalyst based on double-polymer-coated carbon nanotubes for use in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. The fabricated electrocatalyst is composed of Pt-deposited polybenzimidazole-coated carbon nanotubes, which are further coated with Nafion. By using this electrocatalyst, a high FC performance with a power density of 375 mW/cm2 (at 70 ˚C, 50% relative humidity using air (cathode)/H2(anode)) was obtained, and a remarkable durability of 500,000 accelerated potential cycles was recorded with only a 5% loss of the initial FC potential and 20% loss of the maximum power density, which were far superior properties compared to those of the membrane electrode assembly prepared using carbon black in place of the carbon nanotubes. The present study indicates that the prepared highly durable fuel cell electrocatalyst is a promising material for the next generation of PEMFCs. PMID:26594045

Impact of Air Entraining Method on the Resistance of Concrete to Internal Cracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wawrzeńczyk, Jerzy; Molendowska, Agnieszka

2017-10-01

This paper presents the test results of air entrained concrete mixtures made at a constant W/C ratio of 0.44. Three different air entraining agents were used: polymer microspheres, glass microspheres and a conventional air entraining admixture. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of the air entraining methods. Concrete mixture tests were performed for consistency (slump test), density and, in the case of AEA series, air content by pressure method. Hardened concrete tests were performed for compressive strength, water absorption, resistance to chloride ingress, and freeze-thaw durability - resistance to internal cracking tests were conducted in accordance with PN-88/B-06250 on cube specimens and with the modified ASTM C666 A test method on beam specimens; porosity characteristics (A, A300, \\bar L) were determined to PN-EN 480-11:1998. No significant mass and length changes were recorded for the concrete air entrained with the conventional methods or with polymer microspheres. The results indicate that polymer microspheres are a very good alternative to traditional air entraining methods for concrete, providing effective air entrainment and protection from freezing and thawing. The glass microsphere-based concretes showed insufficient freeze-thaw resistance. The test results indicate that both the conventional methods (AEA) and the air entrainment by polymer microspheres are effective air entraining methods. It has to be noted that in the case of the use of polymer microspheres, a comparable value of \\bar L and a very good freeze-thaw resistance can be achieved at a noticeably lower air and micropore contents and at lower strength loss.

Experimental study on the strength parameter of Quarry Dust mixed Coconut Shell Concrete adding Coconut Fibre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matangulu Shrestha, Victor; Anandh, S.; Sindhu Nachiar, S.

2017-07-01

Concrete is a heterogeneous mixture constitute of cement as the main ingredient with a different mix of fine and coarse aggregate. The massive use of conventional concrete has a shortfall in its key ingredients, natural sand and coarse aggregate, due to increased industrialisation and globalisation. To overcome the shortage of material, an alternate material with similar mechanical properties and composition has to be studied, as replacement of conventional concrete. Coconut shell concrete is a prime option as replacement of key ingredients of conventional concrete as coconut is produced in massive quantity in south East Asia. Coconut shell concrete is lightweight concrete and different research is still ongoing concerning about its mix design and composition in the construction industry. Concrete is weak in tension as compared to compression, hence the fibre is used to refrain the crack in the concrete. Coconut fibre is one of many fibres which can be used in concrete. The main aim of this project is to analyse the use of natural by-products in the construction industry, make light weight concrete and eco-friendly construction. This project concerns with the comparison of the mechanical properties of coconut shell concrete and conventional concrete, replacing fine aggregate with quarry dust using coconut fibre. M25 grade of concrete was adopted and testing of concrete was done at the age of 3, 7 and 28 days. In this concrete mix, sand was replaced completely in volumetric measurement by quarry dust. The result was analysed and compared with addition of coconut fibre at varying percentage of 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5%. From the test conducted, coconut shell concrete with quarry dust has the maximum value at 4% of coconut fibre while conventional concrete showed the maximum value at 2% of coconut fibre.

Corn steep liquor as a nutritional source for biocementation and its impact on concrete structural properties.

PubMed

Joshi, Sumit; Goyal, Shweta; Reddy, M Sudhakara

2018-05-28

Microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) has a potential to improve the durability properties and remediate cracks in concrete. In the present study, the main emphasis is placed upon replacing the expensive laboratory nutrient broth (NB) with corn steep liquor (CSL), an industrial by-product, as an alternate nutrient medium during biocementation. The influence of organic nutrients (carbon and nitrogen content) of CSL and NB on the chemical and structural properties of concrete structures is studied. It has been observed that cement-setting properties were unaffected by CSL organic content, while NB medium influenced it. Carbon and nitrogen content in concrete structures was significantly lower in CSL-treated specimens than in NB-treated specimens. Decreased permeability and increased compressive strength were reported when NB is replaced with CSL in bacteria-treated specimens. The present study results suggest that CSL can be used as a replacement growth medium for MICP technology at commercial scale.

Evaluation of workability and strength of green concrete using waste steel scrap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neeraja, D.; Arshad, Shaik Mohammed; Nawaz Nadaf, Alisha K.; Reddy, Mani Kumar

2017-11-01

This project works on the study of workability and mechanical properties of concrete using waste steel scrap from the lathe industry. Lathe industries produce waste steel scrap from the lathe machines. In this study, an attempt is made to use this waste in concrete, as accumulation of waste steel scrap cause disposal problem. Tests like compressive test, split tensile test, NDT test (UPV test) were conducted to determine the impact of steel scrap in concrete. The percentages of steel scrap considered in the study were 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% respectively by volume of concrete, 7 day, 28 days test were conducted to find out strength of steel scrap concrete. It is observed that split tensile strength of steel scrap concrete is increased slightly. Split tensile strength of Steel scrap concrete is found to be maximum with volume fraction of 2.0% steel scrap. The steel scrap gives good result in split tensile strength of concrete. From the study concluded that steel scrap can be used in concrete to reduce brittleness of concrete to some extent.

Utilization of sugarcane bagasse ash in concrete as partial replacement of cement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangi, Sajjad Ali; Jamaluddin, N.; Ibrahim, M. H. Wan; Halid Abdullah, Abd; Awal, A. S. M. Abdul; Sohu, Samiullah; Ali, Nizakat

2017-11-01

This research addresses the suitability of sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) in concrete used as partial cement replacement. Two grades of concrete M15 and M20 were used for the experimental analysis. The cement was partially replaced by SCBA at 0%, 5%, and 10%, by weight in normal strength concrete (NSC). The innovative part of this study is to consider two grades of concrete mixes to evaluate the performance of concrete while cement is replaced by sugarcane bagasse ash. The cylindrical specimens having size 150 mm × 300 mm were used and tested after curing period of 7, 14 and 28 days. It was observed through the experimental work that the compressive strength increases with incorporating SCBA in concrete. Results indicated that the use of SCBA in concrete (M20) at 5% increased the average amount of compressive strength by 12% as compared to the normal strength concrete. The outcome of this work indicates that maximum strength of concrete could be attained at 5% replacement of cement with SCBA. Furthermore, the SCBA also gives compatible slump values which increase the workability of concrete.

Performance of steel wool fiber reinforced geopolymer concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faris, Meor Ahmad; Abdullah, Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri; Ismail, Khairul Nizar; Muniandy, Ratnasamy; Ariffin, Nurliayana

2017-09-01

In this paper, performance of geopolymer concrete was studied by mixing of Class F fly ash from Manjung power station, Lumut, Perak, Malaysia with alkaline activator which are combination of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate. Steel wool fiber were added into the geopolymer concrete as reinforcement with different weight percentage vary from 0 % - 5 %. Chemical compositions of Malaysian fly ash was first analyzed by using X-ray fluorescence. All geopolymer concrete reinforced with steel wool fiber with different weight percentage were tested in terms of density, workability, and compression. Result shows Malaysian fly ash identified by using XRF was class F. Density of geopolymer concrete close to density of OPC which is approximately 2400 kg/m3 and the density was increase gradually with the additions of steel fiber. However, the inclusions of steel fibers also shows some reduction to the workability of geopolymer concrete. Besides, the compressive strength was increased with the increasing of fibers addition until maximum of 18.6 % improvement at 3 % of steel fibers.

Variation in temperature and mechanical properties of asphaltic concrete due to storage in surge bins.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1973-03-01

The Louisiana Department of Highways specifications on asphaltic concrete allow the contractors to use silos or surge bins for storage of asphaltic concrete mixtures. However, the maximum allowable storage time of the hot mix, if the contractor elect...

Mechanical behaviour of fibre reinforced concrete using soft - drink can

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilya, J.; Cheow Chea, C.

2017-11-01

This research was carried out to study the behaviour of concrete, specifically compressive and flexural strength, by incorporating recycled soft drink aluminium can as fibre reinforcement in the concrete. Another aim of the research is to determine the maximum proportion of fibres to be added in the concrete. By following standard mix design, Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) concrete was made to have a target mean strength of 30 N/mm2 with not more than 30 mm of slump. Having the same workability, OPC concrete with 0%, 1% and 2% of soft drink can aluminium fibre was prepared based on weight of cement. The specimens were tested for compressive strength and flexural strength. Laboratory test results based on short term investigation reveals that the compressive strength and flexural strength of concrete containing fibre are higher than of normal OPC concrete. Among two volume fractions, concrete with 1% of soft drink can fibre have performed better result in compressive strength and flexural strength compared with 2% amount of soft drink can fibre. The optimum proportion of aluminium fibre to be added in the concrete as fibre reinforcement is 1% fibre content by weight of cement which gave all the positive response from all the tests conducted.

Extremely Durable, Flexible Supercapacitors with Greatly Improved Performance at High Temperatures.

PubMed

Kim, Sung-Kon; Kim, Hae Jin; Lee, Jong-Chan; Braun, Paul V; Park, Ho Seok

2015-08-25

The reliability and durability of energy storage devices are as important as their essential characteristics (e.g., energy and power density) for stable power output and long lifespan and thus much more crucial under harsh conditions. However, energy storage under extreme conditions is still a big challenge because of unavoidable performance decays and the inevitable damage of components. Here, we report high-temperature operating, flexible supercapacitors (f-SCs) that can provide reliable power output and extreme durability under severe electrochemical, mechanical, and thermal conditions. The outstanding capacitive features (e.g., ∼40% enhancement of the rate capability and a maximum capacitances of 170 F g(-1) and 18.7 mF cm(-2) at 160 °C) are attributed to facilitated ion transport at elevated temperatures. Under high-temperature operation and/or a flexibility test in both static and dynamic modes at elevated temperatures >100 °C, the f-SCs showed extreme long-term stability of 100000 cycles (>93% of initial capacitance value) and mechanical durability after hundreds of bending cycles (at bend angles of 60-180°). Even at 120 °C, the versatile design of tandem serial and parallel f-SCs was demonstrated to provide both desirable energy and power requirements at high temperatures.

Concrete Model Descriptions and Summary of Benchmark Studies for Blast Effects Simulations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Noble, C; Kokko, E; Darnell, I

2005-07-21

Concrete is perhaps one of the most widely used construction materials in the world. Engineers use it to build massive concrete dams, concrete waterways, highways, bridges, and even nuclear reactors. The advantages of using concrete is that it can be cast into any desired shape, it is durable, and very economical compared to structural steel. The disadvantages are its low tensile strength, low ductility, and low strength-to-weight ratio. Concrete is a composite material that consists of a coarse granular material, or aggregate, embedded in a hard matrix of material, or cement, which fills the gaps between the aggregates and bindsmore » them together. Concrete properties, however, vary widely. The properties depend on the choice of materials used and the proportions for a particular application, as well as differences in fabrication techniques. Table 1 provides a listing of typical engineering properties for structural concrete. Properties also depend on the level of concrete confinement, or hydrostatic pressure, the material is being subjected to. In general, concrete is rarely subjected to a single axial stress. The material may experience a combination of stresses all acting simultaneously. The behavior of concrete under these combined stresses are, however, extremely difficult to characterize. In addition to the type of loading, one must also consider the stress history of the material. Failure is determined not only by the ultimate stresses, but also by the rate of loading and the order in which these stresses were applied. The concrete model described herein accounts for this complex behavior of concrete. It was developed by Javier Malvar, Jim Wesevich, and John Crawford of Karagozian and Case, and Don Simon of Logicon RDA in support of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency's programs. The model is an enhanced version of the Concrete/Geological Material Model 16 in the Lagrangian finite element code DYNA3D. The modifications that were made to the original

Microstructure Evolution from X-CT Measurements for Concrete/mortar under Multi-actions of Composite Salts Dry-wet Cycles and Loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yanjuan; Gao, Jianming; Shen, Daman

2017-08-01

Inthis research, microstructure evolution forconcrete/mortar under multi-actions of composite salts dry-wet cycles and loading was investigated through X-CT measurements. The evolution process of pores and micro-cracking with the erosion time were tracked. Compared the different erosion actions, it was found that dry-wet cycles promoted the pores become connected gradually. Besides, the dry-wet cycles accelerated the damage seriously on interface area between concrete and aggregate, whistle, loading contributes to the cracking propagation toward the internal. Moreover, fly ash played a positive role in the increasing of the number of harmless holes again and contributed to the durability of concrete.

Estimation in SEM: A Concrete Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferron, John M.; Hess, Melinda R.

2007-01-01

A concrete example is used to illustrate maximum likelihood estimation of a structural equation model with two unknown parameters. The fitting function is found for the example, as are the vector of first-order partial derivatives, the matrix of second-order partial derivatives, and the estimates obtained from each iteration of the Newton-Raphson…

Behavior of high-performance concrete in structural applications.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-10-01

High Performance Concrete (HPC) with improved properties has been developed by obtaining the maximum density of the matrix. Mathematical models developed by J.E. Funk and D.R. Dinger, are used to determine the particle size distribution to achieve th...

Strength and durability of near-surface mounted CFRP bars for shear strengthening reinforced concrete bridge girders : appendices.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-01-01

During the interstate expansion of the 1950s, many conventionally reinforced concrete deck girder bridges were built throughout the country. These aging bridges commonly exhibit diagonal cracking and rate inadequately for shear, thus they are candida...

Quick setting water-compatible furfuryl alcohol polymer concretes

DOEpatents

Sugama, Toshifumi; Kukacka, Lawrence E.; Horn, William H.

1982-11-30

A novel quick setting polymer concrete composite comprising a furfuryl alcohol monomer, an aggregate containing a maximum of 8% by weight water, and about 1-10% trichlorotoluene initiator and about 20-80% powdered metal salt promoter, such as zinc chloride, based on the weight of said monomer, to initiate and promote polymerization of said monomer in the presence of said aggregate, within 1 hour after mixing at a temperature of -20.degree. C. to 40.degree. C., to produce a polymer concrete having a 1 hour compressive strength greater than 2000 psi.

Modeling of concrete cracking due to corrosion process of reinforcement bars

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bossio, Antonio, E-mail: antonio.bossio@unina.it; Monetta, Tullio, E-mail: monetta@unina.it; Bellucci, Francesco, E-mail: bellucci@unina.it

The reinforcement corrosion in Reinforced Concrete (RC) is a major reason of degradation for structures and infrastructures throughout the world leading to their premature deterioration before design life was attained. The effects of corrosion of reinforcement are: (i) the reduction of the cross section of the bars, and (ii) the development of corrosion products leading to the appearance of cracks in the concrete cover and subsequent cover spalling. Due to their intrinsic complex nature, these issues require an interdisciplinary approach involving both material science and structural design knowledge also in terms on International and National codes that implemented the conceptmore » of durability and service life of structures. In this paper preliminary FEM analyses were performed in order to simulate pitting corrosion or general corrosion aimed to demonstrate the possibility to extend the results obtained for a cylindrical specimen, reinforced by a single bar, to more complex RC members in terms of geometry and reinforcement. Furthermore, a mechanical analytical model to evaluate the stresses in the concrete surrounding the reinforcement bars is proposed. In addition, a sophisticated model is presented to evaluate the non-linear development of stresses inside concrete and crack propagation when reinforcement bars start to corrode. The relationships between the cracking development (mechanical) and the reduction of the steel section (electrochemical) are provided. Finally, numerical findings reported in this paper were compared to experimental results available in the literature and satisfactory agreement was found.« less

Monitoring biocalcification potential of Lysinibacillus sp. isolated from alluvial soils for improved compressive strength of concrete.

PubMed

Vashisht, Rajneesh; Attri, Sampan; Sharma, Deepak; Shukla, Abhilash; Goel, Gunjan

2018-03-01

The present study reports the potential of newly isolated calcite precipitating bacteria isolated from alluvial soil to improve the strength and durability of concrete. A total of sixteen samples of alluvial soil and sewage were collected from the different locations of province Solan (India). For isolation, enrichment culture technique was used to enrich calcite precipitating strains in Urea broth. After enrichment, fourteen distinct bacterial strains were obtained on Urea agar. Based on qualitative and quantitative screening for urease activity, five isolates were obtained possessing higher calcite formation and urease activities (38-77 μmhos/cm) as compared with standard strain of Bacillus megaterium MTCC 1684 (77 μmhos/cm). An isolate I13 identified as Lysinibacillus sp. was selected for self healing property in the concrete mix of M20. An improved compressive strength of 1.5 fold was observed in concrete samples amended with Lysinibacillus sp. over the concrete amended with B. megaterium MTCC 1684 after 28 days of curing. The higher calcite precipitation activity was indicated in Lysinibacillus sp. by FE-SEM micrographs and EDX analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

How Concrete Is Concrete?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gravemeijer, Koeno

2011-01-01

If we want to make something concrete in mathematics education, we are inclined introduce, what we call, "manipulatives", in the form of tactile objects or visual representations. If we want to make something concrete in a everyday-life conversation, we look for an example. In the former, we try to make a concrete model of our own,…

Experimental investigation of steel fiber-reinforced concrete beams under cyclic loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ranjbaran, Fariman; Rezayfar, Omid; Mirzababai, Rahmatollah

2018-03-01

An experimental study has been conducted to study the cyclic behavior of reinforced concrete beams in which steel fibers were added to the concrete mix. Seven similar geometrically specimens in full scale were studied under four- point bending test in the form of slow cyclic loading. One sample as a control specimen was made without steel fibers or 0% volume fraction (vf) and six other samples with 1, 2 and 4% vf of steel fibers in twin models. The maximum and ultimate resistance, ductility, degradation of loading and unloading stiffness, absorption and dissipation of energy and equivalent viscous damping were studied in this investigation and the effect of steel fibers on the cyclic behavior was compared with each other. Generally, the addition of steel fibers up to a certain limit value (vf = 2%) improves the cyclic behavior of reinforced concrete beams and results in the increase of maximum strength and ultimate displacement.

Experimental studies on effect of cow dung ash (pozzolanic binder) and coconut fiber on strengthproperties of concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkatasubramanian, C.; Muthu, D.; Aswini, G.; Nandhini, G.; Muhilini, K.

2017-07-01

The studies on durability of concrete have attracted attention in the recent years and its long term strength depends on quality of ingredients used in production of concrete. Now a days, the availability of ingredients is limited and in order to overcome this problem, research studies focuses on some alternate materials in the concrete production process. Also, Incorporation of waste materials consumes less energy leading to reduction of emission of green house gases. The application of fly ash and cow dung ash as a pozzolanic binder instead of cement and coir fibers finds extensive application in the manufacturing process of building materials. In this project an attempt has been made to utilize cow dung ash and coconut fiber as a replacement material of cement in the production of concrete. The cement is partially replaced with cow dung ash by about 2.5, 3 & 3.5 % by weight and with 1% of coconut fiber. The Compressive and Tensile strengths of concrete were found at different curing periods (7,14 & 28 days). From this study, it is inferred that these replacements will have a reasonable improvement in the strength properties of concrete by about 55-70%. The substitution of CDA, CF is economical in terms of cost and this usage eliminates the problem of landfills, reducing the environmental risk, maintaining the ecological balance, which is very much required for our nation.

Pre-Saturation Technique of the Recycled Aggregates: Solution to the Water Absorption Drawback in the Recycled Concrete Manufacture †

PubMed Central

García-González, Julia; Rodríguez-Robles, Desirée; Juan-Valdés, Andrés; Morán-del Pozo, Julia Mª; Guerra-Romero, M. Ignacio

2014-01-01

The replacement of natural aggregates by recycled aggregates in the concrete manufacturing has been spreading worldwide as a recycling method to counteract the large amount of construction and demolition waste. Although legislation in this field is still not well developed, many investigations demonstrate the possibilities of success of this trend given that concrete with satisfactory mechanical and durability properties could be achieved. However, recycled aggregates present a low quality compared to natural aggregates, the water absorption being their main drawback. When used untreated in concrete mix, the recycled aggregate absorb part of the water initially calculated for the cement hydration, which will adversely affect some characteristics of the recycled concrete. This article seeks to demonstrate that the technique of pre-saturation is able to solve the aforementioned problem. In order to do so, the water absorption of the aggregates was tested to determine the necessary period of soaking to bring the recycled aggregates into a state of suitable humidity for their incorporation into the mixture. Moreover, several concrete mixes were made with different replacement percentages of natural aggregate and various periods of pre-saturation. The consistency and compressive strength of the concrete mixes were tested to verify the feasibility of the proposed technique. PMID:28788188

Lessons to be learned from rehabilitation of concrete structures in bleach plants in pulp and paper mills

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nixon, R.

The deterioration of concrete structures due to chloride induced reinforcing steel corrosion such as in elevated concrete floor slabs, columns, and beams in bleach plants is a constant and growing problem within the pulp and paper industry. In general, the condition analysis methods used for assessing the extent of bleach plant concrete degradation include physical testing of drilled concrete core samples, chloride ion concentration testing, half-cell potential measurements, and physical sounding of concrete surfaces, i.e. chain drag for topside surfaces and hammer sounding of soffit surfaces. While this paper does not promote any vastly different evaluative methods, it does sharemore » learnings relative to interpreting the data provided by these typical test methods. It further offers some recommendations on how to improve the use of these typical evaluation techniques and offers some other test methods which should be considered as valuable additions for such evaluations. One of the most common methods which has been used in the past for large scale bleach plant concrete restoration has been the application of site dry mixed shotcrete for rebuilding the soffits of floor slabs and the faces of columns and beams. More often than not, bulk mixed dry shotcrete repairs have not been cost-effective because they prematurely failed due to excessive hydration related shrinkage cracking, lack of sufficient adhesion to the parent concrete substrate or other problems related to poor durability or construction practice.« less

Mechanical properties of concrete containing a high volume of tire-rubber particles.

PubMed