Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the ability of high CaO and/or high-alkali () fly ashes to control alkali-silica reaction (ASR) in mortar bars. The research focused on using an industry standard test method to validate if the chemical index characterization technique common in the literature could be used to accurately predict the replacement levels of investigated fly ashes to mitigate ASR. Results confirmed that low and moderate CaO content fly ashes (with both low and high contents) were more effective in mitigating ASR compared to higher CaO and higher ashes. A chemical index characterization technique was applied to calculate the required fly ash replacement based on the raw fly ash chemistries and 14-day industry standard results without fly ash (e.g., control). The index was shown to work well for low-CaO and low-alkali ashes; however, adjustments are necessary to use this methodology to predict replacement levels of moderate and high-alkali fly ashes. The industry standard test was shown to be the best method to date to determine the efficacy of high-CaO and/or high-alkali fly ashes. The data presented will also aid in the understanding of how alkali contribution from fly ashes should be considered in the development of new rapid test methods.
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Acknowledgments
The funding of this project was provided by a grant from the Office of Naval Research via the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Engineering Service Center. Their sponsorship is greatly appreciated. A special thanks goes to Dr. Javier L. Malvar, the Project Director from NAVFAC, who passed away in 2012. His contribution is especially appreciated for this research.
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© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: May 9, 2013
Accepted: Jan 3, 2014
Published online: Jan 6, 2014
Discussion open until: Dec 22, 2014
Published in print: Apr 1, 2015
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