Influence of Sulfates on Chloride Diffusion and Chloride-Induced Reinforcement Corrosion in Limestone Cement Materials at Low Temperature
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 29, Issue 8
Abstract
An ordinary portland cement and two portland limestone cements [15 and 35% weight-to-weight ratio (w/w) limestone content] were used for concrete and reinforced mortar specimens preparation. The specimens were exposed to two corrosive solutions (chloride sulfate and chloride) at 5°C. Total (acid-soluble) and free (water-soluble) chloride contents, and apparent chloride diffusion coefficients, were determined in concrete specimens. Reinforcement corrosion half-potential and current density, mass loss of steel rebars, and carbonation depth were measured in mortar specimens. Limestone cements showed very good behavior, although the environments were very corrosive. Total and free chloride ions concentration increased with exposure time and limestone content. Limestone cements showed less capability of binding chlorides than pure portland cement. The cement with low limestone content was the most effective in preventing reinforcement corrosion during mortar exposure to the combined chloride-sulfate solution, although it allowed the most intensive corrosion in the case of the chloride-bearing solution. The presence of sulfates led to higher chloride ion concentrations, less chloride binding and, generally, higher values of chloride diffusion coefficient, and also promoted reinforcement corrosion to a greater extent. Low temperature conditions retained a relatively low corrosion rate.
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Acknowledgments
This paper is part of the PhD thesis of Dr. K. Sotiriadis, which was performed in the National Technical University of Athens, School of Chemical Engineering, and funded by the Hellenic State Scholarships Foundation. The authors would like to acknowledge Elisavet Nikolopoulou and Antigoni Karavarioti for their valuable contribution in performing chloride diffusion tests.
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 29 • Issue 8 • August 2017
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 23, 2016
Accepted: Nov 22, 2016
Published ahead of print: Mar 30, 2017
Published online: Mar 31, 2017
Published in print: Aug 1, 2017
Discussion open until: Aug 31, 2017
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