Determination of the Main Parameters of Alkali Silica Reaction Using System Identification Method
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 22, Issue 9
Abstract
Although concrete is widely considered a very durable material, if conditions are such, it can be vulnerable to deterioration and early distress development. Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) is a major durability problem in concrete structures. The product of this reaction is a gel that is hygroscopic in nature. When the gel absorbs moisture, it swells leading to tensile stresses in concrete. When those stresses coming from the gel swelling exceed the tensile strength of concrete, cracks occur. This paper is part of a broader research study to assist engineers to effectively mitigate ASR in concrete, leading to an increase in the life span of concrete structures. To achieve this objective, a comprehensive study on different types of aggregates of different reactivity was conducted to formulate a robust approach that takes into account the factors affecting ASR, such as temperature, moisture, calcium concentration, and alkalinity. A kinetic model was proposed to determine aggregate ASR characteristics which were calculated using the system identification method. Analysis of the results validates that ASR is a thermally activated process and, therefore, the reactivity of an aggregate can be characterized in terms of its activation energy using the Arrhenius equation.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Innovative Pavement Research Foundation (IPRF) for its sponsorship of this research. The technical assistance of Dr. Anal Mukhopadhyay and the help from the machine shop at TTI and especially Rick Seneff are also acknowledged.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 22 • Issue 9 • September 2010
Pages: 865 - 873
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: May 28, 2009
Accepted: Jan 20, 2010
Published online: Aug 13, 2010
Published in print: Sep 2010
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