Effects of Wetting and Drying Cycles on Thaumasite Formation in Cement Mortars
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 27, Issue 7
Abstract
As part of a study into the controls on the deterioration of concrete due to sulfate attack, mortars (50-mm cubes and prisms) made with portland cement CEMI, and 90% CEMI + 10% limestone blend were exposed to BRE DS4 sulfate solution based on magnesium sulfate () under wetting and drying cycles for 18 months at 5°C. The effect of these cycles on thaumasite formation was studied and compared with samples immersed continuously in the same solutions. Visual observations and mass and length changes were used to assess the mortar deterioration, along with X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy, which were used to determine the mineralogy of deterioration products. It was found that at 5°C, wetting and drying cycles significantly delayed thaumasite formation compared with control specimens.
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Acknowledgments
The authors express thanks to the Ministry of Higher Education, Libya, for the financial support for this research.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 27 • Issue 7 • July 2015
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 4, 2013
Accepted: Mar 12, 2014
Published online: Jul 11, 2014
Discussion open until: Dec 11, 2014
Published in print: Jul 1, 2015
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