Chloride Migration in Graphene Oxide Concrete

This paper presents experimental work on the chloride penetration resistance of concrete, incorporating 0%, 2% and 3% Graphene Oxide (GO) by weight of cement. Nine 100mm diameter and 200mm high concrete cylinders were cast in the Materials Laboratory at the University of Plymouth. The cylinders were cut into 50mm thick disks and rapid chloride migration tests were carried out. After the tests, the penetration depth of the disks were measured and chloride migration coefficients were determined. It was found that compared with the control samples, the addition of 2% and 3% GO reduced the migration coefficient of concrete by about 11% and 17% respectively at 28 days after casting. This suggests that the inclusion of GO into a cementitious mix does have a noticeable effect on the increase of chloride resistance and hence the longevity of concrete.

Effect of Manufactured Sand with Different Quality on Chloride Penetration Resistance of High–Strength Recycled Concrete

High–strength manufactured sand recycled aggregate concrete (MSRAC) prepared with manufactured sand (MS) and recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) is an effective way to reduce the consumption of natural aggregate resources and environmental impact of concrete industry. In this study, high–, medium– and low–quality MS, which were commercial MS local to Changzhou and 100% by volume of recycled coarse aggregate, were used to prepare MSRAC. The quality of MS was determined based on stone powder content, methylene blue value (MBV), crushing value and soundness as quality characteristic parameters. The variation laws of compressive strength and chloride penetration resistance of high–strength MSRAC with different rates of replacement and different qualities of MS were explored. The results showed that for medium– and low–quality MS, the compressive strength of the MSRAC increased first and then decreased with increasing rate of replacement. Conversely, for high–quality MS, the compressive strength gradually increased with increasing rate of replacement. The chloride diffusion coefficient of MSRAC increased with decreasing MS quality and increasing rate of replacement. The chloride diffusion coefficient of MSRAC basically met the specifications for 50–year and 100–year design working life when the chloride environmental action was D and E. To prepare high–strength MSRAC, high–quality MS can 100% replace RS (river sand), while rates of replacement of 50–75% for medium–quality MS or 25–50% for low–quality MS are proposed. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images indicated that an appropriate amount of stone powder is able to improve the compressive strength of RAC, but excessive stone powder content and MBV are unfavorable to the compressive strength and chloride penetration resistance of RAC.

Application of Response Surface Methodology for Chloride Transport Properties in Nano Metaclayed-UHPC

The major concern on the deterioration of reinforced concrete structure is due to the corrosion of steel reinforcement from the aggressive environment such as chloride penetration. Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is an advanced concrete material having ultra-high strength with excellent durability properties. Inclusion of nano metaclay in UHPC is expected to overcome the chloride transport properties in UHPC by providing nano filler effect. Two (2) assessments were conducted which are chloride content and chloride depth were examined. All the concrete specimens were immersed in 3% NaCl solution up to 365 days and the tests conducted were performed at 3, 7, 28, 56, 91, 182 and 365 days. Response surface method (RSM) was performed to evaluate the interaction and relationship between operating variables (compressive strength and nano metaclay content). Based on RSM analysis, inclusion of nano metaclay in UHPC have good relationship towards the chloride resistance characteristics and adequate durability performance in terms of chloride penetration resistance. The results exhibited that inclusion of 1% nano metaclay significantly and positively affect in term of chloride penetration resistance.

Durability Properties of Ultra-High Performance Lightweight Concrete (UHPLC) with Expanded Glass

It is important to ensure the durability and safety of structures. In the case of newly developed materials that are outside the current rules, it is important to investigate all aspects of structural safety. The material studied in the following is a structural lightweight concrete with an ultra-high-performance matrix and expanded glass as a lightweight aggregate. The material, with a compressive strength of 60–100 MPa and a bulk density of 1.5–1.9 kg/dm3, showed high capillary porosities of 12 vol% (ultra-high-performance concretes (UHPC) < 5 vol%). Since the capillary porosity basically enables transport processes into the concrete, the material had to be examined more closely from the aspect of durability. Freeze-thaw resistance (68 g/m2) and chemical attack with sulfate at pH 3.5 for 12 weeks (16 g/m2) showed no increase in concrete corrosion. Targeted carbonation (0.53 mm/year0.5) and chloride penetration resistance (6.0 × 10−13 to 12.6 × 10−13 m2/s) also showed good results against reinforcement corrosion. The results show that most of the measured capillary pores resulted from the lightweight aggregate and were not all present as a pore system. Thus, the durability was only slightly affected and the concrete can be compared to an UHPC. Only the abrasion resistance showed an increased value (22,000 mm3/5000 mm2), which, however, only matters if the material is used as a screed.

Influence of Coarse Aggregate Type on the Mechanical Strengths and Durability of Cement Concrete

In this paper, the influence of coarse aggregate on the slump flow and the following mechanical strengths (flexural and compressive strengths), the shrinkage rate, the chloride penetration resistance, and the freeze–thaw resistance were investigated. Water–binder ratios in this study were 0.22, 0.30, 0.34, and 0.45. Sand ratio in this study was 0.45. All samples were cured for 7 d, 14 d, 28 d, and 56 d, respectively. Results indicated that the fluidity of cement concrete with different coarse aggregate increased in this order: gneiss < limestone < basalt < diabase. The mechanical strengths and shrinkage rate increased obviously with the increasing curing age when the curing age ranged from 7 days to 28 days. However, the mechanical strengths and shrinkage rate trended to a stable value when the increasing curing age increased from 28 days to 56 days. The mechanical strengths with different coarse aggregate increased in this order: diabase < basalt < limestone < gneiss. Meanwhile, the shrinkage rate demonstrated this trend of development: diabase < basalt < limestone < gneiss. The resistance to freeze–thaw cycles of cement concrete decreased with the increasing water–binder ratio. Meanwhile, the resistance to freeze–thaw cycles was closely related to the types of coarse aggregate.

The Rapid Chloride Migration Test in Assessing the Chloride Penetration Resistance of Normal and Lightweight Concrete

Chloride-induced corrosion has been one of the main causes of reinforced concrete deterioration. One of the most used methods in assessing the chloride penetration resistance of concrete is the rapid chloride migration test (RCMT). This is an expeditious and simple method but may not be representative of the chloride transport behaviour of concrete in real environment. Other methods, like immersion (IT) and wetting–drying tests (WDT), allow for a more accurate approach to reality, but are laborious and very time-consuming. This paper aims to analyse the capacity of RCMT in assessing the chloride penetration resistance of common concrete produced with different types of aggregate (normal and lightweight) and paste composition (variable type of binder and water/binder ratio). To this end, the RCMT results were compared with those obtained from the same concretes under long-term IT and WDT. A reasonable correlation between the RCMT and diffusion tests was found, when slow-reactive supplementary materials or porous lightweight aggregates surrounded by weak pastes were not considered. A poorer correlation was found when concrete was exposed under wetting–drying conditions. Nevertheless, the RCMT was able to sort concretes in different classes of chloride penetration resistance under distinct exposure conditions, regardless of the type of aggregate and water/binder ratio.

Influence of formwork liners on fresh, mechanical and durability properties of cast concretes

The following study investigates the influence of formwork liners on fresh, mechanical and durability properties of cast concretes. In order to investigate the influence of formwork liners (Weather Shield, Poligloss and Zemdrain) manufactured by Newark Group on concrete properties, column and other specimens were cast in conventional moulds (steel, wood and plastic) with and without formwork liners. As per ASTM Standards Surface characteristics, compressive strength, water absorption, sorptivity, chloride penetration, freeze thaw and salt scaling tests were conducted and results are analyzed. It is found that by the application of formwork liners Zemdrain and Weather Shield, compressive strength, water absorption, sorptivity, chloride penetration resistance, freeze thaw resistance and salt scaling resistance were improved. By the application of Poligloss, concrete surface was found to be homogenous without any visible blow-holes.