11. Characterization of steel corrosion processes in various blended cements by means of coupled multi-electrode arraysMiha Hren, Tadeja Kosec, Andraž Legat, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: Supplementary cementitious materials can affect the porosity of concrete, pore solution pH and chloride binding, all of which influence the type and magnitude of corrosion damage. Advanced corrosion monitoring techniques are needed to follow the development of corrosion on steel embedded in concrete across space and over time. In this study, coupled multi-electrode arrays (CMEAs) were used to characterise corrosion processes in OPC and three blended cements. Cyclic wetting with chlorides was undertaken to initiate corrosion. The results showed three distinct types of corrosion: localised corrosion (CEM I), localised corrosion that expanded over time (CEM II), and a combination of localised and general corrosion (CEM III and CEM IV). Cathodic locations were also monitored successfully, and the corrosion behaviour was related to total porosity and pH of the pore solution. MicroCT was used to quantify the volume of corroded material, which agreed well with results calculated from the CMEA measurements.
Keywords: blended cements, coupled multi-electrode array, corrosion of steel in concrete, supplementary cementitious materials, open access
Published in DiRROS: 29.05.2023; Views: 296; Downloads: 178
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12. Application of electrochemical methods for studying steel corrosion in alkali-activated materialsShishir Mundra, Gabriel Samson, Giulia Masi, Rebecca Achenbach, David M. Bastidas, Susana Bernal, Maria Chiara Bignozzi, Maria Criado, Martin Cyr, Nina Gartner, Stefanie von Greve‐Dierfeld, Andraž Legat, Nikoonasab Ali, John L. Provis, Michael Raupach, Gregor J. G. Gluth, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: Alkali‐activated materials (AAMs) are binders that can complement and partially substitute the current use of conventional cement. However, the present knowledge about how AAMs protect steel reinforcement in concrete elements is incomplete, and uncertainties exist regarding the application of electrochemical methods to investigate this issue. The present review by EFC WP11‐Task Force ‘Corrosion of steel in alkali‐activated materials’ demonstrates that important differences exist between AAMs and Portland cement, and between different classes of AAMs, which are mainly caused by differing pore solution compositions, and which affect the outcomes of electrochemical measurements. The high sulfide concentrations in blast furnace slag‐based AAMs lead to distinct anodic polarisation curves, unusually low open circuit potentials, and low polarisation resistances, which might be incorrectly interpreted as indicating active corrosion of steel reinforcement. No systematic study of the influence of the steel–concrete interface on the susceptibility of steel to corrosion in AAMs is available. Less common electrochemical methods present an opportunity for future progress in the field.
Keywords: alkali-aktivated materials, alkali‐activated materials, anodic/cathodic polarisation, concrete, linear polarisation resistance, open circuit potential, reinforcement corrosion, resistivity
Published in DiRROS: 29.05.2023; Views: 308; Downloads: 134
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13. Impact of metakaolin on mechanical performance of flax textile-reinforced cement-based compositesFilip Majstorović, Václav Sebera, Maruša Mrak, Sabina Dolenec, Marco Wolf, Laetitia Sarah Jennifer Marrot, 2022, original scientific article Abstract: This study presents research on the effect of Portland cement (PC) replacement with metakaolin on the mechanical behavior of flax textile-reinforced cementitious matrices (TRCM). The composition of cementitious matrices and in-situ flax fibres was determined using X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis, while the reinforcement efficiency of the textile and mechanical behavior of TRCMs was investigated by three-point bending tests and finite element analysis. High amounts of PC replacement with metakaolin provided a calcium hydroxide-free environment, more suitable for the natural fibres, to avoid their degradation and embrittlement and, thus, significantly contribute to the ductility of the cement-based composite material.
Keywords: textile-reinforced concrete (TRC), flax textile, natural fibres, finite element, metakaolin, cement-based composites, open access
Published in DiRROS: 22.05.2023; Views: 383; Downloads: 181
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14. Impact of leaching on chloride ingress profiles in concreteAlisa Machner, Marie Helene Bjørndal, Aljoša Šajna, Nikola Mikanovic, Klaartje De Weerdt, 2022, original scientific article Abstract: To investigate the effect of leaching on chloride ingress profiles in concrete and mortar, we exposed concrete and mortar specimens for 90 and 180 days to two different exposure solutions: 3% NaCl, and 3% NaCl with KOH added to limit leaching. The solutions were replaced weekly. After exposure, we determined total chloride profiles to investigate the chloride ingress, and portlandite profiles to assess the extent of leaching. The results showed that leaching during exposure greatly affects the chloride ingress profiles in mortar and concrete. We found that leaching leads to considerably higher maximum total chloride content and deeper chloride penetration into the concrete than in the specimens where leaching was limited. We recommend therefore that leaching should be taken into account in standard laboratory testing and that more mechanistic service life models should be used to take into account the impact of leaching.
Keywords: chloride ingress, service life prediction, leaching, concrete, portlandite, open access
Published in DiRROS: 04.05.2023; Views: 312; Downloads: 200
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15. Innovative calcium carbonate-based products to repair cracked cement mortarsMartina Zuena, Andreja Pondelak, Enrico Garbin, Matteo Panizza, Luca Nodari, Andrijana Sever Škapin, Luka Škrlep, Gilberto Artioli, Patrizia Tomasin, 2022, original scientific article Abstract: The durability of Portland cement mortars is often affected by environmental factors, which can cause physicochemical and mechanical degradation processes. In this study, the performance of three products, calcium acetoacetate and calcium tetrahydrofurfuryloxide dissolved in two different solvents developed and tested as stone consolidants, was evaluated in terms of crack filling or sealing and consolidation. Realistic cracks were induced in quasibrittle cement mortar prisms using a custom-designed test rig. The effectiveness and the performance of the considered treatments, investigated on specimens, were evaluated by optical and scanning electron microscopy, colourimetry, water absorption rate, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and surface hardness measurements. Results revealed that, in the examined conditions, the products were more suitable as surface consolidants than as crack fillers.
Keywords: cement mortars, 20th century architecture conservation, calcium acetoacetate, calcium alkoxide, concrete repair, open access
Published in DiRROS: 04.05.2023; Views: 371; Downloads: 211
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16. Residual compressive behavior of self-compacting concrete after high temperature exposure - influence of binder materialsMarija Jelčić Rukavina, Ivan Gabrijel, Ivanka Netinger Grubeša, Ana Mladenovič, 2022, original scientific article Abstract: This paper presents an experimental investigation of the compressive behavior of highstrength self-compacting concrete exposed to temperatures up to 600 C. Ten different concrete compositions were tested, in which part of the cement (by weight) was replaced by three different mineral additives (5–15% metakaolin, 20–40% fly ash and 5–15% limestone). The stress–strain curves, compressive strength, modulus of elasticity and strain at peak stress were evaluated from uniaxial compression tests. Scanning electron microscope micrographs were also taken to evaluate the damage caused by the high temperatures. A sharp decrease in mechanical properties and an increase in peak strain were observed already after 200 C for all mixes tested. The different mineral additives used in this study affected the variations of residual compressive strength by 24% and peak strain by 38%, while the variations of residual modulus elasticity were 14%. Comparing the obtained results with the recommendations for compressive strength given in regulatory code EN 1992-1-2 for high strength concrete, it can be concluded that the strength loss observed in EN 1992-1-2 at temperatures up to 400 C is too conservative. The Popovics model for the relationship between stress and strain provided a good approximation for the experimentally determined stress–strain curves at different temperatures.
Keywords: self-compacting concrete, mineral additives, high temperatures, residual mechanical properties, open access
Published in DiRROS: 28.04.2023; Views: 373; Downloads: 184
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