Evaluation of the behavior of concrete gravity dams suffering from internal sulfate attack

Araújo, G. S; Chinchón, S.; Aguado, A

doi:10.1590/S1983-41952008000100005

Abstracts

Herein is described a methodology developed to evaluate concrete expansion and consequent abnormal behavior in gravity dams suffering from internal sulfate attack. The work presented here encompasses the analysis, in different phases, of three Spanish dams plagued by sulfate reactions. The aggregate and concrete of the Torán dam were characterized at a microscopic level. The principal iron sulfides and the products resulting from oxidation of the aggregate, and the products of the subsequent sulfate attack of the concrete were all identified. Moreover, macrostructural studies of the upstream displacement observed in the Graus and Tavascán dams were performed using a mathematical model.

internal sulfate attack; expansion; gravity dam; pyrrhotite; aggregate

En este trabajo se presenta la metodología seguida con vistas a evaluar la expansión del hormigón debido al ataque sulfático interno y su repercusión en el comportamiento anómalo de presas de hormigón de gravedad. Para ello se presenta el análisis, en distintas fases del estudio, de tres presas españolas afectadas por las reacciones sulfáticas. En el nivel microscópico se ha procedido a la caracterización del árido y del hormigón de la presa de Torán, identificando el principal sulfuro de hierro y los productos generados en el proceso de alteración del árido y su posterior ataque al hormigón. Por otro lado, el estudio en el nivel macroestructural de los movimientos remanentes observados se hace mediante un modelo matemático aplicado a las presas de Graus y Tavascán.

ataque sulfático interno; expansión; presa de gravedad; pirrotina; árido

Evaluation of the behavior of concrete gravity dams suffering from internal sulfate attack

Araújo, G. S ^I ; Chinchón, S.^II; Aguado, A^III

^ICentro Federal de Educação Tecnológica do Espirito Santo (Brazil) - CEFETES, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, e-mail: georgiaserafim@hotmail.com, Barcelona, Spain.

^IIProfesor Dr. Ing, Departamento de Construcciones Arquitectónicas, Universidad de Alicante, e-mail: s.chinchon@ua.es, Alicante, Spain.

^IIIProfesor Dr. Ing., Departamento de Ingeniería de la Construcción, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, e-mail: antonio.aguado@upc.es, Barcelona, Spain. Address: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C/ Jordi Girona, 1-3, Campus Nord, Edificio C1, 08034, Barcelona, Spain.

ABSTRACT

Herein is described a methodology developed to evaluate concrete expansion and consequent abnormal behavior in gravity dams suffering from internal sulfate attack. The work presented here encompasses the analysis, in different phases, of three Spanish dams plagued by sulfate reactions. The aggregate and concrete of the Torán dam were characterized at a microscopic level. The principal iron sulfides and the products resulting from oxidation of the aggregate, and the products of the subsequent sulfate attack of the concrete were all identified. Moreover, macrostructural studies of the upstream displacement observed in the Graus and Tavascán dams were performed using a mathematical model.

Keywords: internal sulfate attack, expansion, gravity dam, pyrrhotite, aggregate.

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REFERENCES

[01] Bowen, R. Geology in engineering. Elsevier Applied Science Publishers, Londres, 411 p. (1984),
[02] Janzen M. P., Nicholson, R. V.; Scharer, J. N. Pyrrhotite reactions kinetics: reaction rates for oxidation by oxygen, ferric iron, and for nonoxidative dissolution. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 64 (2000) 1511-1522.
[03] Mikhlin, Y. L.; Kuklinskiy, A. V.; Pavlenko, N. I.; Varnek, V. A.; Asanov, I. P., Okotrub, A.V.; Selyutin, G. E.; Solovyev, L. A. Spectroscopy and XRD studies of the air degradation of acid-reacted pyrrhotites, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 66 (2002) 4057-4067.
[04] Ayora, C.; Chichón, S.; Aguado, A.; Guirado, F. Weathering of iron sulfides and concrete alteration: thermodynamic model and observation in dams from Central Pyrenees, Spain. Cem and Concr Res, 28 (1998) 1223-1235.
[05] Steger, H. F.; Oxidation of sulfide materials, VII. Effect of temperature and relative humidity on the oxidation of pyrrhotite. Chemical Geology, 35 (1982) 281-295
[06] McGregor, R. G.; Blowes, D. W., The physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of three cemented layers within sílfide-bearing mine tailings. Journal of geochemical exploration, vol. 76, (2002) 195-207.
[07] Valente, T., Leal Gomes, C. Tipologia e evolução dos materiais de neoformação supergénica detectados na escombreira da mina de Valdarcas (Vila Nova da Cerveira - N Portugal) - Implicações ambientais. Cadernos Lab. Xeológico de Laxe.Coruña, vol. 23, (1998), 43-58.
[08] Shayan, A. Deterioration of a concrete surface due to oxidation of pyrite contained in pyritic aggragates. Cement and Concrete Research, 18 (1988) 723-730.
[09] Tagnit-Hamou, A.; Saric-Coric, M; Rivard, P. Internal deterioration of concrete by oxidation of pyrrhotitic aggregates. Cem Concr Res, 35 (2005) 99-107.
[10] Casanova, I.; Agulló, L.; Aguado, A. Aggragate expansivity due to sulfide oxidation - I. Reaction system and rate model. Cem Concr Res, 26 (1996) 993-998.
[11] Aguado, A., et al. Incidencia de la microestructura en la respuesta macroestructural de elementos de hormigón. V Congreso Nacional de Propiedades Mecánicas de Sólidos. E.T.S. Ingenieros Industriales de Barcelona, Barcelona (1996) 12 pp
[12] Aguado, A.; Rodrígues-Ferran, A.; Casanova, I.; Agulló, L. Modeling time evolution of expansive phenomena in concrete dams as a decision-making tool. Comission Internationale des Grands Barrages, Montreal, (2003).
[13] Aguado, A.; Agulló, L.; Casanova, I.; Lopez, C. M. Estudio de fenómenos expansivo en presas de hormigón. De la micro a la macro estructura. Comité Español de Grandes Presas. Premio José Torán, Barcelona, (1998) 103 p.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
19 Sept 2014
Date of issue
Mar 2008

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

[1] [01] Bowen, R. Geology in engineering. Elsevier Applied Science Publishers, Londres, 411 p. (1984),

[2] [02] Janzen M. P., Nicholson, R. V.; Scharer, J. N. Pyrrhotite reactions kinetics: reaction rates for oxidation by oxygen, ferric iron, and for nonoxidative dissolution. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 64 (2000) 1511-1522.

[3] [03] Mikhlin, Y. L.; Kuklinskiy, A. V.; Pavlenko, N. I.; Varnek, V. A.; Asanov, I. P., Okotrub, A.V.; Selyutin, G. E.; Solovyev, L. A. Spectroscopy and XRD studies of the air degradation of acid-reacted pyrrhotites, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 66 (2002) 4057-4067.

[4] [04] Ayora, C.; Chichón, S.; Aguado, A.; Guirado, F. Weathering of iron sulfides and concrete alteration: thermodynamic model and observation in dams from Central Pyrenees, Spain. Cem and Concr Res, 28 (1998) 1223-1235.

[5] [05] Steger, H. F.; Oxidation of sulfide materials, VII. Effect of temperature and relative humidity on the oxidation of pyrrhotite. Chemical Geology, 35 (1982) 281-295

[6] [06] McGregor, R. G.; Blowes, D. W., The physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of three cemented layers within sílfide-bearing mine tailings. Journal of geochemical exploration, vol. 76, (2002) 195-207.

[7] [07] Valente, T., Leal Gomes, C. Tipologia e evolução dos materiais de neoformação supergénica detectados na escombreira da mina de Valdarcas (Vila Nova da Cerveira - N Portugal) - Implicações ambientais. Cadernos Lab. Xeológico de Laxe.Coruña, vol. 23, (1998), 43-58.

[8] [08] Shayan, A. Deterioration of a concrete surface due to oxidation of pyrite contained in pyritic aggragates. Cement and Concrete Research, 18 (1988) 723-730.

[9] [09] Tagnit-Hamou, A.; Saric-Coric, M; Rivard, P. Internal deterioration of concrete by oxidation of pyrrhotitic aggregates. Cem Concr Res, 35 (2005) 99-107.

[10] [10] Casanova, I.; Agulló, L.; Aguado, A. Aggragate expansivity due to sulfide oxidation - I. Reaction system and rate model. Cem Concr Res, 26 (1996) 993-998.

[11] [11] Aguado, A., et al. Incidencia de la microestructura en la respuesta macroestructural de elementos de hormigón. V Congreso Nacional de Propiedades Mecánicas de Sólidos. E.T.S. Ingenieros Industriales de Barcelona, Barcelona (1996) 12 pp

[12] [12] Aguado, A.; Rodrígues-Ferran, A.; Casanova, I.; Agulló, L. Modeling time evolution of expansive phenomena in concrete dams as a decision-making tool. Comission Internationale des Grands Barrages, Montreal, (2003).

[13] [13] Aguado, A.; Agulló, L.; Casanova, I.; Lopez, C. M. Estudio de fenómenos expansivo en presas de hormigón. De la micro a la macro estructura. Comité Español de Grandes Presas. Premio José Torán, Barcelona, (1998) 103 p.

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Evaluation of the behavior of concrete gravity dams suffering from internal sulfate attack

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