Concrete attack by sodium sulfate: mineral additions as a mitigation tool

Deterioration of the concrete by sulfates occurs through chemical reactions between the hydrated cement compounds and sulfate ion. As a result of these reactions there is in advanced stages the formation of expansive products that cause cracking and disintegration of concrete. The use of mineral additions in the composition of the binder material to partially replace the clinker causes microstructural changes that interfere in porosity of the hydrated matrix and especially the size distribution and pore interconnectivity. This positively or negatively influences the inflow of water containing sulfate ions into the structure. This paper aims to evaluate the mineral admixtures capacity of reducing the sulfate attack in concrete structures. Dimensional changes of Portland cement mortar bars were determined, as required by ABNT NBR 13.583/2014, and were used to evaluate the mitigatory potential binder material composed by cement CP V - ARI (reference) and compositions with partial replacement of 10% by cement mass using: silica fume; metakaolin; rice husk ash; limestone and quartz filler; and red ceramic residue with different milling times. The reference mortar showed high expansion, as well as mortars containing metakaolin, limestone filler and red ceramic residue, regardless of the milling time. The silica fume, rice husk ash and quartz filler in the composition of the binder material of mortar reduced expansion to acceptable levels, making them resistant to attack by sulphates.

sulfate attack; expansion mitigation; inert mineral additions; pozzolanic additions