A new test for combined Ca-leaching and sulphate resistance of cementitious materials

Limitations in the understanding of chemical key controls on concrete damaging mechanisms exacerbate predictions on the long-term performance and durability of cementitious materials. Therefore, the scope of the project “ASSpC Advanced and Sustainable Sprayed Concrete” is to obtain a better mechanistic understanding of the processes underlying deleterious chemical attacks. The herein presented alternative test, loosely following the regulations of the German Building Authority (DIBt) testing procedure (the so-called SVA test) for sulphate resistance, investigates the resistance of concrete mixes with high levels of limestone substitution (35%, 50% and 65%) against sulphate attack in a 10 g L-1 Na2SO4 solution at ambient temperature. Powdered samples were used in favour of prisms or drill cores to accelerate alteration reactions and to eliminate variations in microstructure or porosity. Based on throughout chemical and mineralogical characterisation of the experimental solutions and solid materials, we identified and traced several mineral reactions taking place in a chronological order: (1) dissolution of portlandite and Ca-leaching from C-S-H started immediately at the beginning of the experiments and provided the physicochemical conditions favourable for (2) the precipitation of massive calcite and ettringite during the advanced stage of chemical attack. Ongoing changes in the aqueous composition indicate that C-S-H dissolves incongruently and may be transformed into Si-bearing hydrogarnet. The amount of precipitated ettringite is apparently controlled by the availability of calcium, sulphate and aluminium and the precipitation rate correlates with the superplasticiser demand of the concrete mixes and with the pH of the solution during the nucleation and crystal growth stages, respectively. Our test allows distinguishing between competing reaction paths and kinetics and is capable to provide new insights into concrete damaging mechanisms in sulphate-loaded aqueous environments