CEE300/TAM324

Concrete mechanical properties and degradation

Explore inter-relation between hydration reactions and microstructure development in
the cement paste matrix
Understand concrete degradation mechanisms (durability)

From last lecture:

* The different cement compounds hydrate differently (varying reaction
rate, hydration products).
* Capillary pore volume and inter-connectivity have a significant effect
on concrete strength and permeability, respectively.
* Capillary pore characteristics are controlled by mixture w/c and
concrete age
1

Hydration kinetics C3S

fast
dissolution

slow dissolution

Dissolved
Ca++ and OH- ions
from C3S

Unhydrated
C3S

Unhydrated
C3S

C3S

water
Critical ion concentration
triggers nucleation
and hydration

Hydration products (C-S-H and CH)

growing on surface

Sequence of microstructure development

(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)

Why
important?

3 seconds
1 day
7 days
300 days

Note reduction of capillary porosity, the increase in

CSH, and the consumption of cement as time goes
on and the hydration reaction continues.
3

Recall: effect of porosity on strength of

ceramics
Small amounts
of capillary porosity
(defects!)
have a huge,
detrimental effect
on the strength of
brittle materials
like ceramics
and concrete.

increasing w/c ratio

P o enP

w/c and capillary porosity

As cement hydrates, new
product (gel) fills up space,
thus lowering capillary
porosity and restricting pore
network
gel porosity actually increases!

(fully
hydrated)

Ultimate porosity is a
function of the original
w/c ratio of the cement
paste

Factors affecting concrete strength

Abrams rule: fc = K1/(K2)w/cm

Increasing moist
cure duration

w/c ratio and porosity

Increasing cure
temperature

moist curing conditions

age and cure temperature:

maturity
6

Material durability
Definition: ability of a material to resist
weathering action, chemical attack, abrasion, or
other deterioration mechanism.
Now considered as important as material strength!

Most deterioration mechanisms caused by moisture or

aggressive ion ingress into the concrete.

Protection: limit moisture ingress into concrete

7

Permeability and diffusivity

w/c ratio also affects
permeability and
diffusion properties
of concrete

Low (desirable)
permeability and
diffusivity achieved
by low w/c ratio or
addition of silica fume
additive
8

Freezing & Thawing

Freezing water in the internal pores and
cracks of the concrete (hydraulic pressure)

Nonair
entrained

Air
entrained

Non-connected entrained air entrained bubbles (0.1 mm

dia.; mean separation 0.4 mm) act to alleviate stresses.
However, strength is reduced with entrained air.
Prevention:
* incorporate appropriate entrained air system
* use low permeabaility concrete

Steel reinforcement corrosion

Stresses built up by formation of expansive product (rust) on
surface of steel bar, causing surrounding concrete to crack.
Following conditions are
required for embedded
rebar to corrode:
1.Provision of anodecathode couple

Carbonation
or chlorides

(automatic)
Cells exist within a single bar
or between two dissimilar metals

2. Maintenance of anode
(air (CO2) or chloride ingress to steel)
Disruption of passive layer (rust layer)
on bar due to chlorides or carbonation

3. Maintenance of cathode
(air and water ingress to steel)
Presence of oxygen and water near
cathode site

anode

concrete

rust
Fe++
e-

If passivity layer
Is disrupted

OH-

cathode
steel bar
In presence of O2
and
H2O

Prevention: minimize O2, moisture and

chloride content near steel:
* use appropriately large cover depths,
* restrict application of chlorides,
10
* use low permeability concrete