Concrete Durability in Aggressive Deicing Environments
Faculty Mentor Information
Dr. Ahmed Ibrahim
Abstract
Concrete in bridge decks throughout the State of Idaho have shown signs of durability damage due to the exposure of deicing chemicals. Recent studies have shown that depending on the concrete mixture, deicing chemicals can chemically react with the paste. In addition, deterioration mechanism develops in the concrete due to exposure to freeze-thaw (F-T) cycling during the winter season. Damage due to both mechanisms result in the development of durability cracking which ultimately result in the failure of concrete members. The research being conducted focuses on improving permeability in concrete members by evaluating current ITD (Idaho Transportation Department) concrete mixtures’ durability against wet-dry (W-D) exposure conditions. In order to evaluate the performance of the concrete mixtures, the long-term mechanical degradation effects of deicing chemicals will be analyzed by exposing concrete members in deicing chemical solutions through W-D cycles. Preliminary results suggest that permeability can be improved by incorporating silica fume to the concrete mixture. The next step in the research is to further analyze the chemically exposed concrete samples for mass loss and scaling to determine the performance of the concrete mixtures.
Concrete Durability in Aggressive Deicing Environments
Concrete in bridge decks throughout the State of Idaho have shown signs of durability damage due to the exposure of deicing chemicals. Recent studies have shown that depending on the concrete mixture, deicing chemicals can chemically react with the paste. In addition, deterioration mechanism develops in the concrete due to exposure to freeze-thaw (F-T) cycling during the winter season. Damage due to both mechanisms result in the development of durability cracking which ultimately result in the failure of concrete members. The research being conducted focuses on improving permeability in concrete members by evaluating current ITD (Idaho Transportation Department) concrete mixtures’ durability against wet-dry (W-D) exposure conditions. In order to evaluate the performance of the concrete mixtures, the long-term mechanical degradation effects of deicing chemicals will be analyzed by exposing concrete members in deicing chemical solutions through W-D cycles. Preliminary results suggest that permeability can be improved by incorporating silica fume to the concrete mixture. The next step in the research is to further analyze the chemically exposed concrete samples for mass loss and scaling to determine the performance of the concrete mixtures.