Title:
Effects of Pollution from Kuwait Oil Well Fires on Concrete Properties
Author(s):
Husain Al-Khaiat
Publication:
Materials Journal
Volume:
96
Issue:
1
Appears on pages(s):
109-115
Keywords:
carbonation; cement; chloride; concrete; sulfate
DOI:
10.14359/436
Date:
1/1/1999
Abstract:
Kuwait oil wells were set on fire by the Iraqis on February 22, 1991, and the fires lasted until November 1991. The chemical gases in the atmosphere for that period, and for sometime afterwards, might alter the chemical composition, and thus, the properties, of hardened concrete. The main gases produced by the fire that have effects on concrete are sulfur dioxide (SO2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), which may cause sulfate attack and carbonation of concrete. This study investigates the extent of the oil fire pollution on existing concrete buildings. Concrete cores have been extracted from 50 buildings in various locations of Kuwait. Places both near to and far from the oil fire sources are considered. Various concrete properties, such as density, compressive strength, carbonation, sulfate content, and chloride content have also been studied. Results indicate that the fires had only a slight effect on increasing sulfate contents of the exterior layers of concrete in the southern part of Kuwait. Chlorides due to sea and ground conditions had penetrated concrete much more than sulfates or carbonation in the pollutants from the fires. Average carbonation depth was only 9.6 mm.