Title: Long-Term Performance of Silica Fume Concretes in the USA Exposed to Abrasion-Erosion or Cavitation--With 10-year Results for Kinzua Dam and Los Angeles River

Author(s): M. D. Luther and W. Halczak

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 153

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 863-884

Keywords: abrasion; blast furnace slag; cavitation; compressive strength; dams; durability; erosion; fly ash; performance; proportioning; repairs; silica fume; Materials Research

DOI: 10.14359/1102

Date: 6/1/1995

Abstract:
The first two abrasion-erosion concrete repair projects in the United States that used silica fume (SF) concrete started in 1983. One was the stilling basin rehabilitation of the Kinzua Dam, in northwestern Pennsylvania. The other was the Los Angeles River low-flow channel rehabilitation project (completed in 1985). The first known application of SF concrete (SFC) addressing cavitation resistance occurred in 1985, also at the Kinzua Dam, but for a sluice repair. This paper largely summarizes long term performance information relating to the 1983 to 1985 SFC placements. Other, more recent, SFC projects in which abrasion-erosion or cavitation was a concern are mentioned. Also presented are two mixtures featuring portland cement with ground granulated blast furnace slag and SF that were recently used in a very severe environment. Overall, after up to 10-1/2 years in service, the various SFCs are performing very well. The 1983 Kinzua Dam stilling basin SFC wear after 10-1/2 years is only a small fraction of that seen in previously utilized concretes. For the Los Angeles River SFCs, all of the three different SFC mixtures that were employed are performing comparably as of March 1994. Overall erosion was uniform and to an estimated 4 to 12 mm depth. The 1985 Kinzua Dam sluice repair concrete showed no evidence of cavitation damage by 1994.