Title: Influence of Curing on the Salt Scaling Resistance of Concrete With and Without Silica Fume

Author(s): M. Langlois, D. Beaupre, M. Pigeon, and C. Foy

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 114

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 971-990

Keywords: air-entrained concretes; concrete durability; curing; deicers; freeze-thaw durability; scaling; silica fume; tests; Materials Research

DOI: 10.14359/2483

Date: 5/1/1989

Abstract:
ASTM C 672 scaling tests were carried out on normal concretes and concretes containing 5 percent silica fume, with air-void spacing factors in the 100 to 200 æm range. Five curing methods were compared: a 24 hr heat cycle with a maximum temperature of 70 C, 2 and 14 days moist curing, and two different curing compounds. Results indicate that the use of silica fume does not improve the scaling resistance of concrete. Concretes cured with one particular curing compound were found to have a scaling resistance similar to that of those cured in water for 14 days, weight losses after 50 cycles being lower than 1 kg/mý for all mixes. Concretes cured with the other curing compound had a lower and more variable scaling resistance. As expected, specimens cured for only two days in water also had a lower scaling resistance. All mixes cured using the heat cycle exhibited a poor performance, although, in this case only, silica fume reduced very significantly, but not sufficiently, the damage due to the freeze-thaw cycles in the presence of deicing salts.