Title: Marine Exposure of High-Strength Lightweight Concrete

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Publication: CIA

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Date: 2/13/2011

Abstract:
An extensive laboratory program was initiated in the early 1980’s to develop high-strength lightweight concrete for use in offshore oil and gas structures in severe marine environments. From the results of that development program, four mixtures were chosen to be evaluated under field conditions. Large prisms (305 by 305 by 914mm) of each mixture were placed in the tidal zone at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Severe Weather Exposure Station on the border between Canada and the United States. The mixtures used an expanded slate aggregate from the USA and a pelletized clay aggregate from Japan. All mixtures contained silica fume and had total binder contents from 494 to 556 kg/cu m with water-binder ratios of 0.28 by weight. The concrete densities varied from 1800 to 1990 kg/cu m with 90-day strengths from 60 to 73 MPa depending on the mixture. The prisms underwent annual visual and non-destructive evaluations. After 10-years exposure in the tidal zone, the prisms were removed to the laboratory where they were examined for strength, robustness and chloride ion penetration. The paper reports the results of the program. In general, the overall performance was very good.