Title: Australian Performance-Based Specification For Sulphate Resisting Concrete

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Publication: CIA

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Date: 2/13/2011

Abstract:
Many types of infrastructures are exposed to aggressive ground water and soils containing sulphates. To ensure the durability in such an environment, it is critical that the concrete used has good sulphate resistance. Prescriptive specifications are commonly used to specify sulphate resisting concrete. However, with prescriptive specifications it is difficult to prove that the desired properties are achieved. A performance-based specification will give engineers a greater flexibility in ensuring that the best suited concrete is specified and implemented for the application. Concrete with good resistance to sulphate attack requires both good chemical and physical resistance. A previous CSIRO background research program has examined a range of cements and test methods from overseas. The results suggested a performance-based specification for sulphate–resisting concrete to require concrete with a water permeability coefficient of no greater than 1x10-12 m/s and manufactured from a sulphate resisting cement. This was the basis for a 3 year C&CAA/CSIRO collaborative research project to develop a performance-based specification for sulphate resisting concrete based on current Australian Standard and a new accelerated method of quantifying the physical resistance of the concrete. It was found that the Australian test method for length change of Portland and blended cement mortars exposed to a sulphate solution, AS 2350.14 is effective in assessing the chemical resistance of cements.