Title: Chloride Transport Measurements for a Plain and Internally Cured Concrete Mixture

Author(s): Carmelo Di Bella, Chiara Villani, Elizabeth Hausheer and Jason Weiss

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 290

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 1-16

Keywords: chloride transport, internal curing, lightweight aggregate, rapid-chloride penetrability, resistivity, service life, titration

DOI: 10.14359/51684183

Date: 9/14/2012

Abstract:
Over the last fifteen years there has been growing interest in using internally cured concrete. While the original intention of using internal curing was to reduce autogenous shrinkage, it has been observed that the internally cured concretes have additional benefits. For example, previous research has shown that internally cured concrete has lower water absorption than comparable conventional (plain) concrete mixtures. This paper presents results of chloride transport experiments performed using a conventional (plain) concrete mixture and an internally cured concrete mixture. Chloride transport performance was evaluated using a series of experimental techniques including: 1) resistivity, 2) rapid chloride penetration (RCP), 3) rapid chloride migration (the Nord Test), 4) migration cell testing (STADIUM cells) and 5) chloride ponding and profiling. The results indicate that internally cured concretes have similar or superior performance to plain concrete. Several testing artifacts are noted associated with the pre-wetted lightweight aggregate that overestimate the transport measures for the internally cured concrete. The experimental results suggest that by reducing the chloride transport rate the use of internally cured concrete can result in structures with improved durability (due to the time it takes chloride ions to cause corrosion at the reinforcing steel).