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Abstract: Delayed ettringite formation (DEF) is a chemical reaction with proven damaging effects on the mechanical properties of a hydrated concrete. Ettringite crystals can cause cracks and their widening due to the pressure on the crack walls caused by a positive volume difference in the reaction. Concrete may show improvements in strength at early stages, but a further growth of the cracks causes widening and spreading of these cracks through the concrete structure. In a hydrated concrete, crystals of ettringite can also cause a disintegration of the concrete. In this paper we investigate the potential to utilise a positive volume difference in DEF in order to improve the mechanical properties of a hydrated fine-grained concrete. Finely dispersed crystallization nuclei, achieved by adding an air-entraining agent (AEA) and a short vibration of specimens, is presented as the main prerequisite for such improvements. The control of the expansion and mechanical properties were performed on the concrete samples with and without AEA by inducing DEF. For a microstructure examination of the fine-grained concrete an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope were used. We found that controlled DEF, which is guaranteed by adding AEA and with the formation of the uniformly dispersed air bubbles, which are the crystallization sites for ettringite crystals, improves the mechanical properties. The specimens with induced DEF were measured and found to have a 6% increase in the compressive strength.
Keywords: ettringite, concrete, aerated concrete, microstructure, mechanical properties
Published in DKUM: 10.07.2015; Views: 1396; Downloads: 114
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