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In an extensive experimental investigation, several types of tests were conducted on a reference specimen and frost-damaged concrete. Two levels of internal frost damage were quantified by the relative dynamic modulus of elasticity and compressive strength. Test results showed a significant influence of freeze-thaw cycles on the compressive strength and even more influence on the modulus of elasticity and the compressive strain at peak stress. Reduced tensile strength and increased fracture energy were measured. From inverse analysis of wedge splitting test results, a significant effect of frost on the shape of the tensile stresscrack opening relationship was observed: tensile strength was reduced, while the post-peak behaviour was more ductile for the frost-damaged concrete. Pull-out tests showed the influence of freeze-thaw cycles on bond strength and slip. The pull-out test results are compared with similar tests available in the literature and the effect of frost on bond behaviour is discussed.

This paper presents the results from the investigation of chloride-induced reinforcement corrosion in concrete slabs after over 13 years exposure in the marine environment. In the beginning of 1990s over 40 reinforced concrete slabs with different types of binder and water/binder ratios were exposed in a marine environment at Swedish west coast. In this study a new rapid technique was used for non-destructive measurement of corrosion. Based on the results from the non-destructive measurement, the actual corrosion of steel bars in five concrete slabs was visually examined and the chloride profiles in the penetrating direction as well as at the cover level were measured. The results show that the visible corrosion normally occurred about 10-20 cm under the seawater level, where the oxygen may be sufficiently available for initiating the corrosion. It is also found that chloride may easily penetrate through a poor interface between concrete and mortar spacer and initiate an early corrosion. As a conclusion, although the chloride level 1% by mass of binder may not be the same as the conventionally defined threshold value, it can be taken as the critical level for significant on-going corrosion that is visible by destructive visual examination, despite types of binder.

According to Swedish experience the slab method in CEN/TS 12390-9 is successful in predicting the salt-frost resistance of Portland cement concrete. However, doubts have been raised whether the same can be said when used on concrete with supplementary cementitious material, e.g. fly ash or ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS). Test results from concrete mixes with up to 35 % fly ash 65 % GGBS, with two different Portland cements and a water-to-binder ratio of 0.45 are presented in this paper. The tests were carried out with the standard method and with five modifications concerning the pre-conditioning of the specimens before freeze-thaw cycling. The age of the specimens at sawing was increased, the time in 65 % RH was prolonged and exposure to 1 % CO2-environment was used. The results show that for air-entrained concrete with fly ash or GGBS both prolonging the exposure to 65 % RH and exposure to CO2 diminishes the salt-frost resistance. The influence increases with increasing amount of fly ash or GGBS. However, the type of cement also has a certain influence. The influence of exposure to CO2 on the salt-frost resistance of concrete without entrained air was totally different from the influence on concrete with entrained air.

Post-cast application of hydrophobic agents onto hardened concrete is successful at reducing external ion diffusion into cement paste, this work examines pre-cast application of hydrophobic admixtures in fresh concrete. Concretes, with water to cement ratios (w/c) 0.45 and 0.50 (CEM I; low C3A), were mixed. Adding alkyltrialkoxysilane or triacylglycerol admixtures ranging from 1 to 3 wt%cem in these concretes were evaluated. Increasing the dosage of hydrophobic admixtures decreased the compressive strength. The usage of these admixtures did not hinder the further development of the microstructure as all concretes gained strength after one year, but not in the same percentage increase as the reference concrete. Chloride ion diffusion, after exposure to 3 wt% NaCl solution at 20 °C for 91 days, in concretes with 1 wt%cem admixture showed slight reductions in diffusion rate (8-17%) compared to the reference. At 3 wt%cem, triacylglycerol admixtures showed better hindering effects of inward chloride diffusion, this was especially evident in w/c = 0.45. Equivalent addition of alkyltrialkoxysilane-based admixtures increased the diffusion of chloride ions transferred into the cement matrix.