An Experimental Investigation on Durability Properties of Reactive Powder Concrete

Abstract

T he durability of concrete subjected to an aggressive environment is a major issue faced by constructional engineers. Many researchers have tried to evaluate the durability characteristics of concrete against aggressive fluids. Amongst the fluids, compounds of sulphuric acid and chloride ions caused massive deterioration in concrete. Reactive powder concrete (RPC) is a type of ultra-highstrength cement composite. In the present study, an effort is made to assess durability properties of RPC. T he RPC with compressive strengths 110, 120 and 130MPa have been produced. Acid immersion test, salt crystallization test and chloride ion penetration tests have been carried out to assess the degradation of concrete. Samples were exposed to sulphuric acid solutions over a period of 60 days with concentrations varying from 0.5-2%. The salt crystallization tests were carried out by immersing samples in 14% Na2SO 4 solutions. Visual observations and deterioration in terms of mass and compressive strength reductions are recorded. The RPC showed high resistance towards the crystallization of salts. A significant amount of weight loss and strength loss was observed for the samples exposed to high concentrations of sulphuric acid. A negligible amount of chloride ion penetration was observed.

Experimental Evaluation of Mechanical Properties, Micro Structure and Post-Fire Strength of Fiber Reinforced Geopolymer Concrete

“…Also, about 40-50% of budget allocated to construction industry is consumed for concrete repair [4]. All the above mentioned issues and problems makes essential for scientists to search for replacements for cementing materials that could reduce the CO2 emissions to the atmosphere and consequently mitigate the hazards associated with application of Portland cement [5], [6]. In addition, new methods should be developed to use new technologies and novel materials that could lead to more sustainable construction advancements.…”

The Effect of Different Curing Temperatures on Properties of Reactive Powder Concrete Reinforced by Micro Steel Fibers

“…RPC is being used more and more frequently on a worldwide scale, especially in Europe, where various researches have been done. RPC is employed in nuclear power reactors, the defense sector, and the production of weapons (Canbaz, 2014;Dhundasi et al, 2021). However, the rising cost of natural resources has prompted a quest for substitutes, including recycled materials like sawdust ash, fly ash, coal bottom ash, rice husk ash, silica fume, limestone dust, marble powder, tile powder, millet husk ash, crumb rubber, etc.…”