RESISTANCE OF LIGHTWEIGHT AGGREGATE CONCRETE AGAINST CHLORIDE PENETRATION UNDER SIMULATED MARINE EXPOSURE CONDITIONS

In order to demonstrate the excellent durability characteristic of lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC), chloride penetration test have been performed on LWAC and normal weight concrete (NWC). Two types of lightweight aggregate were considered, i.e. Lytag and Liapor. The water/cement ratio was the same for all concretes, viz. 0.45. Silica fume was used in order to realise a dense concrete. The concrete was exposed to thermal and hygral cycles, simulating a harsh marine environment. The paper contains a description of the test set-up, mixture composition, curing conditions (“good” curing and “poor” curing) and a presentation of chloride penetration data after 1 and 6 months. Special attention is given to the way in which restrained and unrestrained strain conditions are realised. The penetration depths of the three concretes are compared. Conclusions are drawn as regards the chloride profiles in the different concretes and with respect to the effect of restraint of thermal and hygral strains on the chloride penetration depth. The experiments clearly show that chloride penetration in lightweight aggregate concrete is not more than in normal weight concrete made with the same water/ cement ratio.

• INTRODUCTION

• DESCRIPTION OF TEST SET UP

• EXPOSURE CONDITION

• MATERIALS

• TEST RESULTS

• CONCLUSIONS

• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

• REFERENCES