The effect of phenol upon concrete*

Phenols are common contaminants of sites used for coal carbonization (e.g. for town gas manufacture, coking plants and tar works). Phenol itself (C₆H₅OH is reported to be detrimental to concrete, but no quantitative data are available. The paper describes the results up to two years of a series of tests carried out on 100 mm cubes immersed in phenol solutions of varying concentrations. It is concluded that concentrations of phenol as low as 0·2% by volume have an adverse efect upon the developmen of the compressive strength of concrete and that concentrations as low as 0·1 % may be detrimental. Concentrations of phenols of this order may sometimes be encountered onsites used for coal carbonization.