Sulfate attack on concrete with mineral admixtures

The sulfate resistance of concretes containing fly ash, natural pozzolan and slag is investigated in a field test in which concrete specimens were half-buried in sulfate soil for five years. Mineral admixtures were used as a partial replacement for ordinary portland cement (C(3)A = 8.5%), and the progress of sulfate attack was evaluated by several methods (visual rating, loss in mass, dynamic modulus, strength, x-ray analysis). Results of this study show that mineral admixtures improved the sulfate resistance when the concrete is buried in the soil. However, concretes with high content of mineral admixtures exhibit a greater surface scaling over soil level due to the sulfate salt crystallization. In this zone, capillary suction of concrete is the main mechanism of water and salt transportation. Concrete with 20% fly ash provides an integral solution for half-buried structures.