DURABILITY BEHAVIOUR OF SUSTAINABLE CEMENTS EXPOSED UNDER REAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN AREA

The use of mineral admixtures as an addition to cement is well known to reduce the pollution produced by the cement industry, making the construction industry more sustainable. It is also well known that cements including this mineral additions usually improve both the mechanical and the durability behavior of the structures built with this type of materials. However, most of the test are carried out in laboratory, either under optimal or non-optimal, but controlled, conditions. In this work cements containing ground granulated blustfurnance slag, and fly ash have been exposed from the first week to two different real environments in the Mediterranean area. This two locations represent, according to the Spanish standard for structural concrete, the most risky conditions for the durability of reinforced concrete structures: one with possibility of chloride attack, while the second one has a possibility of carbon dioxide attack. Under these conditions, the microstructure has been studied using mercury intrusion porosimetry, and some durability indicators, such as capillary suction coefficient, chloride diffusion coefficients, carbonation rates, and corrosion potential and corrosion rate. The results show that under the studied conditions the studied cements give durability properties at least as good as the ordinary Portland cement does, in real conditions. This result is important because it guarantees the durability of structures built with more sustainable materials.