Effect of Cracking and Improper Consolidation as Important Concrete Defects on Water Absorption and Electrical Conductivity

The influence of thermal and mechanical-induced cracking as well as the effect of construction defects including overvibration and insufficient vibration on concrete durability was studied in this research. Durability was evaluated using water absorption, electrical conductivity and electrical resistivity test methods. Results showed that although water and chloride ingress through concrete are not noticeably affected by short term tensile loading, the well distributed network of cracking induced by rapid heating significantly increases concrete permeability. Overvibration also affects the measured properties, but the presence of interconnected air voids induced by insufficient consolidation has a much more destructive effect on concrete durability. (C) 2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.