Carbonation of cement mortar subjected to flexural load

The effect of flexural load on the carbonation processes of cement mortar were experimentally studied, using two pressed springs as the loading parts. The results indicate that flexural load will accelerate the carbonation processes of cement mortar, the carbonation depths increasing approximately exponentially with tensile stress levels. A model describing the kinetic processes of carbonation for mortar subjected simultaneously to flexural load was proposed. Microcracks formed at the tensile areas of the specimens subjected to flexural load during carbonation. The enhancement of carbonation by flexural load is ascribed to the formation of microcracks in specimens resulted from flexural load and carbonation shrinkage.