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A combined synchrotron radiation micro computed tomography and micro X-ray diffraction study on deleterious alkali-silica reaction

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Abstract

Synchrotron radiation micro computed tomography (SR Micro CT) and micro X-ray diffraction (SR Micro XRD) were used to investigate the deleterious effects of alkali-silica reaction (ASR) in mortar bars. The samples were prepared by mixing ordinary Portland cement and chert, the latter consists of quartz crystals known to be potentially alkali-silica reactive; then they are aged in a NaOH solution at 80 °C according to RILEM AAR-2 for ASR to occur. A characterization of the microstructural features (cracks, voids due to dissolution, aggregate detachment) due to ASR was performed by SR Micro CT and a detailed mineralogical characterization of the weathering layer growing at the cement paste-aggregate interface was conducted by SR Micro XRD. When ASR occurs, we observe the dissolution of the quartz belonging to aggregate followed by the precipitation of new crystals of quartz. On the other hand, when ASR aging increases the quartz dissolution is almost complete and a halo diffuse scattering dominates the XRD patterns. Furthermore, the ASR generated a widespread microcracking associated with irregular voids due to aggregate dissolution and a general detachment at the cement paste-aggregate boundary is observed.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility for provision of synchrotron radiation facilities and we would like to thank Dr. Aurélien Gourrier for his assistance in using beamline ID13 (Experiment Number: 21774). The authors also thank SYRMEP Group at ELETTRA Synchrotron for their support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra “Ardito Desio”, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Botticelli 23, 20133, Milan, Italy

    Nicoletta Marinoni, Nicola Rotiroti & Elena Ferrari

  2. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA

    Marco Voltolini

  3. Geological Survey of Norway, NGU Department of Resources, PO Box 6315, Sluppen, 7491, Trondheim, Norway

    Maarten A. T. M. Broekmans

  4. SYRMEP Group, Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A, S.S. 14, km 163, 5 in Area Science Park, 34149, Basovizza, TS, Italy

    Lucia Mancini

  5. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA

    Paulo J. M. Monteiro

  6. European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue del Martyrs, 38000, Grenoble, France

    Andrea Bernasconi

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  1. Nicoletta Marinoni
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  2. Marco Voltolini
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  3. Maarten A. T. M. Broekmans
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  4. Lucia Mancini
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  5. Paulo J. M. Monteiro
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  6. Nicola Rotiroti
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  7. Elena Ferrari
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  8. Andrea Bernasconi
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Correspondence to Nicoletta Marinoni.

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Marinoni, N., Voltolini, M., Broekmans, M.A.T.M. et al. A combined synchrotron radiation micro computed tomography and micro X-ray diffraction study on deleterious alkali-silica reaction. J Mater Sci 50, 7985–7997 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-015-9364-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-015-9364-7

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