Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Strength and durability studies of fly ash concrete in sea water environments compared with normal and superplasticizer concrete

  • Structural Engineering
  • Published:
KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The objective of this work was to get a holistic idea about the behavior of fly ash concrete exposed to sea water environments. Concrete mixes namely Normal Concrete (NC), concrete with fly ash and superplasticizer (FA) and concrete with superplasticizer alone (SP) were cast and immersed for a year to find out the strength, durability, biofilms formation and chemical composition. The pH, compressive strength, Half Cell Potential (HCP), Rapid Chloride Permeability Test (RCPT) and carbonation test showed better results in FA. Epifluorescence micrograph observed less number of fluorescing cells. Analysis of phase images of Lock- in thermography reveals the phase angle differences of concrete samples indicating the least deterioration on FA concrete. After 280 days of exposure, XRD showed higher loss of calcium elements in NC and SP concrete compared to FA. LRS also showed that Raman intensities of NC and SP were drastically reduced. However, LRS and XRD results of FA confirmed formation of more cementitious products due to secondary hydration explaining the reason for increased compressive strength.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • ASTM C 876-91 (Reapproved 1999). Standard Test Method for Halfcell Potentials of Uncoated Reinforcing Steel in Concrete, Annual Book of ASTM Standards, 03.02 (2006), pp. 11–16.

  • ASTMC 1202-97 (2006). “Standard test method for electrical indication of concrete’s ability to resist chloride ion penetration.” Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 639–644.

    Google Scholar 

  • Belviso, C., Cavalcante, F., Lettino, A., and Fiore, S. (2009). “Zeolite synthesized from fused coal fly ash at low temperature using seawater for crystallization.” Coal Combustion and Gasification Products, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 8–1, DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2009.11.015. Epub 2010 Jan 19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhadauria, S. S. and Gupta, D. M. C. (2007). “In situ performance testing of deteriorating water tanks for durability assessment.” Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities, Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 234–239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Black, L. (2009). “Raman spectroscopy of cementitious materials.” Spectroscopic properties of inorganic and organometallic compounds, Vol. 40, pp. 72–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brough, A. R. and Atkinson, A. (2001). “Micro-Raman spectroscopy of thaumasite.” Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 31, No. 3, pp. 421–424, DOI: 10.1016/S0008-8846(00)00459-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chalee, W., Jaturapitakkul, C., abd Chindaprasirt, P. (2009). “Predicting the chloride penetration of fly ash concrete in seawater.” Marine Structures 2009, Vol. 22, No. 3, pp. 341–353, DOI: 10.1016/j.marstruc. 2008.12.001.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chalee, W., Ausapanit, P., and Jaturapitakku, C. (2010). “Utilization of fly ash concrete in marine environment for long term design life analysis.” Materials and Design, Vol. 31, No. 3, pp. 1242–1249, DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2009.09.024.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • George, R. P., Ramya, S., Ramachandran, D., and Mudali Kamachi, U. (2013). “Studies on Biodegradation of normal concrete surfaces by fungus Fusarium sp.” Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 47, No. 1, pp. 8–13, DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2013.01.010.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haque, M. N. and Kayali, O. (1998). “Properties of high-strength concrete using a fine fly ash.” Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 28, No. 10, pp. 1445–1452, DOI: 10.1016/S0008-8846(98)00125-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hobbie, J. E., Daley, R. J., and Jasper, S. (1997). “Use of nuclepore filters for counting bacteria by fluorescence microscopy.” Appl Environ Microbiol, Vol. 33, No. 5, pp. 1225–1228.

    Google Scholar 

  • IS 3812-1 (2003). Specification for Pulverized Fuel Ash, Part 1: For Use as Pozzolana in Cement, Cement Mortar and Concrete [CED 2: Cement and Concrete].

  • IS 383 (1970). Specification for Coarse and Fine Aggregates from Natural Sources for Concrete, [CED 2: Cement and Concrete].

  • IS 8112 (1989). Specification for 43 grade ordinary Portland cement, [CED 2: Cement and Concrete].

  • Ismail, N., Nonaka, T., Noda, S., and Mori, T. (1993). “Effect of carbonation on microbial corrosion of Concrete.” Journal of Construction Management Engineering, Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 133–138.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kawai, K., Yamaji, S., and Shinmi, T. (2005). “Concrete deterioration caused by sulfuric acid attack.” International Conference on Durability of Building Materials and Components. LYON [France] 17-20 April.

  • Lea, F. (1970). The chemistry of cement and concrete, 3rd ed., Edward Arnold Ltd., London, United Kingdom.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mori, T., Nonaka, T., Tazaki, K., Koga, M., Hikosaka, Y., and Nota, S. (1992). “Interactions of nutrients, moisture and pH on microbial corrosion of concrete sewer pipes.” Water Research, Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 29–37, DOI: 10.1016/0043-1354(92)90107-F.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naik, T. R. and Ramme, B. W. (1989). “High-strength concrete containing large quantities of fly ash.” AC IMater J., Vol. 86, No. 2, pp. 111–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newman, S. P., Clifford, S. J., Coveney, P. V., Gupta, V., Blanchard, J. D., Serafin, F., Dor Ben Amotz, and Diamond, S. (2005). “Anomalous fluorescence in near-infrared Raman Spectroscopy of cementitious material.” Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 35, No. 8, pp. 1620–1628, DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2004.10.001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olmstead, W. and Hamlin, H. (1900). “Converting portions of the Los Angeles outfall sewer into a septic Tank.” Engineering News, Vol. 44, No. 19, pp. 317–318.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker, C. D. (1945). “The isolation of species of bacterium associated with the corrosion of concrete exposed to atmospheres containing hydrogen sulphide.” Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science, Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 81–90, DOI: 10.1038/icb.1945.13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rabiah, A. R., Rasheeduzzafar, and Baggott, R. (1990). “Durability requirements for reinforced concrete construction in aggressive marine environments.” Marine Structures, Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 285–300, DOI: 10.1016/0951-8339(90)90013-H.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shi, W. and Han, J. (2012). “Sustainable utilization and experimental study on wet fly ash by sea water.” Sustainable Utilization and Experimental Study on Wet Fly Ash by Sea Water, ICSDC 2011: pp. 553–559, DOI: 10.1061/41204(426)68.

  • Shock, W. E. and Bell, L. W. (2003). Corrosion control in concrete pipe and manholes, Water Environmental Federation, Orlando, Florida, Technical Presentation. Stuart

  • Matthew D. (2013). Petrographic Analysis of Concrete Deterioration. www.PDHonline.org, 2003, pp. 1–26.

  • Tabikh, A. A. and Weht, R. J. (1971). “An X-ray diffraction analysis of portland cement.” Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 1, No. 3, pp. 317–328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vishwakarma, Vinita, George, R. P., Ramachandran, D., Anandkumar, B., and Mudali Kamachi, U. (2014). “Studies of detailed biofilm characterization on fly ash concrete in comparison with normal and superplasticizer concrete in seawater environments.” Journal of Environmental Technology, Vol. 35, Nos. 1-4, pp. 42–51, DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2013.808249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vishwakarma, Vinita, George, R. P., Ramachandran, D., Menaka, M., Sharath, D., Mudali Kamachi, U., and Venkatraman, B. (2012). “Biofilm formation and thermographic evaluation of fly ash concrete in sea water.” Concrete Research Letters, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 426–438.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Sathyabama University, Chennai, 600119, India

    D. Ramachandran & Vinita Vishwakarma

  2. Corrosion Science and Technology Group, IGCAR, Kalpakkam, 603102, India

    R. P. George & U. Kamachi Mudali

Authors
  1. D. Ramachandran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. P. George
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Vinita Vishwakarma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. U. Kamachi Mudali
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. P. George.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ramachandran, D., George, R.P., Vishwakarma, V. et al. Strength and durability studies of fly ash concrete in sea water environments compared with normal and superplasticizer concrete. KSCE J Civ Eng 21, 1282–1290 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-016-0272-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-016-0272-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation