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Pore structure, mechanical property and permeability of concrete under sulfate attack exposed to freeze–thaw cycles

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Abstract

This study experimentally investigated the variations in pore structure, mechanical property and permeability of concrete under sulfate attack exposed to freeze–thaw cycles, and examined the relationship between pore structure, stress, and permeability. The results indicate that before 10 cycles, the original pores in the specimen are filled with the reaction products of sulfate and concrete matrix. Compared with the specimen at 0 cycles, it is denser with a reduction in T2 area, an increase in peak stress, and a decrease in initial permeability. With the increase in the number of cycles, the accumulation and expansion of ettringite and gypsum in the product lead to the subsequent enlargement of pores, more liquid enters the interior of the specimen, and the frost heave effect caused by the freeze–thaw dominates. Therefore, the mesopores and macropores in the specimen are developed, the fractal dimension is reduced, and the T2 area is increased. Macroscopically, the peak stress decreases and the initial permeability increases. Besides, the existence of hydraulic pressure weakens the mechanical properties (peak stress and deformation modulus) of the specimen, increases the lateral deformation and improves the permeability.

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Funding

This study was funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (52308228), Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation (2208085ME146, 2208085QE142), Chunhui Project Foundation of the Education Department of China (HZKY20220204), Research Foundation of the Institute of Environment-friendly Materials and Occupational Health (Wuhu), Anhui University of Science and Technology (ALW2021YF14), Independent Research Fund of the State Key Laboratory of Mining Response and Disaster Prevention and Control in Deep Coal Mines (Anhui University of Science and Technology) (SKLMRDPC20ZZ05), Science and Technology Plan Project of the Housing Urban and Rural Construction in Anhui Province (2021-YF58), The Opening Foundation of Engineering Research Center of Underground Mine Construction, Ministry of Education (Anhui University of Science and Technology) (JYBGCZX2020102), The China Scholarship Council(202108340040).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, 232001, China

    Weipei Xue, Xuebiao Peng, Zhongjian Wang & Hao Wu

  2. State Key Laboratory of Mining Response and Disaster Prevention and Control in Deep Coal Mines, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, 232001, China

    Weipei Xue

  3. Institute of Environment-Friendly Materials and Occupational Health, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Wuhu, 241003, China

    Weipei Xue

  4. School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada

    Weipei Xue & M. Shahria Alam

  5. School of Civil Engineering, Anhui Jianzhu University, Hefei, 230601, China

    Jian Lin

  6. Engineering Research Center of Underground Mine Construction, Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, 232001, China

    Jian Lin

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  1. Weipei Xue
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Xue, W., Peng, X., Alam, M.S. et al. Pore structure, mechanical property and permeability of concrete under sulfate attack exposed to freeze–thaw cycles. Archiv.Civ.Mech.Eng 24, 130 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43452-024-00944-3

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