Mechanical and durability properties of concrete subjected to early-age freeze–thaw cycles

• Published in: Materials and structures Vol. 54; no. 6
• Main Authors: Liu, Dongyun, Tu, Yongming, Shi, Pan, Sas, Gabriel, Elfgren, Lennart
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.12.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Age; Building construction; Building Materials; Byggkonstruktion; Chloride resistance; Civil Engineering; Cold weather construction; Compressive strength; Concrete construction; Curing; Durability; Engineering; Fly ash; Freeze thaw cycles; Frost damage; Fumes; Machines; Manufacturing; Materials Science; Original Article; Penetration resistance; Performance indices; Portland cements; Processes; Recovery; Service life; Silicon dioxide; Solid Mechanics; Structural Engineering; Theoretical and Applied Mechanics; Pre-curing time; Fly ash; Early-age freeze–thaw cycles; Resistance to freeze–thaw; Silica fume
• ISSN: 1359-5997; 1871-6873; 1871-6873
• DOI: 10.1617/s11527-021-01802-x

Early-age frost damage to concrete used in winter construction or in cold environments negatively affects the development of the hydration process and the performance of the concrete, thereby reducing the service life of the building structure. Experimental research was carried out to investigate the compressive strength, resistance to chloride penetration and resistance to freeze–thaw of concrete specimens subjected to early-age freeze–thaw cycles (E-FTCs). The effects that different pre-curing times of concrete and mineral admixtures have on the properties of early-age frost-affected concrete were also analyzed. Results show that the earlier the freeze–thaw cycles (FTCs), the poorer the later-age performance. Later-age water-curing cannot completely restore the damage that E-FTCs do to concrete. In the same conditions used in this study, the effects of E-FTCs on later-age mechanical and durability properties of ordinary Portland cement concrete (OPC) are small. The incorporation of fly ash significantly reduces the resistance to freeze–thaw of concrete during early-age and later-age. The presence of silica fumes has an adverse effect on the later-age resistance to freeze–thaw. In general, the recovery percentage of later-age durability indexes of concrete subjected to E-FTCs is lower than that of compressive strength. For concrete subjected to E-FTCs, it is more important to ensure the recovery of later-age durability.