The role of porosity on degradation of concrete under severe internal and external brine attack in confined conditions

It has been observed that a trench wall embedded in the soil of the Dead Sea has lost strength and is deteriorating due to brine attack. This phenomenon demonstrates that concrete wall structural stability and durability can be seriously endangered. Yet conventional analysis using macroscopic models is considered an oversimplification, as it...

Use of fine recycled concrete aggregates in concrete: A critical review

This paper discusses the state-of-the-art of the fine recycled concrete aggregates (fRCA), focusing on their physical and chemical properties, engineering properties and durability of concretes with fRCA. Based on the systematic review of the published literature, it is impossible to deduce without any further research the guidelines and...

Chloride Ion Penetration into Cracked UHPFRC During Wetting-drying Cycles

The subject of this paper is the extent to which, during wetting–drying cycles, chloride ions can penetrate Ultra-high-Performance Fibre Reinforced Cementitious Composites (UHPFRC) specimens subjected to combined mechanical and environmental load. Pre-cracking was obtained by subjecting prismatic specimens (40 × 40 × 60mm³) to four...

Durability of an UHPFRC under mechanical and chloride loads

The high cost of UHPFRC is a limitation on the practical application in real construction projects. However, a very competitive UHPFRC approach is the hybrid structural elements, where thin layers of UHPFRC are employed to rehabilitate/strengthen damage cover concrete. New layers subjected to harsh conditions (loads and/or environmental) can...

On The Role Of Soft Inclusions On The Fracture Behaviour Of Cement Paste

Soft inclusions, such as capsules and other particulate admixtures are increasingly being used in cementitious materials for functional purposes (i.e. self-healing and self-sensing of concrete). Yet, their influence on the fracture behaviour of the material is sometimes overlooked and requires in-depth study for the optimization of mechanical...

Creating Strain Hardening Cementitious Composites (SHCCS) Through Use Of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Meshes As Reinforcement

Strain hardening cementitious composites are a class of cementitious materials showing metal-like (i.e. pseudo-plastic) behavior in tension due to their multiple cracking ability. This is commonly achieved through use of fiber reinforcement (such as PVA) or, similarly, textile reinforcement (TRC). Increasing the ductility is important in...

Cracking of SHCC due to reinforcement corrosion

Reinforcement corrosion is the most important deterioration mechanism affecting reinforced concrete infrastructures. After corrosion starts, expansive pressures are exerted onto the surrounding concrete, causing cracking and spalling of the cover concrete. The amount of cover cracking can possibly be reduced by using strain hardening...