Determination of durability of mortar with slag exposed to bacterial environment

Abstract

Leaching of cement based materials and dissolution of cement hydrates under biogenic acid attack result in an increase of the porosity and changes in the pore structure of the building materials. The impact of certain physicochemical concrete/mortar parameters such as cement chemistry, water/binder (w/b) ratio, porosity and fluid permeability of cementitious materials has been recognized from a material sciences perspective. In this work the durability of cement composite made with blast furnace slag exposed to sulphur oxidizing bacteria A. thiooxidans during the period of 12 months was investigated. Leaching of calcium and silicon ions, water absorbability and porosity of the slag based composite using X-ray computed tomography was evaluated.