Durability of mortar and concrete containing pozzolans as a partial cement replacement in the marine environment: a review

Abstract

This paper reviews the durability of concrete containing pozzolans in marine environments, which mainly focuses on resistance to chloride ion penetration and sulfate attack. The results of previous literature showed that the main ions of seawater are almost similar but the salinity varies with location. The mechanism of chemical reaction between seawater and concrete was carefully reviewed and explained. Besides, the main attacks that caused the degradation of concrete structures in marine conditions were summarized. The results of previous research indicated that using pozzolans (fly ash, slag, metakaolin, rice husk ash, etc.) as a partial cement replacement in concrete improved the durability of concrete such as resistance to chloride ion penetration and resistance to sulfate. The use of pozzolans not only improves the durability of concrete in the marine environment but also solves environmental impacts such as reducing CO2 emissions and landfilling areas. It can be concluded that the utilization of pozzolans in concrete, particularly in marine concrete structures is a promising approach for sustainable development.