Durability Assessment of Blended Concrete by Air Permeability

Abstract

Assessment of concrete cover quality is necessary for proper maintenance of concrete structures. Concrete durability is evaluated primarily based on chloride penetrability, neutralization and other external factors. The present study attempts to analyze concrete quality and its mass transfer resistance performance by measuring the air permeability and its relation with concrete durability indicators like chloride diffusion and neutralization. The applicability of air permeability as a durability indicator is validated using concrete with different materials, parameters and curing conditions. The tests are conducted on laboratory prepared concrete as well as for concrete exposed to actual marine conditions. From the experimental results, it is found that air permeability coefficient, neutralization coefficient and chloride ion diffusion coefficient have high correlation. It is suggested that air permeability could be considered as an alternative to estimate mass transfer resistance of concrete and as a concrete durability indicator.