Alkali-silica reaction in calcium aluminate cement mortars induced by deicing salts solutions

Abstract

Calcium aluminate cement (CAC) mortars and concrete may be used as high-performance repairing materials for pavement restoration in airfields and roads. During recent years alkali-silica reaction (ASR) was reported in Portland cement concrete subjected to the action of organic deicers. Present paper reports the results of the investigation on the influence of organic and inorganic alkali deicers on ASR potential in CAC mortars containing fused silica as model reactive aggregate. It was shown for the first time, that concentrated solutions of sodium and potassium acetates, as well as sodium chloride, can cause ASR in CAC mortars. Sodium and potassium acetate resulted in much larger expansions comparing to sodium chloride and sodium hydroxide solutions used as a reference. Differences in alkali-silica gel were found depending on the solution which samples were soaked in. It was shown that ASR could proceed in a system without calcium hydroxide and an external source of hydroxyl ions.