Applicability of seawater as a mixing and curing agent in 4-year-old concrete

Abstract

In certain scenarios, seawater may be the only mixing/curing agent available; hence, it is necessary to optimize conditions for its application in concrete structures. In this study, the applicability of seawater as a mixing and curing agent in 4-year-old mortar cement specimens is evaluated. Unlike previous studies, we focused on evaluating the long-term performance of reinforced mortar specimens exposed to seawater. Specimens comprised ordinary Portland cement (OPC), grand granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), and reinforced concrete with plain steel, epoxy-coated, or stainless-steel bars; they were subjected to wetting–drying cycles (mimicked for tidal/splash zones) in the laboratory, and the corrosion was evaluated through electrochemical techniques. The results indicate that the effect of seawater on corrosion activity is considerably higher as a curing agent than that as a mixing agent. Further, GGBFS exhibited better performance than OPC; similarly, epoxy-coated and stainless-steel bars exhibited better corrosion resistance than plain steel bars. The results obtained in this study highlight the need to study the application of seawater in concrete mixing.