Degradation of mechanical properties of cementitious materials exposed to wet–dry cycles of sulphate solution

Abstract

In order to study sulphate attack effects on the mechanical behaviour of cementitious materials, the compressive behaviour of such materials subjected to wet–dry cycles of sulphate solution was investigated. Then, their variation of mass was recorded. According to the experimental results, it was observed that the mortars subjected to wet–dry cycles of sulphate attack were more severely damaged than ones immersed in a sulphate solution. In addition, these experimental results showed that the ultimate strength, elastic moduli and mass of samples initially increased with the number of wet–dry cycles and then declined after a certain number of wet–dry cycles. However, the peak strain corresponding to the compressive strength presented a decrease in the initial stage and then increased with the number of wet–dry cycles. Finally, the relationships between the mechanical behaviours and mass increment of such materials were analysed and qualitatively established.