Effect of Surface Preparation on the Deicing Salt-Scaling Resistance of Concrete With and Without SCM: Laboratory and Field Performance in the Presence of Sodium Chloride Deicing Salt

Abstract

Abstract Deicing salt scaling is a form of surface deterioration of concrete, which describes the progressive raveling of mortar, sometimes even coarse aggregate, from the surface. This paper presents findings from both laboratory and field studies on the deicing salt-scaling resistance of concrete incorporating various proportions of fly ash (25 % and 50 %) and slag (30 % and 60 %). In the laboratory study, concrete slabs finished with different methods as well as concrete with non-finished surfaces were tested for deicing salt-scaling resistance. For the field study, larger concrete slabs were cast and cured in the laboratory and then placed outdoors. Deicing salt solution was applied on the slabs following each snowfall during the winter seasons to maintain an ice-free condition on the surface of the slabs. The results from the laboratory study indicate that the reduced salt-scaling resistance of concrete incorporating supplementary cementing materials is not solely depended on the mechanical strength of the concrete itself. It is also shown that concrete containing high levels of fly ash and slag maybe more sensitive to finishing techniques.