Evaluation of accelerated degradation test methods for cementitious composites subject to sulfuric acid attack; application to conventional and alkali-activated concretes

Abstract

The degradation of cementitious composite materials under chemical sulfuric acid attack has been widely investigated. The agglomeration of a global database of test results is complicated by the differing test methodologies employed in each study. As a result it is difficult to isolate the influence of individual test parameters and hence directly compare the relative performance of different cementitious material. In this study the existing accelerated test methodologies including: brushing, wetting and drying cycling, and increased concentration of sulfuric acid are investigated such that the influence of test methodology on degradation rate and microstructural performance can be identified. This approach is taken with the view of developing a common methodology for indicating the susceptibility of a given cementitious material in an aggressive environment. Rather than comparing the performance of individual materials this work aims to compare the influence of test methodology when applied to different materials.