Influence of class F fly ash on the abrasion–erosion resistance of high-strength concrete

Abstract

This study investigates the abrasion–erosion resistance of high-strength concrete (HSC) mixtures in which cement was partially replaced by four kinds of replacements (15%, 20%, 25% and 30%) of class F fly ash. The mixtures containing ordinary Portland cement were designed to have 28 days compressive strength of approximately 40–80 MPa. Specimens were subjected to abrasion–erosion testing in accordance with ASTM C1138. Experimental results show that the abrasion–erosion resistances of fly ash concrete mixtures were improved by increasing compressive strength and decreasing the ratio of water-to-cementitious materials. The abrasion–erosion resistance of concrete with cement replacement up to 15% was comparable to that of control concrete without fly ash. Beyond 15% cement replacement, fly ash concrete showed lower resistance to abrasion–erosion compared to non-fly ash concrete. Equations were established based on effective compressive strengths and effective water-to-cementitious materials ratios, which were modified by cement replacement and developed to predict the 28- and 91-day abrasion–erosion resistance of concretes with compressive strengths ranging from approximately 30–100 MPa. The calculation results are compared favorably with the experimental results.