Performance of steel fiber reinforced concrete mixed with chloride solution and exposed to high humidity environment

Abstract

In order to investigate the performance of steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) suffered from chloride attack, the SFRC specimens were prepared using 9 wt% NaCl solution to accelerate the corrosion, and they were also exposed to the high humidity environment (≥90 % RH); meanwhile, the carbonation was also considered. The performance evolution of SFRC suffered from 14 months of in-situ chloride attack was monitored, including compressive strength, flexural property, splitting-tensile property, and so on. The results show that the SFRC specimens showed no deterioration in the mechanical properties after 14 months of chloride attack, while only some corrosion spots were found on the concrete surface, independently of the water to binder ratios and mineral admixtures. The carbonation accelerated the chloride-induced corrosion of steel fibers in the carbonated zone of concrete, but did not result in the reduction in the mechanical properties of SFRC within 14 months of chloride attack.