The effects of lithium ions on chemical sequence of alkali-silica reaction

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the investigation on the effects of Li+ ions on the chemical and physical changes in the cementitious system undergoing alkali-silica reaction (ASR). Specifically, this paper focuses on determining which chemical steps of ASR processes are affected by the presence of Li+ ions in the pore solution in order to provide better understanding of the role of Li+ ions in the mitigation process of ASR.The results presented in this paper strongly support the hypothesis that the Li+ ions facilitate the formation of a physical barrier on the surface of reactive silica, and thus prevent further attack on the reactive sites by hydroxyl ions.