The investigation of concrete’ biodeterioration in sewer pipes, case study

Abstract

The activity of microorganisms plays a very important function in the whole spectrum of degradation processes such as corrosion of metals and concrete, the plugging of the pipeline and filters in consequence of the biofilms creation or the efficiency reduction of heat exchangers. The microorganisms that cause microbiologically influenced corrosion of concrete are ubiquitous in the environment and they produce either organic or inorganic acids that can dissolve and disintegrate the concrete matrix. This paper is focused on the concrete biocorrosion’s study in real sulfuretum conditions — in a sewer pipe with wastewater in Košice city. Concrete samples with addition of 5 and 10% of coal fly ash respectively as well as reference samples without coal fly ash addition were used for the experiment. The weight changes and surface changes of concrete samples were valuated after 4-month exposition to the real sulfuretum influence. The concrete biodeterioration studies in sewer pipes suggest the analogical biodegradation processes for all samples, whereby the composition of concrete and duration of aggressive environment influence are also important.