The use of thermoanalytical techniques for the detection of chemical attack on high alumina cement concrete

Abstract

Rapidly converted high alumina cement concrete may be attacked by sulphates to form ettringite and by chlorides to form a complex calcium chloroaluminate hydrate; the reaction products may be positively identified by thermoanalytical techniques. All high alumina cement concretes may be disruptively attacked by CO 2 in the presence of soluble Na and K: unfortunately, the products of this reaction. AH 3 1 1 Cement chemists' shorthand notation: C - CaO,A = Al 2O 3, H = H 2O. and CaCO 3, and the absence of C 3AH 4 are similar to the products of beneficial carbonation in the absence of soluble Na and K. The two types of carbonation may be distinguished by analysing the cement for Na and K.