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Concrete Deterioration Causes

Corrosion of reinforcing steel is the leading cause of concrete deterioration. Freeze-thaw cycles from water freezing within concrete can cause cracking and crumbling. Chemical attacks from certain solutions above a minimum concentration, like sulfuric acid from bacteria, can also deteriorate concrete. Additional causes include abrasion damage from surface wear, loss of strength and stiffness from high heat or fires, and surface defects from imperfect construction. Proper materials and practices can prevent some deterioration factors in concrete.

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Muhammad Muhsin Jamaluddin
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116 views3 pages

Concrete Deterioration Causes

Corrosion of reinforcing steel is the leading cause of concrete deterioration. Freeze-thaw cycles from water freezing within concrete can cause cracking and crumbling. Chemical attacks from certain solutions above a minimum concentration, like sulfuric acid from bacteria, can also deteriorate concrete. Additional causes include abrasion damage from surface wear, loss of strength and stiffness from high heat or fires, and surface defects from imperfect construction. Proper materials and practices can prevent some deterioration factors in concrete.

Uploaded by

Muhammad Muhsin Jamaluddin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

3.

0 TYPES AND CAUSES OF DETERIORATION IN CONCRETE

The exceptional durability of portland cement concrete is a major reason why it is the
world’s most widely used construction material. But material limitations, design and
construction practices, and severe exposure conditions can cause concrete to
deteriorate, which may result in aesthetic, functional, or structural problems.
Concrete can deteriorate for a variety of reasons, and concrete damage is often the
result of a combination of factors. The following summary discusses potential causes
of concrete deterioration and the factors that influence them:

i. Corrosion Of Embedded Metals

Corrosion of reinforcing steel and other embedded metals is the leading


cause of deterioration in concrete. When steel corrodes, the resulting rust
occupies a greater volume than the steel. This expansion creates tensile
stresses in the concrete, which can eventually cause cracking, delamination,
and spalling.

Figure 1: Corrosion of reinforcing steel is the most common cause of concrete


deterioration.

ii. Freeze-Thaw Deterioration

When water freezes, it expands about 9%. As the water in moist concrete
freezes, it produces pressure in the capillaries and pores of the concrete. If
the pressure exceeds the tensile strength of the concrete, the cavity will dilate
and rupture. The accumulative effect of successive freeze-thaw cycles and
disruption of paste and aggregate can eventually cause significant expansion
and cracking, scaling, and crumbling of the concrete

Figure 2: Freeze-thaw cycles can cause scaling of concrete surfaces.


iii. Chemical Attack
Some chemical environments can deteriorate even high-quality concrete.
Concrete is rarely, if ever, attacked by solid, dry chemicals. To produce
significant attack on concrete, aggressive chemicals must be in solution and
above some minimum concentration.

Figure 3: Bacteria in sewage systems can produce sulfuric acid, which aggressively
attacks concrete.

iv. Abrasion/Erosion

Abrasion damage occurs when the surface of concrete is unable to resist


wear caused by rubbing and friction. As the outer paste of concrete wears, the
fine and coarse aggregate are exposed and abrasion and impact will cause
additional degradation that is related to aggregate-to-paste bond strength and
hardness of the aggregate.

Figure 4: The abrasion of debris in rushing water can produce significant wear
on concrete surfaces.

v. Heat/Fire
Concrete performs exceptionally well at the temperatures encountered in
almost all applications. But when exposed to fire or unusually high
temperatures, concrete can lose strength and stiffness

Figure 5: When exposed to fire or unusually high temperatures, concrete can


lose strength and stiffness.

vi. Surface Defects

Various defects can occur on the surface of formed or finished concrete.


Many of these defects are avoidable by using proper materials and
construction practices; others are difficult or impossible to eliminate
completely.

Figure 6: Honeycomb occurs when mortar fails to fill the spaces between
coarse aggregates.

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