Prediction of concrete life under coupled dry and wet-sulfate erosion based on damage evolution equation

Abstract

In a corrosive environment with coupled dry-wet-sulfate action, concrete structures are susceptible to erosion by sulfate ions, which seriously affects the safe operating life. To forecast the operational lifetime of concrete below the influence of the dry-wet cycle and sulfate erosion environment, four different admixtures of polypropylene fiber: 0, 0.6, 0.9, and 1.2 kg/m3, were incorporated into concrete specimens, and indoor accelerated tests were designed to observe the macroscopic and microscopic deterioration law analysis of concrete specimens; using the precept of damage mechanics, the damage of concrete under solubility cycle was established. The damage evolution equation of concrete under freeze-thaw cycles was established and the operational life of concrete was predicted. The results showed that the overall mass loss rate of concrete specimens increased with the number of tests, and the relative energetic modulo decreased with the number of tests; the pore change pattern, microstructure, and internal material composition of specimens under different working conditions were obtained by using NMR scanning technique, SEM electron microscope scanning technique and XRD physical phase analysis technique. The damage evolution equation shows that adding a certain amount of polypropylene fiber to concrete can improve the working life of concrete under dry and wet connected sulfate assault.