Trapping of Chloride Ions in Cement Pastes Containing Fly Ash
ABSTRACTChloride ions, when present at sufficient concentration in the concrete pore fluid, may be associated with corrosion of the reinforcing steel even in normally passivative environments. The effectiveness of fly ash containing pastes in trapping chloride ions was studied. A paste was prepared containing 30% low-calcium fly ash and 70% type I cement, with mixing water (50% by weight) containing 0.4% C1− with respect to the solid. Samples were cured at 25°C and 38°lC at 95% R.H. At designated times extending over a six-month period, the pore fluids were expressed from the hardened pastes using a squeezing cell designed for this purpose. Special precautions were taken to avoid carbonation of the fluids; contact with the atmosphere was minimized. The expressed fluids were analyzed by DC plasma emission spectrometry for cations and by automated selective ion exchange chromatography for anions. Other studies (XRD, thermal analysis) were carried out to identify the compounds formed and determine their mechanisms of formation. Investigations indicated that the mechanism of trapping chloride ion is partly chemical and partly physical through adsorption on the surface of fly ash particles (initially physical and subsequently chemical).