Optimal overlays for preservation of concrete in cold climate: decision-making by the method of fuzzy comprehensive evaluation combined with AHP

Overlays have been extensively employed as an effective preservation or rehabilitation tool to extend the service life of concrete bridges and pavements, especially concrete slabs suffering from salt scaling and abrasion. However, limited attention has been paid to the durability and performance of these overlays which can be jeopardized when they are exposed to freeze/thaw and wet/dry cycles, deicer applications, studded tires, and their coupled effects. Various overlays feature different engineering properties, and they might be only effective in specific service environments but not in others, and research is lacking to examine their ability to adapt to different environments. This study subjected five overlay products on concrete slabs to the combined action of freeze/thaw (F/T) and wet/dry (W/D) cycles with periodical exposure to either 15 wt.% NaCl solution or 15 wt.% MgCl2 solution, to simulate the typical field scenarios in an accelerated manner. The bond strength, splitting tensile strength, and abrasion resistance of the overlaid concrete slabs were tested to evaluate the effectiveness of various overlays against the deicer scaling and the abrasion by studded tires. Based on the experimental data, this study demonstrated a multi-criteria decision-making method, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) combined with analytic hierarchy process (AHP), for the selection of optimal overlays in three different service scenarios (e.g., states of Washington and Oregon [USA] and British Columbia [Canada]). The analysis results indicate that one epoxy overlay exhibited the comprehensively best performance and could be a promising candidate in all three given scenarios, another polymer overlay took second place, while the adaptability of the three cement-based overlays varied in different environments. Graphical Abstract

Effects of Curing Method on Properties and Salt-Scaling Resistance of Concrete under Lab Testing

This paper presents a study of the effect of curing on the salt-scaling resistance of concrete containing supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) under lab conditions. Two curing methods were examined: moist curing and wrapping in a tight plastic sheet. Wrapping concrete slabs in plastic was adopted to represent curing methods that do not supply the concrete with additional water. The two curing methods produced different scaling results; however, the outcomes did not change in terms of meeting or failing the acceptance limit. Curing in plastic wraps produced higher carbonation depth prior to exposing the sample to the salt solution. This could have contributed, partly, to the higher scaling obtained in wrapped samples, other than the sample with 40% high-calcium fly ash. For this sample, there is evidence that curing using plastic wraps maintained high alkali concentration in the surface concrete, which could have enhanced the pozzolanic activity of the fly ash at the surface.

Untitled ItemProperties of Concrete Containing Recycled Concrete Aggregate of Preserved Quality

<p>This study focuses on evaluating recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) of high quality produced through a protocol that preserves the original properties of the concrete to be recycled. Concrete with RCA of preserved quality was compared to concrete with commercially available RCA. A total of 29 mixes were tested with RCA replacement ranging from 30% to 100% of the coarse aggregate. Results showed that concrete with RCA of preserved quality performed significantly better in compressive strength, drying shrinkage, and salt scaling resistance. Furthermore, the use of 30% RCA with preserved quality produced concrete of comparable quality to that of concrete with natural aggregate.</p>

Properties of Concrete Containing Recycled Concrete Aggregate of Preserved Quality

<p>This study focuses on evaluating recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) of high quality produced through a protocol that preserves the original properties of the concrete to be recycled. Concrete with RCA of preserved quality was compared to concrete with commercially available RCA. A total of 29 mixes were tested with RCA replacement ranging from 30% to 100% of the coarse aggregate. Results showed that concrete with RCA of preserved quality performed significantly better in compressive strength, drying shrinkage, and salt scaling resistance. Furthermore, the use of 30% RCA with preserved quality produced concrete of comparable quality to that of concrete with natural aggregate.</p>

Properties of Concrete Containing Recycled Concrete Aggregate of Preserved Quality

<p>This study focuses on evaluating recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) of high quality produced through a protocol that preserves the original properties of the concrete to be recycled. Concrete with RCA of preserved quality was compared to concrete with commercially available RCA. A total of 29 mixes were tested with RCA replacement ranging from 30% to 100% of the coarse aggregate. Results showed that concrete with RCA of preserved quality performed significantly better in compressive strength, drying shrinkage, and salt scaling resistance. Furthermore, the use of 30% RCA with preserved quality produced concrete of comparable quality to that of concrete with natural aggregate.</p>

Optimal Overlays for Preservation of Concrete Slabs in Cold Climate: Decision Making by the Method of Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Combined with AHP

Overlays have been extensively employed as an effective preservation or rehabilitation tool to extend the service life of concrete bridges and pavements, especially these deteriorated concrete slabs suffering from salt scaling and abrasion. However, limited attention has been paid to the durability and performance of these overlays which can be jeopardized when they are exposed to freeze/thaw-wet/dry cycles, deicer applications, studded tires, and their coupled effects as well. Various overlays feature different engineering properties, and they might be only effective in specific service environments but not others, and research is lacking to examine the adaptation of various overlays in different environments. This study subjected five overlay products on concrete slabs to the combined action of freeze/thaw (F/T) and wet/dry (W/D) cycles with periodical exposure to either 15 wt.% NaCl solution or 15 wt.% MgCl2 solutions, to simulate the typical field scenarios in an accelerated manner. The bond strength, splitting tensile strength, and abrasion resistance of the overlaid concrete slabs were tested to evaluate the effectiveness of various overlays against the deicer scaling and the abrasion by studded tires. Based on the experimental data, this study demonstrated a multi-criteria decision making method, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) combined with analytic hierarchy process (AHP), for the selection of optimal overlays in three different service scenarios (e.g., states of Washington and Oregon [USA] and British Columbia [Canada]). The analysis results indicated that one epoxy overlay exhibited the comprehensively best performance and could be a promising candidate in all three given scenarios, another polymer overlay took second place, while the adaptability of the three cement-based overlays varied in different environments.

Effects of Curing Method on Properties and Salt-Scaling Resistance of Concrete under Lab Testing

This paper presents a study of the effect of curing on the salt-scaling resistance of concrete containing supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) under lab conditions. Two curing methods were examined: moist curing and wrapping in a tight plastic sheet. Wrapping concrete slabs in plastic was adopted to represent curing methods that do not supply the concrete with additional water. The two curing methods produced different scaling results; however, the outcomes did not change in terms of meeting or failing the acceptance limit. Curing in plastic wraps produced higher carbonation depth prior to exposing the sample to the salt solution. This could have contributed, partly, to the higher scaling obtained in wrapped samples, other than the sample with 40% high-calcium fly ash. For this sample, there is evidence that curing using plastic wraps maintained high alkali concentration in the surface concrete, which could have enhanced the pozzolanic activity of the fly ash at the surface.

Effects of Curing Method on Properties and Salt-Scaling Resistance of Concrete under Lab Testing

This paper presents a study of the effect of curing on the salt-scaling resistance of concrete containing supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) under lab conditions. Two curing methods were examined: moist curing and wrapping in a tight plastic sheet. Wrapping concrete slabs in plastic was adopted to represent curing methods that do not supply the concrete with additional water. The two curing methods produced different scaling results; however, the outcomes did not change in terms of meeting or failing the acceptance limit. Curing in plastic wraps produced higher carbonation depth prior to exposing the sample to the salt solution. This could have contributed, partly, to the higher scaling obtained in wrapped samples, other than the sample with 40% high-calcium fly ash. For this sample, there is evidence that curing using plastic wraps maintained high alkali concentration in the surface concrete, which could have enhanced the pozzolanic activity of the fly ash at the surface.

Durability of concrete exposed to magnesium chloride anti-icing chemicals

The objective of this study was to determine if/how magnesium chloride (MgCl₂) influences the durability of typical sidewalk concrete being used in Ontario. The effects of MgCl₂ on deicer salt scaling were reviewed with the hypothesis that MgCl₂ at higher concentrations will cause more scaling. When the early results were inconclusive, the focus of this reearch was then moved to determining if initial exposure to NaCl was a contributing factor, and if the mechanism causing deterioration was due to exposure at high temperatures rather than low temperatures. Mortar specimens were examined for the influence of MgCl₂ on expansion and compressive strength. It was found that MgCl₂ had little effect on deicer salt scaling, but caused an increase in expansion and a decrease in compressive strength with increased MgCl₂ concentrations.