Effect of nano-clay on the freeze–thaw resistance of self-compacting concrete containing mineral admixtures

Abstract

The durability of concrete to freeze and thaw (F-T) cycles is one of the most important challenges of reinforced concrete structures in regions with cold climate. Thus, studying the effect of this phenomenon on concrete properties to evaluate the vulnerability rate of these structures during frequent F-T cycles seems necessary. The use of nanomaterials in cement-based composites leads to many improvements in concrete properties due to their small particle size and large specific surface area. In this paper, the fabricated self-compacting concrete (SCC) specimens containing different portions of nano-clay (NC) and mineral admixtures including silica fume (SF), fly ash (FA), rice husk ash (RHA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) were subjected to F-T cycles in the temperature range of −18 to +4 °C according to ASTM C666-A standard specifications. The properties of specimens including the mass, electrical resistivity, dynamic modulus of elasticity and compressive strength were measured during the F-T cycles. Results showed that using 3% NC considerably improves the F-T resistance of SCC, as compared to the control mix. Also, improvements were observed on the frost resistance of SCC containing mineral admixtures by the addition of 3% NC to the mix proportions.

Keywords:

• Nano-clay
• self-compacting concrete
• mineral admixtures
• freeze–thaw cycles

Disclosure statement

The authors declared that there is no conflict of interest.