The advantages of using a geochemical transport model including thermodynamic equilibrium, kinetic control and surface complexation to simulate the durability of concretes exposed to chlorides and sulphates

Abstract

In this study, a physically and chemically based model including thermodynamic equilibrium, kinetic control and surface complexation is used. Different cases are proposed and simulated with the same set of parameters. The results are compared with experimental data. They show very good agreement between experimental and numerical results. They also show that the parameters are not very sensible to cement composition, concrete mix-design or environmental exposition. Hence, this numerical model seems to be used as a reliable tool to predict the chloride binding capability and external sulphate attack. It is also convenient because of its limited number of parameters.

Keywords:

• Thermodynamic computations
• kinetics
• concrete
• chloride
• sulphate
• surface complexation

Acknowledgements

This work offers a contribution to the French ANR MODEVIE project. The authors are grateful to the ‘Agence National de la Recherche’ and the ministries in charge of sustainable development, town planning and transportation for their financial support of the project.

Notes

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche.