Concrete pavements in aggresive environment

Abstract

In cold climate regions de-icing chemicals (de-icers) and salts are used for melting ice and snow on highways, runways, and streets. Portland cement concrete pavements face an aggressive environment during its life time because of deicers used. De-icers not only promote rebar corrosion in concrete structures but also pose detrimental effects on concrete infrastructure through their reactions with cement paste and aggregates. Some studies were made to test the effect of dicer chemicals and salts to concrete samples. Usually, Portland cement concrete samples were exposed to freeze/thaw and wet/dry cycling in solutions containing different chloride and acetate salts. Experiments show that many de-icers have a negative impact on long term durability of concrete. Sulphate content in soil and ground water can destroy concrete pavements that are not properly designed. Alkali–aggregate reactions (AAR) are chemical reactions in concrete that can negatively affect concrete pavements.