How To Prevent Concrete Deterioration?
The following measures are taken to prevent deterioration of concrete:
1. From the consideration of permeability, the water-cement ratio is usually limited to 0.45 to 0.55.
2. The cement content should be such that it ensures sufficient alkalinity to prevent corrosion of reinforcement. For concreting under marine environment, minimum cement content of 350 kg/m or more is to be used.
3. The water-cement ratio and the cement content must provide enough paste to overfill the voids in compacted concrete.
4. Use of Portland slag cement or Portland pozzolana cement is advantageous for concreting in sea water.
5. Use of Portland cement having C3A content less than 5% is suitable for concreting under sulphate environment.
6. The super-sulphated cement provides acceptable durability against the acidic environment.
7. Addition of hydraulic additives is also helpful to prevent the deterioration of concrete.
8. It is possible to attain a marked improvement in the quality of concrete by encouraging natural or artificial carbonation of the surface layer.
9. Deterioration of concrete can also be prevented by treating the concrete with solutions of suitable salts or even acids in minor concentration.
10. The durability of concrete can also be increased by impregnating the pores with a suitable polymer.
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