DURABILITY CHARACTERISTICS OF PRECAST CONCRETE BOX CULVERTS. FINAL REPORT

This laboratory research study focused on: (1) durability of wetcast, precast, box culverts with and without air entrainment; (2) durability of drycast, precast, box culverts without air entrainment; and (3) durability of wetcast and drycast, precast, box culverts made from concrete with the addition of microsilica and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBF). Based on examination of nine wetcast and four drycast box culverts, it was concluded that the use of air-entrained concrete improves the freeze-thaw durability of wetcast box culverts; drycast box culverts that are produced using non-air-entrained concrete have unsatisfactory freeze-thaw durability; the addition of microsilica and GGBF to the concrete reduced chloride ion permeability in both wetcast and drycast concrete box culverts.