Long-Term Mechanical Properties and Durability Characteristics of High-Strength/High-Performance Concrete Incorporating Supplementary Cementing Materials under Outdoor Exposure Conditions

This paper presents the results of tests performed on the compressive strength of high-strength/high-performance concrete after up to 10 years; the modulus of elasticity (E-modulus) after 2 years, 4 years, and 10 years; and the carbonation depth and the resistance of concrete to chloride-ion penetration after 10 years. The tests were performed on drilled cores taken from structural test elements simulating concrete columns. In addition, the compressive strength of cylinders cured in a moist room and in the field, as well as the compressive strength of drilled cores taken from the structural elements after up to 4 years, was determined. After 10 years, the compressive strength of the cores drilled from the column elements of the control portland cement concrete (PCC) and concrete incorporating various supplementary cementing materials ranged from 86.4 MPa to 110.3 MPa. The highest strength was obtained for the high-volume fly ash concrete followed by the control PCC, slag concrete, silica fume concrete, and concrete incorporating a combination of slag and silica fume, in that order. Even though the high-volume fly ash concrete at ages up to 28 days had lower strength than the other concretes, it attained the highest strength gain of more than 120% between 28 days and 10 years. On the contrary, the concrete incorporating 12% silica fume had the highest compressive strength at ages up to 28 days, but it had a strength gain of only 18% beyond that age. In general, the E-moduli of the moist- and field-cured cylinders and the cores taken from the column elements were similar. For the cores drilled from the column elements, the fly ash concrete had the highest E-modulus at all three ages of 2 years, 4 years, and 10 years. The experimentally determined E-moduli ranged from 83% to 116% of the values calculated according to American Concrete Institute Code 318. In tests performed in accordance with American Society for Testing and Materials C 1202, the charge passed through all the concretes at 10 years was less than 1,000 coulombs, indicating very high resistance of the concretes to the chloride-ion penetration. After 10 years of outdoor exposure, the depth of carbonation in all the concretes was negligible.