Alkali-aggregate reaction suppressed by chemical admixture at 80 °C

Abstract More detailed researches of chemical admixture in inhibiting Alkali-aggregate reaction (AAR) at 80 °C curing condition were done in this paper. It seemed that AAR expansion could be long-term effectively inhibited by LiOH both at the alkali contents of 2.5% and 3.0%. In addition, there was some effect on AAR suppression of the alkali reactivity of the aggregate, the alkali content of the mortar and the added amount of the admixture. Firstly, the higher the alkali reactivity of the aggregate was, the better the inhibiting effect of LiOH showed. Secondly, to the mortars with the same aggregate, the inhibiting effect of LiOH with the same n(Li)/n(Na) molar ratio was improved with the augmentation of alkali content. Thirdly, when added to some extent, further augmentation of LiOH in mortar was not effective in increasing the AAR inhibition obviously. In the last, direct results of lithium compounds in suppressing AAR were found by SEM and EDS and the mechanism was discussed.