The effects of borax on the setting time, compressive strength, bond strength, drying shrinkage and pH value were investigated for potassium magnesium phosphate cement (MKPC). The results show that with the increase of borax dosage, the setting time is gradually extended, both compressive strength and bond strength are greatly decreased, the drying shrinkage rate is increased. Especially high dosage of borax, the extension of setting time is more obvious. Compared with that without borax, when the dosage of borax is 12.5%, setting time can be prolonged by 214.8%.The influence of borax dosage on the time-dependent effect of compressive strength shows that when the dosage of borax is 2.5%~5.0%, compressive strength increases rapidly from 4h to 1d, and increases relatively slowly from 1d to 3d. When borax dosage is less than 2.5% or higher than 5%, the law of time-dependent effect of compressive strength is the opposite. Compared to borax prior to magnesia addition, the pH value of the system is larger and the time of inflection point is advanced when borax and magnesia are mixed together at the same time. The increase of borax dosage can reduce the pH value of the system, and decrease the rising rate of pH value, at the same time the required time when the final pH value is relatively stable is longer.

The effects of the ratio of magnesium to phosphorus (Mg/P) on the compressive strength, bond strength, drying shrinkage and pH value of magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) were investigated. The results show that the consistent effect of the ratio of Mg/P on compressive strength and bond strength, as the ratio increases, the strengths are both first increased and then decreased, and the best ratio is 3:1. For setting time and drying shrinkage, the effects of the ratio of Mg/P are both obvious. Mainly manifested as the increase of the ratio, all of them show a decreasing trend. And the setting time can be shortened by 78%, furthermore, 28d the maximum drying shrinkage rate can be reduced by 29%. The effect of the ratio of Mg/P on pH value is mainly that when the ratio increases, the time of the inflection point of pH value is obviously advanced, and their final pH value is close.

To improve structure durability of Cao’e River Floodgate in China, durability and lifetime prediction of high-volume ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) concrete were investigated. Chloride ion permeability was analyzed with nature soaking method and RCM method. High-volume GGBS concrete had better capability to resist chloride ion penetration with lower diffusion coefficient of chloride ion than ordinary Portland concrete (OPC) had. Experiment of steel-bar corrosion in dry-wet environments proved that high-volume GGBS concrete had better performance to protect steel-bar than OPC had. In the sulfate solution, high-volume GGBS mortar bars only produced small expansion which was 40% of that of Portland cement mortar bars. The performance of frost resistance of high-volume GGBS concrete was favorable. GGBS debased the capability of carbonation resistance. Lifetime prediction illuminated high-volume GGBS concrete was beneficial to extended project lifespan. The results show that high-volume GGBS concrete can solve the facing durability problem of Cao’e River Floodgate.

Sulfate attack of cementitious materials is closely related to the essential properties of cementitious materials and erosive environments. Therefore, the foundation of service life prediction model becomes very difficult and complicated. In this paper, the temperature and concentration of an erosive solution were taken into account in lab accelerating test, the service life prediction model of sulfate attack based on equivalent time and damage variable was founded by using Arrhenius equation, the concept of maturity, Fick’s law and the theory of damage mechanics. Dynamic elastic modulus value change, and/or mass change, and/or compressive or flexural strength change, et al. can be used as damage variable to show the evolving process of sulfate attack in concrete in this prediction model, and certain changed rate was considered as the damage critical value in concrete in terms of the standard or references or test results. To estimate the possible service life of concrete structures in sulfate attacking condition by lab accelerating test according to this prediction model, it will be benefit to guide the selection of raw materials and design of durability in concrete.

To protect circumstance and improve of structure durability of Cao’e River floodgate, high volume industrial residue concrete (HVIRC) was prepared, and its mechanical property and durability were studied systematically. 10% of fly ash and 40% of ground granulated blast-furnace slag was used to replace 50% of cement in HVIRC. HVIRC had better anti-carking ability with larger tensile strength, larger ultimate tensile strain, larger tensile-compressive strength ratio and smaller elastic modulus-to-strength ratio. Dry shrinkage rate of HVIRC was similar with that of ordinary Portland concrete (OPC). HVIRC had higher compactness with smaller gas diffusion coefficient and relative permeability coefficient. Expansion caused by alkali-silica reaction reduced greatly by using high volume industrial residue and alkali-silica reaction was controlled markedly. HVIRC had better property of chloride ion penetration resistance with low effective diffusion coefficient. HVIRC could protect steel-bar from premature corrosions. Properties of sulfate resistance and frost resistance of HVIRC were also favorable. It’s proved that high volume industrial residue can enhance greatly mechanical property and durability of concrete and HVIRC can be used in Cao’e River floodgate.