Pore Structure Degradation of Different Cement Mortars Exposed to Sulphuric Acid

Abstract

Acid attack causes the deterioration of construction material surfaces. The objective of this study was to investigate the degradation of different types of cement mortar in terms of variations in pore size distribution obtained by mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), mass loss, and compressive strength. The mortars were manufactured with nanosilica, zinc stearate, and an ethyl silicate coating. After curing (28 days), the samples were subjected to acid exposure for 90 days, immersed ina solution (3% w/w) of sulphuric acid (H2SO4). The results indicate that the mortars showed a more refined microstructure, with a higher proportion of smaller pores (<100 nm) compared to the control mortar. The 28-day and 90-day compressive strength variations of mortars were also determined by observing pronounced reduction due to the appearance of expansive compounds responsible for microcracking.

Assessment of the Durability Against a Chemical Attack of Fiber-Reinforced Lightweight Pouzzolanic Concrete under the Effect of Temperature

“…Acidic environments that are expected to be harmful to concrete begin with pure waters, and progress to fresh water, before ending with inorganic and organic acids, including wastewater [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32]. LWC with polypropylene fibers has demonstrated good performance against acid attack when made from pozzolanic aggregates and reinforced with fibers [33].…”