Influence of the Type of Cement on the Durability of Concrete Structures Exposed to Various Carbonation Environments in Greece: A Contribution to the Sustainability of Structures

Abstract

The research objective of this paper is to investigate the effect of different types of cement and different climatic conditions on the durability of reinforced concrete structures to understand and address issues of durability and erosion. The types of cement used were CEM I 42.5N, CEM II/A-M (P-LL) 42.5N and CEM II/B-M (W-P-LL) 32.5N. Mixtures of three different cement mortars and six different concretes were prepared with these three types of cement. Cement mortars were produced according to the European standard EN 196-1. Concrete mixtures were of the strength classes C25/30 and C30/37. Concrete mixtures produced according to the specifications of the European standard EN 206 may have a shorter service life due to carbonation-induced corrosion if the choice of the cement type is not made carefully. The results indicate that the carbonation rate of concrete mixtures is significantly influenced by the type and strength class of the cement used. Using meteorological data from six regions of Greece, an empirical carbonation prediction model for these regions was obtained.