Impact of Fly Ashes from Combustion in Fluidized Bed Boilers and Siliceous Fly Ashes on Durability of Mortars Exposed to Seawater and Carbonation Process

Abstract

This article presents test results of aggressive environment impact, i.e., seawater, acid solutions and carbonation, on the durability of cement–ash mortars. Tests were conducted on CEM I 42.5R-based mortars containing 35 to 70% by mass of FBC fly ash from brown and black coal combustion in a homogeneous form and mixtures of 35% by mass of siliceous fly ashes (CFA) and 35% by mass of FBC fly ash. It was demonstrated that in normal conditions (20 °C), FBC ashes showed higher pozzolanic activity than CFA, except when their curing temperature was increased to 50 °C. FBC ashes increased mortars’ water demands, which led to an accelerated carbonation process. In an environment of Cl- ions, cement–ash mortars showed more Ca2+ ions leached and no expansive linear and mass changes, which, with their increased strength, might be an argument in favour for their future use in construction of coastal structures resistant to seawater. FBC ash content may be increased to 35% by mass, maintaining mortars’ resistance to seawater, acid rain and carbonation. A favourable solution turned out to be a FBC and CFA mixed addition to cement of 35% by mass each, in contrast to mortars containing 70% of FBC fly ash in homogeneous form.