Physical and Mechanical Characteristics of Variotropic Concrete during Cyclic and Continuous Sulfate Attack

Abstract

The concrete of numerous buildings and structures is at increased risk due to various kinds of aggressive pollutants. In this regard, it is necessary to implement and take additional actions, among which the so-called technological methods for concrete structure property modification are promising. These methods comprise improvement and modernization of existing technologies to produce the most effective concrete building structures before the introduction of steel reinforcement. One of the effective and proven technological and design solutions is the use of centrifuged and vibrocentrifuged concrete of an annular section with a variotropic concrete structure. The aim of the work was to study the physical and mechanical properties of variotropic concretes of annular structures when exposed to sulfate attack. As a result of the cyclic impact of sulfate attack, the mass loss of vibrocentrifuged concrete was the smallest in comparison with centrifuged (17% less) and vibrated concrete (37% less). The loss of cube and prism strength of vibrocentrifuged concrete was the smallest in comparison with centrifuged (20% and 18% less, respectively) and vibrated concrete (42% and 38% less, respectively). The sulfate attack rate, as a depth of penetration and concrete destruction, was 46% less for vibrocentrifuged concrete than for centrifuged concrete and 65% less than for vibrated concrete.