Techniques to Improve Resistance against Physical Sulphate Attack

Site experience has frequently shown that concrete exposed to a sulphate-rich environment can experience surface scaling above the ground level due to physical sulphate attack. In many situations, this attack has been neglected and confused with a chemical sulphate attack. In continuation, current standards only focus on chemical aspects of sulphate attack. This lack of information in the previous literature has led to uncertainty and ambiguity regarding the process of concrete deterioration caused by physical sulphate attack.The present thesis evaluated the durability of concrete against physical sulphate attack. The influence of SCM, W/B ratio with various curing conditions on the behaviour of concrete subjected to physical sulphate attack was investigated. The influence of various surface treatment materials in reducing physical sulphate attack on concrete was evaluated.