Durability of low carbon concrete verified by various curing conditions for freeze-thaw testing

Abstract

This study investigated the feasibility of producing low carbon concrete (LCC) using supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) and evaluated their impact on concrete F-T durability. Variations in the curing conditions were done to see the effect it had on the F-T resistance. These results were then supported by compressive- and chloride migration testing. The performance of different concrete mixtures containing silica fume (SF), fly ash (FA), limestone powder (LP), dolomite (DO), and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) was evaluated. The study also examined the limitations of current F-T testing methods and the challenges they face in assessing F-T durability. The results showed that concrete mixtures containing up to 47% SCM's performed well, especially if let cure for 56 days instead of the standard 28 days, with one mixture containing 20% dolomite outperforming the reference mixture on all tests performed on hardened concrete.