Durability of Concrete Pavements Exposed to Freeze-Thaw Cycles in Different Saline Environments

摘要

Concrete pavements suffer from deicing salt attack and freeze-thaw damage to different degrees. These damages reduce the service life of pavement systems and consequently increase the life-cycle cost of pavements and environmental footprints associated with transportation infrastructure. Salt erosion and environmental condition are common causes of damage to pavements due to adverse impact on concrete durability. This paper examines the impact of sodium chloride (NaCl) solution and freeze-thaw cycles on the performance of concrete made with water-to-cementitious-materials ratios of 0.4. The experimental investigation includes three different saline environments with salt-to-water ratios of 0%, 10%, and 20%, in presence and absence of saline solution. Results include the 28-day compressive strength and weight loss of 22 specimens. Results show that the concrete specimens subjected to freeze-thaw cycles were peeled more severely in saline solution than those in the absence of chloride salt solution. However, the amount of peeling exhibited a decrease when the NaCl percentage rose from 10% to 20%. Further, observations revealed that the presence of NaCl intensified the weight loss and strength reduction at 28-day age.