Chloride ingress and critical crack width

Author(s): M.R. de Rooij, I. Yoon, E. Schlangen
Paper category: Workshop
Book title: International RILEM Workshop on Integral Service Life Modelling of Concrete Structures
Editor(s): R.M. Ferreira, J. Gulikers, C. Andrade
Print ISBN: 978-2-35158-058-5
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-090-5
Publisher: RILEM Publications SARL
Pages: 79 - 86
Total Pages: 8
Language: English

Abstract: 
Performance based demands for new structures have pushed awareness of durability in the spotlight. In this process compliance tests like the Rapid Chloride Migration (RCM) test have been set up to test durability properties. These are then used to help design concrete materials for long lasting structures. In such design process ordinarily crack free concrete is considered. However, critical crack widths do exist and are taken as maximum allowable crack widths depending on their exposure condition. The exact values of these crack widths in combination with exposure conditions are ground for much debate.
In this article research is described on fractured samples of ordinary Portland concrete, high performance concrete and high performance concrete with steel fibres. Chloride ingress in these fractured samples has been studied by the RCM-method. It is shown that crack widths less than 0.05 mm already have open crack lengths in which the penetration of chloride is exactly equal to the open crack length. In this article a way to determine the open crack length is described. A strong argument is made to focus more on crack depth rather than on crack width.

Online publication: 2013
Publication Type: full_text
Public price (Euros): 0.00