Effects of sodium chloride and magnesium sulfate concentration on the durability of cement mortar with and without fly ash

This study was carried out on the effect of NaCl and MgSO4 solutions on the mechanical and physical properties of mortars with and without fly ash. Experiments were conducted on the standard mortars and mortars with fly ash in the replacement ratio of 20-50%. Class F Çayırhan, fly ash and CEM I 42.5 N cement were used. NaCl and MgSO4 exposure of mortars were initiated after 28 days standard water curing. Tests of 28, 56, 90th days were conducted on flexural strength, compressive strength, unit weight, volumetric water absorption, capillary water absorption, resonance frequency and ultrasound velocity. Nine specimens from each series at the size of 40 × 40 × 160 mm were kept in NaCl and MgSO4 at the same concentrations of 40,000 mg/l. At the end of destructive and nondestructive tests, it is seen that specimens kept in the solution of NaCl had less compressive and flexural strength than the stored one in the solution of MgSO4. The solution of NaCl damaged the specimens more than the solution of MgSO4 did.