Accelerated testing of cementitious materials for resistance to physical sulfate attack

Sulfate attack can cause serious damage to concrete structures. Susceptibility of binders to chemical sulfate attack is often tested, however, no standard method exists for evaluation of concrete's resistance to physical sulfate attack. Traditional field testing of concrete's resistance to sulfate attack may take several years. Thus development of an accelerated testing procedure is required. The aim of this research is to evaluate suitable exposure conditions and deterioration evaluation methods suitable for accelerated testing. A number of methods for assessment of the level of deterioration were assessed. It was found that 100 thermal cycles between 5 and 30 °C while immersed in 30 wt% sodium sulfate solution were sufficient to assess the resistance of a wide range of mortar mixes. The mass loss proved as the most effective measure of the deterioration level.