° IP 6/92 BRE Information Paper pa 1002 Latest research information and how to apply it cvs a2 Durability of blastfurnace slag cement concretes GJ Osborne, LRSC ‘This paper summarises the results of studies carried out at the Building Research Establishment on the performance and long-term durability of crete Where ground glassy blastfurnace slag (granulated and pelletised) hhas been used as a cementitious material. Data from laboratory and site studies are used to compare the properties and performance of slag cement coneretes with those of conventional Portland cement coneretes of similar mix design. A number of recommendations are made for the effective use of cementitious blastfurnace slag in concrete. The paper is intended to provide guidance for those concerned with the design, speciicat application and performance of coneret INTRODUCTION ‘The influence of ground glassy blastfurnace slag (as specified in BS 6699:1986) on selected concrete properties and its contributions to their improvement, particularly the long- term durability of laboratory-prepared concrete, were determined in these studies. The main properties covered wore eatbonation, permeability. sulphate resistance, acid resistance, performance in marine environments (including penetration of ionic species, protection of steel reinforcement and frost resistance) and the effect on alkali-silica reaction, These studies mainly examined ‘materials available in the UK but included some from abeoad, Among early examples of the use of ground granulated blastfurnace slag in concrete is the Humber Bridge shown in Figure 1. The long-term durability of eoncrete is dependent tupon a number of physical and chemical parameters. [Lis generally recognised that the foremost prerequisite for durable conerete is that it be dense and impermeable to liquids and gases, with a high resistance to penetration of ionic species such as sulphates and chlorides!. For the best performance the mix design must be appropriate to the particular application, and the preparation, placing, compaction and curing should be carried out under prope supervision, British Standard BS 8110:Part 1:1985 is the code of practice for design and construction, BS 5328:Patt 1:199) advises on the selection of material and the specification of mixes for production of concrete with the required properties es eee inthe fresh and hardened state. and places a considerable Figure The Humber Bridge: an early example ofthe use of ground ‘emphasis on durability. Distinction is made in BS 5328 jranulated blsturnace slag in conerete ‘Building Research Establishment Garston, Watford, WD2 7 [a] =] Telephone 0923 894040 Building Research Establishment Seen ee eaebetween structural and non-structural concrete and between unreinforced. reinforced and prestressed coneretes. Account 's taken of standard specifications relating to ground granulated blastfurnace slag used in composite cements or in equivalent combinations. Other specifications relevant to this study are BS 6349:Part 11984 and the European pre standarel ENV 206 “Concrete — performance, production, placing and compliance criteria. STUDIES OF SITE STRUCTURES The quality and performance of conerete in larg blocks and in actual structures were determined by testing site-stored drilled cores. The concrete cores contained different levels of ground granulated blastfurnace slag (0%, 50% and 70%) as 4 cement replacement material, and were assessed ia terms of their depth of carbonation and gas or water permeability? The field structures had been designed to comply with BS 53371976 (now BS 80071987), factors influencing the depth of carbonation of in-situ, slender-section (less than 450 rum), slag cement conerete slabs anid columns in the field, were found to be the evel of slag replacement of Portland cement and the environmental conditions in which the coneretes were situated, The evidence from field structures showed that coneretes with 50% of slag as replacement achieved resistance to carbonation equivalent to that of ordinary Poriland cement (OPC) coneretes in most indoor and outdoor environments. However, carbonation was greater in the high slag (70% ) content cements, especially i associated with a sheltered or drying microclimate (see Figure 2) Figure 2 Core throvgh oluma, from sheltered external site, containing 10% slag as The application of phenolphthaein ‘olution eves he extent of earbonation, ie the bands on both fends that ae not pink This confirmed the findings of earlier laboratory-based studies at BRE®. These studies had shown that slag cement coneretes, particulary at high levels of replacement such as, 70% and 80%. carbonated significantly more than Portland cement coneretes of similar mix design when specimens were not moist-cured and were subsequently stored in dry internal environments, Carbonation was greater in the high slag-content concretes in these situations and they developed lower compressive strengths. However, the coneretes stored in water, or those from the exposure sites that had been subjected to moist conditions, attained their design strengths and showed little or no carbonation. For all the coneretes there was a good correlation between depth of earbonation and compressive strength at 28 days and greater ages, with the carbonation depth varying proportionally tothe square root of the age of the concrete. Permeability to gases and water ‘The effect of slag replacement on gas and water permeability ‘vas studied in tests carried out on 50 mm thick sections cut from 150 mm diameter cores taken from in-situ concrete structures in the field. Oxygen, nitrogen and water permeability measurements were made using a permeability cell developed by Lawrencet, In gencral, gas and water permeability decreased with increased Portland cement content and as slag replacement levels were reduced from 70% to 50%. No data were obtained for concretes with less than 50% slag, but permeabilities may be similar to those of OPC coneretes, LABORATORY AND EXPOSURE SITE STUDIES OF CONCRETE DURABILITY ‘The resistance of slag cement coneretes to sulphate, acid and marine environments was assessed in a series of studies using laboratory storage and external exposure sites, Concrete mixes were prepared at BRE to a mix design that satisfied the minimum requirements of BS 8110:Part 1:1985, or BS 5328:Part 1:1990, for conerete placed in conditions of severe exposure, und the requirements for concrete exposed to sulphate attack according to BRE Digest 363 (Table 1, classes 3-5) Iris stressed that the Portland and slag cement concretes were designed to equal cement content and workability and not to the same 28-day strength, A series of coneretes was prepared using three Portland ‘cements of low, medium and high tricalcium aluminate (CsA) content and five blastfurnace slags (two pelletised and three granulated) with low, medium and high alumina (AlO3) levels. Thames Valley coarse and fine aggregates were used Specimens cast were plain concrete cubes (100 mm) and prisms (305 x 100% 100 mm) containing reinforcing bars (:ebars) at nominal caver depths of 10 and 20:mm. All coneretes had a nominal cement content (ie Portland cement plus sag) of 380 kgim*. Details of the concrete mix design, Fresh conerete properties and curing regimes are given celsewhere® SULPHATE RESISTANCE Studies*? showed that the sulphate resistance of Portland and blastfurnace slag cement coneretes is dependent upon the following criteria: curing regime, cement type (C3A content of OPC and alumina content of slag) and the storage solution, Caring regime ‘The early curing of concrete (in the firs few weeks after ‘manufacture) was the most significant factor influencing sulphate resistance, as it was with other cement properties. However, contrary to requirements for other durability properties, t was found that a period of air storage before {immersion in sulphate solutions is beneficial to sulphate resistance. Irrespective of cement type, concretes cured in air for 27 days at 20°C and 65% relative humidity, before immersion in high-strength sulphate solution, were extremely resistant to sulphate attack. Even coneretes demoulded after 1 day and placed in sulphate solution within the next few hours, showed better resistance to attack than specimens water-cured for up 10 28 days to attain their design strength before immersion. This is at variance with the normal requirements and recommendations for the proper curing of conerete for ‘most other applications, where there is a need to minimise the effects of carbonation and to atain optimum strength development as discussed earlier. However, the effectiveness of 27 days of air storage was clearly demonstrated by the excellent physical appearance, strength retention and low dogree of sulphate attack observed in Portland and blastfurnace slag cement coneretes alike, This bencticial effect‘Sing coment coer OPC concrete Figure 3 Comparison of sulphate attack on OPC concrete with that on eoerete containing blastfurace sag (70% replacement for high CyA OPC), The blocks were stored ‘sour (upper pair) sed magnesium (lower pat) sulphate solutions for 2 years is thought to be primarily due to the formation of a carbonated outer layer leading to blocking of the pores and refinement of the pore structure’. The practical significance of this finding is discussed in a BRE report of long-term studies of sulphate resistance of buried concrete’, Cement type The main chemical factors that influenced the sulphate resistance of Portland and blastfurnace slag cements were the CsA content of the Portland cement and the alumina level ofthe slag”®. Low C)A, sulphate-resisting Portland cement (SRPC) concretes were highly resistant to attack, 2s \were combinations of the medium and high CA OPCs with ow alumina slags, Sulphate attack was greatest when both the CyA content ofthe Portland cement and the alumina level af the slag were high. The level of replacement of OPC by slag was also important with 70% and 80% proving ‘most beneficial, particularly for high Cy OPCs, when substantial reductions in sulphate ion ingress were realised (Figure 3) Storage solu Magnesium sulphate was generally a more aggressive agent than the equivalent strength sodium sulphate solution ‘There appears to be an inereased sensitivity of slag cements (and cements containing pulverised-fuel ash) to strong. magnesium sulphate solution, Consequently the additional precaution of limiting water-soluble magnesium has been introduced when these cements are used in sulphate classes and 5 in BRE Digest 3635 BRE Digest 363 The beneficial effect of ground glassy bl ‘furnace slag on the sulphate-resistance of concrete has been clearly jemonsteated in BRE work*”, It is recognised in BRE Digest 363° which advocates the use of « minimum of 70% slag as replacement for OPC in severe sulphate conditions| {classes 4 and 5), with caveats on the alumina content of the slag and CyA level of OPC. The Digest recommend that: for sulphate resistanee purposes, slags with an alumina content of over 14% should be used only with Portland ‘cements with low to moderate CyA content (typically less than 10%) Recommendations made in the Digest were ‘based upon the studies of immersion of concrete cubes in sulphate solutions described above, together with the results from a study of coneretes buried in London's highly sulphated clayey soils at Northwick Park’ ACID RESISTANCE The performance of slag cement concrete specimens stored {in moorland water of pH around 4.0, but with little dissolved carbon dioxide, is being studied by BRE at an exposure site in South Yorkshire. In general the quality of the concrete has been found to be of greater importance than the type of ‘cement used! in such aggressive solutions!. However, the reduced calcium hydroxide content and lower porosity resulting from well cured OPC/slag and OPC/pulverised-fuet ash concretes is generally regarded as being beneficial in reducing the rate of attack®. Marg achieved by using higher levels of slag as replacement for al benefits have been OPC and these need to be substantiated at greater ages. RESISTANCE TO MARINE ENVIRONMENTS, Generally, mast Portland and blastfurnace slag cement coneretes showed good resistance to sea-water attack after 5 years of exposure in tidal and full:immersion zones at BRE's marine exposure site at Shoeburyness!. All but the SRPC and high CA OPC coneretes in the full-immersion zone, and concrete with 80% high alumina slag and 20% high CA cement in the tidal zone, were rated as having good sea- water resistance and had retained at least 70% of theit control strength (water-stored) at 5 years. The following trends in performance and bebaviour were observed. Sea-water resistance, chloride ingress and protection of rebar Conere swith 70% slag as replacement for Portland cement showed good strength development and suffered the least attack in the ful-immersion zone irrespective of the type of Portland cement or slag, These concretes, ike the medium CsA OPC concretes, had very good resistance to sea-wate Dut importantly also showed significantly reduced ingress of chloride compared with the OPC coneretes. Those with 60% slag tended to suffer some sea-water attack and slightly higher chloride concentrations than those with 70% slag Coneretes with 80% slag had reduced strength development, but also had the lowest degree of ebloride penetration, particularly when in combination withthe medium Cy ‘OPC. At depths of 21 mm these 5.year-old coneretes had less than 0.5% chloride by weight of cement, compared with ‘more than 2% for the SRPC concrete (low C3A cement) Which showed the highest levels of chloride ingress in both sea-water environments, and in which the rebar would therefore be far more vulnerable to corrosion. ‘These findings are consistent with the BS 6349 recommendations For a minimum CA level of 4% for marine structures, and BS $110 which advocates the use of higher cover (an extra 10 mm) for SRPC concrete in very seve exposure conditions, ‘or extreme Pelletised slag cement coneretes, whilst attaining slightly lower strengths than their granulated slag cemer counterparts, showed marginally lower chloride ing These results sugs corrosion of rebar in slag cement coneretes would be minimal provided that the guidance on mix design and cover to reinforcement given in BS 8110 and BS 6349 is followed, BS 6349:Part 11984, Clause 58.10 Prevention of reinforcement corrosion’ st that, in practi recommends that the cover in maritime structures should be preferably 75 mm but not less than SO mm. Freeze-thaw under marine conditions All blastfurnace slag cement conerctes in the tidal zone had suffered surface frost damage to some degree in the form of “pop-outs’ and spalling that are characteristic of freeze-thaw attack, ‘The use of air entrainment should prevent this freeze-thaw attack. There was no such damage with any ofthe fully immersed specimens or with the tidal Portland ‘cement coneretes, These observations ure covered ia both BS 8110 and BS 5328 which recommend air entrainment if conerete is likely to be subjected to freezing whilst wet. ALKALI-SILICA REACTION Recommendations for minimising the risk of atkali-sitica reaction in conerete have been given in BRE Digest 330°" aand include the use of ground granulated blastfurnace slag. ‘The use of 50% slag in concrete mixes produced equivalent performance to those containing low-alkali OPC, However, the slag contains alkalis that may contribute to the alkalinity ‘ofthe pore solution. BRE Digest 330 therefore recommends that half of the acid-soluble alkali content of a slag is. \cuded in the caleulation for the total alkali level ofthe ‘concrete whee this is controlled to mect the 3 kg/m? ‘equivalent sodium oxide (Na,0) limit. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Structural concretes containing up to 50% of slag as ‘cementitious material are considered suitable for the same uses, in ordinary and mild exposure applications, as conventional OPC concretes of the same design strength. ‘Combinations of Portland cement with ground granulated or pelletised bastfurnace slags can be classed, like SRPC. as providing good sulphate-resisting properties in most of the sulphate conditions deseribed by BRE Digest 3635, provided that the alumina level in the slag is ess than 14%. Alternatively, ifthe alumina content of the sag exeeds 14%, the CyA content of the Portland cement should not exced 10%. 3. Blastfurnace slag cement coneretes with a 380 kg/m ‘cement content, a total water:cement ratio of 05, and with 70% slag as replacement for OPC, performed well when immersed in sen-water but suffered surface damage from severe frost action inthe tidal zone. In unveinforced conerete their performance and durability was equivalent to that of Portland cement concretes containing medium CyA OPC, as specified in BS 6349:Part | (Clause 38.2 “Chemical attack’), which advocates a maximum CyA, content of 10% and minimum of 4% for use in reinforced concrete maritime structures, It was demonstrated that use of high levels of slag gave the added benefit of reducing chloride ingress, which provides enhanced protection to steel reinforcement. In situations where superficial spalling in the tidal zone is aesthetically unacceptable, air entrainment may be used as a means of preventing such frost attack. 4 Higher levels of slag (70%) can be usefully employed in accordance with BS 8110:Part 1:1985 or BS $328:Part 11990, where chemical resistance to sulphates, chlorides and sea.water is required, However, in more general ‘construction, it is recommended that for thin sections particular attention should be given to both euring and cover of reinforcement, and in environmental situations where there is risk of excessive carbonation, slag levels, should be restricted 10 50%. REFERENCES 1. Matthews J D. Pulverised-fuel ash — its use in concrete. Part 2: Influences on durability, Building Research Price group 2 Aso avalabe on subscription. For cent pees please contact istors BRE Boateop, Bling Resoarch Estado, Garston, Establishment Information Paper IPI2/87, Garston, BRE, 1987, 2. Oshorne G J. Carbonation and permeability of blastfurnace slag cement coneretes from field structures. Proceedings of Third International Conference on Fly Ash, Silica Fume, Slag and Natural Pozzolans in Concrete, Trondheim, June 1989, Volume 2, SP 114, 1209-1237. ACI Detroit 3. Osborne G J. Carbonation of blastfurnace slag cement coneretes. Durability of Building Materials, 1986, 4 B1-86. 4. Lawrence € D. Measurements of permeability. Proceedings of the Eighth International Congress on the Chemisiry of Cement, Rio de Janeiro, 1986, 5 Building Research Establishment, Sulphate and acid resistance of conerete in the ground. BRE Digest 363. Garston, BRE, 1991 6 Osborne G J. The sulphate resistance of Portland and blastfurnace slag cement coneretes, Proceedings of Second CANMET/ACI International Conference on The Durability of Concreve. Montreal, August 1991. Volume Il, SP 126-56, 1047-1071 7 Osborne G J. The effectiveness of a carbonated outer layer to conerete in the prevention of sulphate attack. Proceedings of the International Conference on The Protection of Concrete, Dundee, Sept 1990. pp 74-79. 8 Harrison WH. Sulphate resistance of buried concrete. Building Research Establishment Report, Garston, BRE, 1992, 9 Osborne G J. Determination of the sulphate resistance of blastfurnace slag cements using small scale accelerated methods of test. Advances in Cement Research, 1989, 206) 21-27, 10 Osborne G J. The performance of Portland and blastfurnace Slag cement concretes in marine ‘environments, Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Fly Ash, Silica Fume, Slag and Nanural Pozzolans in Conerete, Istanbul, May 1992. 1 Building Research Establishment, Alkali aggregate reactions in concrete, BRE Digest 330, Garston, BRE, 1988 British Standards @ BS 5328:Part 1:1990 Concrete. Part 1. Guide to specitying concrete. (@ BS 5397:1976 Code of practice for the structural use of concrete for retaining aqueous liquids (now BS:8007:1987). (© BS 6349:Part 1:1984 Code of practice for maritime structures, Part 1, General eviteria © BS (499:1986 Specification for ground granulated blastfurnace slag for use with Portland cement (© BS 8110:Part 11985 Structural use of concrete, Part 1. Code of practice for design and construction. ‘WO2 7JR (otpnene 0523 854440). Full setae arenes of BRE pubicatons are gn in BRE News, ont ee to subscribers. {© Grown copyright 1902, Pubished bythe Buiking Research Establishment Applicaton rpced.o8 extracts shoula be mato the BRE Pubscatone Manager. 16999