ACI 201.

2R-08

Guide to Durable Concrete

Reported by ACI Committee 201

Russell L. Hill Kevin J. Folliard

Chair Secretary

Jon B. Ardahl William G. Hime Stella Lucie Marusin Niels Thaulow

Andrew J. Boyd Charles J. Hookham Mohamad A. Nagi Michael D. A. Thomas
Paul W. Brown R. Doug Hooton Robert E. Neal Paul J. Tikalsky
Ramon J. Carrasquillo Brian B. Hope Charles K. Nmai David Trejo
Rachel J. Detwiler Donald J. Janssen Karthik H. Obla Claude B. Trusty, Jr.
Jonathan E. Dongell Roy H. Keck Robert C. O’Neill Thomas J. Van Dam
Per Fidjestol Mohammad S. Khan David A. Rothstein Orville R. Werner, II
Harvey H. Haynes Kimberly E. Kurtis Mauro J. Scali Terry J. Willems
Geoffrey Hichborn, Sr. Joseph F. Lamond Hannah C. Schell Michelle L. Wilson
Eugene D. Hill, Jr.* Michael L. Leming Jan P. Skalny

*
Deceased.

This guide describes specific types of concrete deterioration. Each chapter CONTENTS
contains a discussion of the mechanisms involved and the recommended Chapter 1—Introduction and scope, p. 201.2R-2
requirements for individual components of concrete, quality considerations
for concrete mixtures, construction procedures, and influences of the exposure Chapter 2—Notation and definitions, p. 201.2R-3
environment, which are all important considerations to ensure concrete 2.1—Notation and definitions
durability.
This guide was developed for conventional concrete but is generally
applicable to specialty concretes; however, specialty concretes, such as Chapter 3—Fresh concrete, p. 201.2R-3
roller-compacted or pervious concrete, may have unique durability-related 3.1—Introduction
issues that deserve further attention that are not addressed herein. Readers 3.2—Pore structure
should consult other ACI documents for more detailed information on 3.3—Mixing effects
special concretes of interest. 3.4—Placement and consolidation
3.5—Bleeding
Keywords: abrasion resistance; acid attack; admixture; aggregate; air
entrainment; alkali-aggregate reaction; calcium chloride; carbonation; cement
3.6—Cracking of fresh concrete
paste; corrosion; curing; deicer; deterioration; durability; fly ash; freezing and 3.7—Summary
thawing; mixture proportion; petrography; pozzolan; reinforced concrete; salt
scaling; sea water exposure; silica fume; skid resistance; spalling; strength; Chapter 4—Freezing and thawing of concrete,
sulfate attack; supplementary cementitious materials; temperature; water- p. 201.2R-5
cementitious material ratio. 4.1—Introduction
4.2—Frost attack of concrete made with durable aggregates
4.3—Frost attack of concrete made with nondurable
ACI Committee Reports, Guides, Manuals, Standard
Practices, and Commentaries are intended for guidance in aggregates
planning, designing, executing, and inspecting construction.
This document is intended for the use of individuals who are Chapter 5—Alkali-aggregate reaction, p. 201.2R-13
competent to evaluate the significance and limitations of its 5.1—Introduction
content and recommendations and who will accept
responsibility for the application of the material it contains. 5.2—Types of reactions
The American Concrete Institute disclaims any and all
responsibility for the stated principles. The Institute shall not
be liable for any loss or damage arising therefrom.
Reference to this document shall not be made in contract ACI 201.2R-08 supersedes ACI 201.2R-01 and was adopted and published June 2008.
documents. If items found in this document are desired by the Copyright © 2008, American Concrete Institute.
All rights reserved including rights of reproduction and use in any form or by any
Architect/Engineer to be a part of the contract documents, they means, including the making of copies by any photo process, or by electronic or
shall be restated in mandatory language for incorporation by mechanical device, printed, written, or oral, or recording for sound or visual reproduction
the Architect/Engineer. or for use in any knowledge or retrieval system or device, unless permission in writing
is obtained from the copyright proprietors.

201.2R-1
201.2R-2 ACI COMMITTEE REPORT
5.3—Evaluating aggregates for potential alkali-aggregate
reactivity
5.4—Preventive measures
Chapter 6—Chemical attack, p. 201.2R-22
6.1—Introduction
6.2—Chemical sulfate attack by sulfate from sources
external to concrete
6.3—Physical salt attack
6.4—Seawater exposure
6.5—Acid attack
6.6—Carbonation
Chapter 7—Corrosion of metals and other
materials embedded in concrete, p. 201.2R-28
7.1—Introduction
7.2— General principles of corrosion initiation in concrete
7.3—Propagation of corrosion
7.4—Corrosion-related properties of concreting materials
7.5—Preventing corrosion
7.6—Corrosion of materials other than steel
7.7—Summary
Chapter 8—Abrasion, p. 201.2R-33
8.1—Introduction
8.2—Testing concrete for resistance to abrasion
8.3—Factors affecting abrasion resistance of concrete
8.4—Recommendations for obtaining abrasion-resistant
concrete surfaces
8.5—Studded tire and tire chain wear on concrete
8.6—Skid resistance of pavements
Chapter 9—References, p. 201.2R-36
9.1—Referenced standards and reports
9.2—Cited references
Appendix A—Method for preparing extract for
analysis of water-soluble sulfate in soil,
p. 201.2R-49
CHAPTER 1—INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE
Concrete is one of the most widely used construction
materials in the world. This fact attests to concrete’s
performance as a versatile building material. Durability
represents one of the key characteristics of concrete that has
led to its widespread use. Durability of hydraulic-cement
concrete is determined by its ability to resist weathering action,
chemical attack, abrasion, or any other process of deterioration.
Durable concrete will retain its original form, quality, and
serviceability when exposed to its environment. Properly
designed, proportioned, placed, finished, tested, inspected,
and cured concrete is capable of providing decades of service
with little or no maintenance. Certain conditions or envi-
ronments exist that will lead to concrete deterioration.
Attacking mechanisms can be chemical, physical, or
mechanical in nature, and originate from external or internal
sources. Chemical and physical attacking mechanisms often
work synergistically. Depending on the nature of attack,
distress may be concentrated in the paste, aggregate, or
reinforcing components of the concrete (or a combination
thereof).
The various factors influencing durability and the particular
mechanism of deterioration should be considered in the
context of the environmental conditions to which the
concrete would be subjected. In addition, consideration
should be given to the microclimate to which the specific
structural element is exposed. Deterioration, or the severity
of deterioration, of a given structure may be affected by its
orientation to wind, precipitation, or temperature. For
instance, exterior girders in a bridge structure may be
exposed to a different and more aggressive environment than
interior girders.
The concept of service life is increasingly used for the
design of new structures. To provide durable concrete, the
specific demands on the concrete in its intended use should
be given careful consideration. Required service life, design
requirements, and expected exposure environments (macro
and micro) should be determined before defining the
appropriate materials and mixture proportions necessary to
produce concrete suitable for a particular application. The
use of good materials and proper mixture proportioning will
not necessarily ensure durable concrete. Appropriate
measures of quality control, testing, inspection, placement
practices, and workmanship are essential to the production
of durable concrete. Properly designed testing and inspection
programs that use trained and certified personnel are also
important to ensure that durable concrete is produced. ACI
has a number of certification programs that are applicable.
This guide discusses the more important causes of concrete
deterioration and gives recommendations on how to prevent
such damage. Chapters on fresh concrete, freezing and
thawing, alkali-aggregate reaction (AAR), aggressive chemical
exposure, corrosion of metals, and abrasion are included.
Fire resistance of concrete and cracking are not addressed in
detail, because they are covered in ACI 216.1, 224R, and
224.1R, respectively.
Fresh or unhardened concrete can be consolidated and
molded to the desired shape to serve its intended purpose.
During this stage, a number of properties significantly
influencing the durability of the hardened concrete are
established. Pore structure development, air-void system
formation, material mixing, placement and consolidation,
curing, and minimizing or eliminating cracking of plastic
concrete are all important to the ultimate durability of concrete.
Deterioration of concrete exposed to freezing conditions
can occur when there is sufficient internal moisture present
that can freeze at the given exposure conditions. Freezing-
and-thawing damage is a serious problem, and is greatly
accelerated by the use of deicing salts. Fortunately, concrete
made with high-quality aggregates, a low water-cementi-
tious material ratio (w/cm), a proper air-void system, and that
is allowed to mature before being exposed to freezing and
thawing, is highly resistant to freezing-and-thawing damage.
Although aggregate is commonly considered to be inert
filler, this is not always the case in a concrete environment.
Certain aggregates can react with alkali hydroxides from
cement and other materials, causing expansion and deterioration.