Carbonation

Test
What is carbonation test of concrete?

Carbonation testing provides a means with

which the inspector can determine the
extent of carbon dioxide infiltration into
the concrete. The process is similar to chloride
ion testing where a sample is either removed,
either by coring or drilling and the sample is
tested by the application of a revealer.
 What does carbonation do to
concrete?

Carbonation of concrete is the chemical reaction between

carbon dioxide in the air and calcium hydroxide and
hydrated calcium silicate in the concrete to give mainly
carbonates.
Carbonation reduces the pH-value of concrete. A high pH
is needed to protect the reinforcement against corrosion
 How is carbonation test done?

The carbonation test is performed

by extracting the cores of in-situ concrete.
The carbonation test is also performed by
drilling a hole on the concrete surface to the
different depth up to concrete cover. Remove
the dust by brush and Blow the air to clean the
hole.
What is carbonation depth test?

Carbonation of the concrete, caused by carbon

dioxide in the atmosphere, has the effect of
reducing the pH. Carbonation depth
is assessed using a solution of
phenolphthalein indicator that appears
pink in contact with alkaline concrete with
pH values in excess of 9 and colourless at
lower levels of pH.
 How is carbonation measured
in concrete?

The usual, simple method to monitor the

concrete carbonation is a colorimetric method
based on phenolphthalein spraying. It
assesses a carbonation depth (Pc) corresponding
to a pH value roughly equal to 9 and is applied
either on cores of real structures or on
specimens carbonated in laboratory conditions.
THANK YOU

-ARYAN GANDHI