An investigation on the damaging effects of potassium acetate deicer (KAc) on concrete durability was conducted. Different SCM replacement levels were used. ASTM C 1293 and ASTM C 1260 test methods results indicated that KAc is capable of inducing alkali-silica reaction (ASR) expansion in specimens containing reactive aggregate. Class C fly ash was ineffective even at a replacement level of 45%. Class F fly ash and slag were effective in mitigating ASR expansion for specimens exposed to diluted (25% by weight) KAc. KAc showed an increase in pH value upon exposure to concrete specimens. Concrete specimen without SCM and exposed to deicers had higher [K]/[Na] molar ratio near the surface but ions penetrated less compared to specimens containing SCM. ASTM C 666 and MTO LS-412 test methods results showed that air-entrained concrete slabs and prisms without SCM and exposed to KAc are resistant to scaling and freezing and thawing damage.

129 leaves : ill., tables ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Physics, 1978

Thesis (Ph.D.)--McMaster University, 2007. / Supervisor: Samir E. Chidiac. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on July 29, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 78-81). Also issued in print.

Thesis (Ph.D.). / Written for the Dept. of Physics. Title from title page of PDF (viewed 2009/06/11). Includes bibliographical references.

Alkali-aggregate reaction (AAR) is one of the most harmful distress mechanisms affecting the performance of aging reinforced concrete structures worldwide. Although several prediction models have been developed to assess the chemical reaction, a thorough and comprehensive approach with the capabilities to correlate important parameters that affect AAR and the mechanical properties of deteriorated materials, as well as the abilities to describe the current damaged state of AAR-affected structures (diagnosis) and predict the potential of further damage (prognosis) is still lacking. Such information is essential in selecting efficient remedial/rehabilitation actions for existing structures in the field. This project aims to develop a practical, yet accurate engineering-based finite element (FE) model for assessing AAR damage and predicting the future behaviour of affected infrastructure. The model is validated through three analyses. First, its capability to accurately simulate sound concrete under mechanical loading is verified by successfully simulating different beam failure mechanisms and cracking patterns, as well as predicting the members’ full force-deflection curves. Next, AAR anisotropic expansion under different stress-state (confinement) conditions is accurately simulated and verified by correlation with laboratory tests. Lastly, an AAR-affected slender reinforced concrete structure (Robert-Bourassa/Charest overpass) is successfully simulated by performing a condition assessment based on several tests performed prior to its demolition.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:31:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:00:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 02280.pdf: 1066409 bytes, checksum: 1d4a4d3302c305f5a5e115b366279083 (MD5) / Dissertacao (Mestrado) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN/CNEN-SP

Motivados por trabalhos anteriores que analisaram diferentes comportamentos entre cristais e filmes policristalinos, relacionados com a cristalinidade e a concentração de impurezas, neste trabalho investigamos métodos de obtenção e processamento de filmes de haletos alcalinos dopados. Durante este trabalho foi montado um sistema de evaporação que disponibilizou a utilização de duas fontes de evaporação para a produção de amostras: resistiva e via feixe de elétrons. Apresentamos uma comparação entre resultados de caracterizações dos filmes produzidos e de monocristais existentes na literatura. A fim de se obter filmes dopados com impurezas mono e divalente e, também, duplamente dopados, alguns métodos alternativos de processamento foram investigados. A partir da comparação entre os sistemas KCl:(In +, Tl+ e Cu+) determinamos a dependência da cristalinidade em função do tamanho do íon dopante. O efeito da temperatura do substrato durante a evaporação foi investigado para o sistema KCl:Tl+, e comparado com resultados obtidos em filmes submetidos a tratamentos térmicos. Para a obtenção de filmes do sistema KCl:Yb2+:CN-, a preparação dos materiais precursores é um aspecto muito importante a ser considerado, a fim de se reproduzir nos filmes propriedades similares às dos monocristais. Nesse sentido, para evaporação foram utilizados o próprio cristal e pastilhas dos sais precursores obtidas a partir de técnicas de processamento cerâmico. A caracterização óptica dos filmes foi feita através de espectroscopia de absorção óptica e luminescência. A morfologia foi observada através de microscopia eletrônica de varredura e de força atômica, e a estrutura determinada por técnica de difração de raios X / The present work has been motivated by previous research on doped alkali halides films, that had been compared with single crystals, yielding different features, wich were related to crystallinity and impurity concentration. Preparation and processing techniques of doped alkali halides polycrystalline films have been investigated in this work. Two different evaporation sources have been used for samples production: resistive and via electron beam gun. Main results presented here are used to compare single crystals and films. In order to prepare single and double doped films, we have also tried several processing methods. From investigation of KCl:Tl+ system we have determined crystallinity dependency with impurity ion size. The KCl:Tl+ system has been used to verify the effect of substract temperature during evaporation. Results have been compared with films submited to thermal annealing. To obtain double doped KCI:Yb2+ :CN- films, we were very careful with preparation of precursor materials, since we intended to reproduce single crystals physical properties. Then, we have used single crystal itself for evaporation, besides pressed power pieces from precursor salts, obtained from ceramics processing technique. Optical absorption and photoluminescence have been carried out to perform optical characterization of evaporated films. Morphology has been observed by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and film structure has been observed by X-ray diffraction technique

Átomos alcalinos são boas sondas para compreender as propriedades do He líquido. Considerável atenção experimental tem sido empregada para analisar as mudanças da posição e da largura da linha do espectro de absorção de átomos alcalinos imersos em um ambiente de He líquido. No lado teórico, vários estudos têm usado modelos simplificados como o modelo de bolhas e o modelo de agregado. Considerações de modelos mais realista agora são oportunas e relevantes. Neste trabalho, nós usamos a combinação da simulação de Monte Carlo (MC) e cálculos ab-initio de mecânica quântica (MQ). As configurações do líquido foram geradas para cálculos posteriores de MQ.Umimportante aspecto é a complexa interação interatômica do par He-He. Usando potenciais parametrizados, as simulações clássicas de MC foram efetuadas para sistemas alcalinos (Na, Rb, Cs e Na2) em He líquido e as condições foram T = 3 K e p = 1 atm. Estruturas estatisticamente descorrelacionadas formadas por um elemento alcalino central, envolvido pela primeira camada de solvatação completa, são amostradas e submetidas em um cálculo do espectro com DFT dependente do tempo usando diferentes funcionais híbridos e conjuntos de bases. Usando os funcionais PBE1PBE e O3LYP com conjuntos de bases extensos obtemos o deslocamento espectral em excelente concordância com os resultados experimentais para os sistemas de um único átomo alcalino. Para comparação, também usamos um modelo de agregado com 14 átomos de He em volta do átomo alcalino obtendo excelentes resultados também. O raio do modelo de agregado convergiu para perto do máximo da primeira camada de solvatação da função de distribuição radial. Um ponto adicional a ser considerado é o cálculo da largura da linha obtido com a simulação em He líquido que é discutida neste trabalho. Para o átomo de Rb, a energia de excitação em He líquido é em torno de -18,9 nm. Com a simulação em ambiente de He líquido obtivemos os melhores resultados entre -16,3 nm e -23,3 nm. O valor do deslocamento espectral usando o modelo de agregado ficou entre os -17,3 nm e - 22,3 nm. Os dois modelos apresentam o mesmo raio da bolha, por volta de 6-7Å. Para outros sistemas, como Na e Cs, encontramos a mesma convergência entre o modelo de agregado, a simulação do He líquido e os resultados experimentais. Para o sistema contendo Na2, os valores obtidos ficaram em boa concordância com os valores experimentais. / Alkali atoms are good probes for the understanding of liquid He properties. As such considerable experimental attention has been devoted to the analysis of the changes of line position and widths of the absorption spectra of alkali atoms in liquid He environment. On the theoretical side, several studies have used simplified models such as bubble and cluster models. Considerations of more realistic models are now timely and relevant. In this work, we use a combination of Monte Carlo (MC) simulation and ab initio quantum mechanical (QM) calculations. Liquid configurations are generated for subsequent QM calculations. One important aspect is the consideration of the complex interatomic interaction of the He-He pair. Using parametrized potentials, classical MC simulations are made for the alkali systems (Na, Rb, Cs and Na2) in liquid He. The conditions were T=3K and p=1 atm. Statistically uncorrelated configurations composed of a central alkaline element, surrounded by the full first solvation shell, are sampled and submitted to time-dependent DFT calculations of the spectrum using dierent hybrids functionals and dierents basis sets. Using the PBE1PBE and O3LYP functionals with large basis sets we obtained a spectral shift in excellent agreement with experiment for the systems of single alkaline atom. For comparison, we also used a cluster model and obtained 14 He atoms around the alkali atom with excellent results too. The radius of the cluster model converged to a value close to the maximum of the first solvation shell in radial distribution function. An additional point considered is the calculation of the spectral line width using the liquid simulation also discussed in this work. For Rb atom, the excitation energy in liquid He is about -18.9 nm. With the liquid He environment simulation we obtained the best results between -16.3 nm and -23.3 nm. The values of the spectral shift using the cluster model were between -17.3 nm and 22.3 nm. The two models show the same bubble radius, about 6-7Å. For the others system, like Na and Cs, we found the same convergence between the cluster model, the simulation of the He liquid and the experimental results. For Na2, the values obtained were in good agreement to the experimental values.

Os modos vibracionais localizados dos pares H-H-, D-D- e H-D- em KCl, KBr, KI, RbCl e NaCl foram estudados para diversas configurações. As frequências dos modos infravermelho ativos determinados experimentalmente mostram boa concordância com o modelo de dois osciladores harmônicos acoplados. A largura de linha para os diferentes modos nos cristais examinados é discutida. A dependência com a temperatura da largura de linha para os modos transversais T1 e T2 no sistema KCl+ H- H-, indica que o alargamento das mesmas é devida ao \"mecanismo de decomposição\", no qual dois fônons são criados. Estes fônons são devidos ao decaimento do modo localizado em fase num fônon acústico da rede e num fônon localizado fora de fase. Propriedades gerais, como a lei de Ivey e diversas outras particularidades dos halogenetos alcalinos estudados são apresentadas / The localized vibrational modes of H-H-, D-D- and H-D- in KCl, KBr, KI, RbCl and NaCl were studied for different pair configurations. The measured frequencies of the infrared active modes were found to be in good agreement with a model of two coupled harmonic oscillators. The line width for different modes in the salts studied is discussed. The temperature dependence for the transversal modes T1 and T2 of the line width for the H- H- pairs in KCl indicates that the broadening of these lines is due to the \"decomposition mechanism\", that generates two phonons. The generated phonons due to the decay of the localized phonon that corresponds to the out of phase vibration of the H- H- pair. The general properties, as the Ivey law and several particulars of the properties in the alkali-halides studied are presented