Concrete bridges in Texas have developed large cracks in bent caps and pretensioned trapezoidal bridge girders. The bridges show premature concrete deterioration due to alkali-silica reaction (ASR) and delayed ettringite formation (DEF). There is concern that deterioration due to ASR/DEF may lead to a loss of structural capacity. However, there are no quantitative guidelines to relate the level of concrete deterioration due to ASR/DEF to structural performance. Using such guidelines, the need for rehabilitation of beams with ASR/DEF cracking can be assessed. The goal of this research was to determine the shear capacity of pretensioned trapezoidal box girder specimens exhibiting varying degrees of ASR and/or DEF cracking and to use the shear testing results to evaluate the severity of the problem that may exist in Texas bridge structures. To achieve this goal, beams that were severely deteriorated due to ASR/DEF over a period of more than ten years were transported to the University of Texas for testing to failure. Both severely deteriorated and uncracked beams were tested in shear. The test results were used to evaluate the shear performance of trapezoidal box beams affected by ASR/DEF. In addition, three different types of forensic analyses were conducted on the beams to understand the nature of the ASR/DEF cracks and severity of the deterioration. After testing, it is found that the shear capacity of the test specimens was not significantly reduced even with heavy ASR/DEF cracking. Assessment using current US design provisions for bridges or buildings (ACI 318-08 and AASHTO LRFD 2008) and the proposed provision from an earlier project (TxDOT Project 5253) yielded conservative estimates of strength. Results from forensic analyses provided a qualitative indication of ASR/DEF damage but did not correlate with the observed levels of ASR/DEF deterioration. / text

Les liants ettringitiques dont la composition est formée principalement par du ciment d’aluminate de calcium et par du sulfate de calcium, sont très utilisés dans le cadre des mortiers techniques pour des applications telles que les mortiers de ragréage, les chapes autonivelante, les mortiers de réparation…. en raison de leurs propriétés de durcissement rapide et de résistance initiale élevée. Néanmoins, en fonction de la quantité des matières premières utilisées dans la composition et de leur nature, ces liants peuvent présenter à jeune âge ainsi qu’à long terme, des comportements différents. En particulier et dans le cadre de ce travail, l’influence de la nature et du dosage en sulfate de calcium sur l’hydratation des mortiers ettringitiques comme le début de prise, le changement de l’état liquide à l’état solide, les variations dimensionnelles, la résistance et le vieillissement à long terme (jusqu’à 330 jours) pour différentes conditions de conservations ont été déterminées. Ces caractéristiques ont été évaluées selon différentes techniques expérimentales de rhéologie, de mesure des variations volumiques, de calorimétrie isotherme, de spectroscopie infrarouge, de porosimétrie par intrusion de mercure, de diffraction des rayons X et thermogravimétrie. / The ettringite binder whose composition is mainly formed by the calcium aluminate cement and calcium sulfate, are widely used in mortars for technical applications such as patching mortars, the self -leveling screeds, repair mortars etc… thanks to their fast hardening ability and high early strength. However, depending on the amount and types of raw materials used in the composition, the properties of these types of binder have different behaviors at early age and at long-term. And in particular in this work, the influence of the nature and dosage of calcium sulfate on the consequences of ettringite mortars hydration as the beginning of setting time, the change from the liquid state to the solid state, dimensional change, the resistance, porosity, the progress of hydration and ageing until 330 days at different conservation conditions were determined. These characteristics were assessed by different experimental techniques such as rheology, chemical shrinkage, autogenous shrinkage, isothermal calorimetry, infrared spectroscopy, mercury intrusion porosimetry, X-ray diffraction, Thermogravimetric analysis.

La résistance mécanique des bétons exigée actuellement impose une diminution du rapport eau/ciment et l’utilisation de superplastifiant pour faciliter la mise en œuvre du matériau frais. Les produits de type polycarboxylate sont très efficaces à court terme, mais peuvent mener à une perte rapide de l’ouvrabilité en cas d’incompatibilité liant/superplastifiant. L’objet de ce travail est l’identification des phases cimentaires impliquées dans ces variations rhéologiques. Dans un premier temps, l’écoulement de pâtes superplastifiées est évalué par un rhéomètre muni d’un système de mesure à boule. Les combinaisons compatibles s’écoulent selon le modèle de Bingham. Une incompatibilité entraîne soit une augmentation du seuil d'écoulement et de la viscosité plastique, soit une évolution des propriétés rhéologiques en un fluide d’Herschel-Bulkley. Dans un deuxième temps, des combinaisons ciment/superplastifiant sont caractérisées par des essais rhéologiques. L’évaluation du raidissement de pâtes et la caractérisation chimique des ciments hydratés montrent que la consistance est liée à la quantité et à la microstructure de l’ettringite formée. Ces paramètres dépendent de la phase aluminate et des sulfates de calcium initialement présents. Enfin, l’étude de systèmes cimentaires de synthèse établit que la solubilité des sulfates de calcium en présence de superplastifiant est augmentée du fait, vraisemblablement, de la complexation des ions Ca2+ par les polycarboxylates. La variété orthorhombique de la phase aluminate plus réactive que la variété cubique, mène, quant à elle, à la formation d’une quantité importante d’ettringite en forme d’aiguilles / Currently required concrete strength imposes a lower water/cement ratio and use of superplasticizer to make easier the fresh material implementation. Polycarboxylate type products are very effective in the short term but can lead to a fast loss of workability in case of binder/superplasticizer incompatibility. The object of this work is the identification of cementitous phases involved in these rheological variations. Initially, flow of various superplasticized pastes is evaluated by a rheometer fitted with a ball measuring system. Compatible combinations flow like a Bingham’s fluid. An incompatibility results in an increase of yield stress and plastic viscosity or rheological properties evolution into Herschel-Bulkley’s fluid. Then, cement/superplasticizer combinations are characterized by rheological tests. Stiffening assessment of pastes and chemical characterisation of hydrated cements show that consistency is associated with amount and microstructure of formed ettringite. These parameters depend on initially present aluminate phase and calcium sulphates. Finally, study of synthetic cementitous systems states that calcium sulphates solubility, in presence of superplasticizer, is increased probably because Ca2+ ions complexation by polycarboxylates. As for the orthorhombic variety of aluminate phase, more reactive than cubic variety, it leads to a large amount of needle-shaped ettringite

Alkali silica reaction (ASR) and delayed ettringite formation (DEF) are two causes of concrete deterioration. Both mechanisms cause expansion of concrete and thus extensive cracking. Most previous research on ASR and DEF focused on understanding the material science of the mechanisms. This dissertation adds to the smaller body of knowledge about ASR/DEF’s effect on the structural behavior of reinforced concrete columns. It compares the structural performance of ASR/DEF affected concrete columns to mechanically cracked columns, evaluates the relative performance of four different concrete repair methods for strengthening damaged columns, and describes how to model pre-existing cracks in the finite element program ATENA. Previous research on scaled columns used mechanically cracked concrete as an approximation of ASR/DEF cracking damage. These earlier column tests, by Kapitan, were compared to two columns affected by ASR/DEF. Due to a deficiency in original design of the actual columns modeled, all of these scaled column specimens failed in bearing during testing under biaxial bending. The ASR/DEF affected columns exhibited nearly identical performance (including bearing capacity) as Kapitan’s control specimen. Thus, with over one percent expansion due to ASR/DEF, there was no reduction in bearing capacity for these columns. Based on the bearing failure observed in these scaled column specimens, concrete repairs were designed to increase confinement of the column capital to address the bearing capacity deficiency. A series of bearing specimens was constructed, externally reinforced using four different strengthening schemes, and load tested. From this bearing specimen series, both an external post-tensioned repair and a concrete jacketing repair performed well beyond their designed capacities and are recommended for bearing zone confinement repair of similar ASR/DEF affected concrete columns. Further, this dissertation presents how Kapitan’s scaled column results were modeled using ATENA (a reinforced concrete finite element program). A technique for modeling the mechanical cracking was developed for ATENA. Once calibrated, a parametric study used the model to find that a 0.17-inch wide through-section crack in the scaled columnd (5/8 inches in the field) was the threshold that reduced capacity of the scaled column to the factored design load. / text

Over the last decade, a number of reinforced concrete bent caps within Houston, Texas have exhibited premature concrete damage (cracking, spalling and a loss of material strength) due to alkali-silica reaction (ASR) and/or delayed ettringite formation (DEF). The alarming nature of the severe surface cracking prompted the Houston District of the Texas Department of Transportation to initiate an investigation into the structural implications of the premature concrete damage. Specifically, an interagency contract with the University of Texas at Austin charged engineers at Ferguson Structural Engineering Laboratory to: 1. Establish the time-dependent relationship between ASR/DEF deterioration and the shear capacity of affected bridge bent caps. 2. Develop practical recommendations for structural evaluation of in-service bridge bent caps affected by ASR and/or DEF. To accomplish these objectives, six large-scale bent cap specimens were fabricated within the laboratory. Four of the specimens (containing reactive concrete exposed to high curing temperatures) represented the most severe circumstances of deterioration found in the field. The remaining two specimens (non-reactive) provided a basis for the comparison of long-term structural performance. All of the specimens were subjected to a conditioning regimen meant to foster the development of realistic ASR/DEF-related damage. Resulting expansions were characterized over the course of the study through a carefully-planned monitoring program. Following a prolonged exposure period, three of the six bent cap specimens (representing undamaged, mild, and moderate levels of deterioration) were tested in shear. Observations made over the course of each test captured the service and ultimate load effects of ASR/DEF-induced deterioration. Six shear-critical spans were tested prior to this publication: three deep beam and three sectional shear tests. The remaining six shear spans (contained within the remaining three specimens) were retained to establish the effects of severe deterioration through future shear testing. Subsequent analysis of the expansion monitoring and shear testing data provided much needed insight into the performance and evaluation of ASR/DEF damaged bent structures. The results ultimately formed a strong technical basis for the preliminary assessment of a damaged bent structure within Houston, Texas. / text

La réaction sulfatique interne (RSI) dans les ouvrages en béton est une pathologie susceptible de se développer lorsque des conditions particulières portant sur la composition du béton, les conditions thermiques au jeune âge et l'environnement sont réunies. Ce phénomène est attribué à la formation d'ettringite différée qui provoque un gonflement du matériau et une fissuration dans la structure. Deux types de béton sont concernés par cette pathologie : les bétons préfabriqués traités thermiquement et les bétons coulés en place dans les pièces massives. Bien que largement étudiée depuis une dizaine d'années, la RSI n'est pas à ce jour parfaitement connue du fait de la complexité du phénomène au niveau des mécanismes mis en jeu, des paramètres influents et de ses conséquences tant à l'échelle microscopique qu'à l'échelle de l'ouvrage. Ce travail vise donc à apporter des éléments de réponse à plusieurs interrogations concernant cette pathologie, en se focalisant sur l'étude de l'impact de certains facteurs intervenant lors de la réaction et sur l'application nucléaire. De nombreuses études expérimentales ont été ainsi mises en œuvre. Une large étude est consacrée à évaluer le risque de développement de la RSI dans une enceinte de confinement d'une centrale nucléaire, du fait de la présence de structures massives dans ce type d'ouvrages. Ces travaux ont permis de mettre en évidence dans quelle mesure la pathologie influe sur les caractéristiques mécaniques et sur les propriétés de transfert du béton, et ainsi de vérifier si les exigences de sûreté attendues par ces structures sont mises en cause. Ensuite, nous nous sommes intéressés à étudier l'impact de l'hygrométrie du béton sur le développement de la RSI. Nous avons pu identifier le couplage qui existe entre l'humidité environnante et le gonflement. Le rôle joué par la lixiviation des alcalins a été également mis en évidence. Des suivis des propriétés de transfert ont été menés et confrontés aux gonflements observés. Enfin, nous nous sommes intéressés à caractériser le rôle joué par le squelette granulaire sur la cinétique et l'amplitude du gonflement par RSI. Les paramètres étudiés concernent la taille et la fraction volumique des inclusions granulaires. De plus, un exemple d'application d'une modélisation numérique mésoscopique du gonflement est proposé / Delayed ettringite formation (DEF) in concrete structures is a pathology that can develop when special conditions on the concrete composition, the thermal conditions at the young age and the environment are met. This phenomenon provokes swelling of the material and cracking in the structure. It affects two types of concrete : the concrete heat-treated and the concrete cast in place in massive parts. Although many studies were done before in order to better understand this pathology, the DEF is still not well known. This is due to its complex mechanism, the influential parameters and its consequences on microscopic and structural scales. For that purpose, the thesis work was designed in order to better understand this pathology. Experimental studies were done to evaluate the impact of certain factors during the reaction, by focusing on nuclear application. An important part of this study was dedicated to assess the risk of DEF development in a nuclear power plant, and to understand how this pathology affects the mechanical characteristics and transfer properties of the concrete. Then, we have studied the impact of the hygrometry on the development of DEF. This has lead to identify a relation between environmental humidity and swelling. We have also examined the role of alkali leaching. A follow up study of the transfer properties was also done and was confronted to the observed swelling. Finally, we were interested in the characterization of the aggregates effect on the kinetics and the amplitude of DEF swelling. So, we have examined the parameters related to the size and the volume fraction of granular inclusions. Furthermore, an application of a mesoscopic numerical modeling of swelling is proposed

Solos que contem sulfatos apresentam complicações no seu comportamento quando são tratados com estabilizadores à base de cálcio como a cal. Quando um solo que contem sulfatos reage com cal, formam-se minerais expansivos como a etringita e a taumasita que são responsáveis pela deterioração e falha de vários projetos de solos estabilizados. Tem-se bem demostrado sob ensaios de laboratório que a relação vazios/(agente cimentante) é um parâmetro adequado para a avaliação e previsão de comportamentos mecânicos, como a resistência à compressão simples de vários tipos de solos cimentados artificialmente. Este trabalho pretende encontrar se as previsões da relação vazios/cal na resistência à compressão simples são efetivas para dimensionar misturas de solos sulfatados estabilizados com cal construídas em campo. Para lograr esse objetivo executou-se um programa experimental de ensaios de laboratório em conjunto com a construção de trechos experimentais de solo-cal. Os ensaios de laboratório ajudaram comprender o comportamento de solos sulfatados estabilizados com cal, e demostraram que a relação vazios/cal controla a resistência à compressão simples desses solos estabilizados evidenciando uma relação coerente com os resultados das resistências de campo, encontrando-se que as resistências de campo e laboratório são controladas por essa relação e que podem ser previstas pela mesma Ensaios de Difração de Raios X (DRX) e Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura (MEV) identificaram minerais expansivos (etringita) nas amostras estabilizadas com cal e cinza-cal. Finalmente em laboratório foram testadas algumas soluções recomendadas na literatura para melhorar a estabilização de solos sulfatados mediante um projeto experimental demostrando que a estabilização com cinza volante e cal melhoram consideravelmente a resistência, a durabilidade e a estabilidade volumétrica de solos sulfatados enquanto que a técnica do mellowing mostrou melhoras apenas na estabilidade volumétrica do material. / Sulfate rich soils present complications in their behavior when are treated with calcium-based stabilizers such as lime. When a soil containing sulfates reacts with lime, expansive minerals such as ettringite and thaumasite are formed which are responsible for the deterioration and failure of various stabilized soil projects. It has been well demonstrated under laboratory tests that the relationship porosity/cementing agent ratio is an appropriate parameter for the evaluation and prediction of mechanical behavior, such as the unconfined compression strength of various types of artificially cemented soils. This work intends to find out if the predictions of the relation porosity/lime in the unconfined compression strength are effective to design lime stabilized soils mixtures built in field. In order to achieve this objective an experimental program of laboratory tests was carried out together with experimental road sections of lime stabilized soils were built. The laboratory tests helped to understand the behavior of lime stabilized sulfate soils, and demonstrated that the void/lime ratio controls the unconfined compression strength of these stabilized soils and that exist a consistent relationship with the field unconfined compression strength results, finding that both, field and laboratory strengths are controlled and can be predicted by this ratio X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) tests were performed to identify expansive minerals (ettringite) on soils samples stabilized whit lime and fly ash-lime. Finally, some solutions recommended in the literature have been tested in laboratory to improve the stabilization of sulfate rich soils through an experimental design, showing that the fly ash-lime stabilization improve considerably the strength, durability and volumetric stability of the sulfate rich soils whereas that for the mellowing the improve was observed only on the volumetric stability of the material.

A combined experimental and analytical program was conducted to investigate the effects of Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR) and Delayed Ettringite Formation (DEF) on D-regions in reinforced concrete (RC) bridge bents. Four large-scale RC specimens, which represent cantilever and straddle bents in Texas bridges in each specimen, were constructed. The first specimen represented the unexposed control specimen, while the other three were conditioned in the field with supplemental watering to promote ASR/DEF and served as the exposed specimens. The control and two exposed specimens with various levels of ASR/DEF, after eight months and two years of field conditioning, were load tested to failure. The last specimen remains in field with additional exposure to promote ASR/DEF and will be load tested in future studies. The width and length of preload-induced cracks and developing cracks that initiated in the exposed specimens and grew over time, indicating concrete expansion due to ASR/DEF mechanisms, were measured. Petrographic analysis results of concrete cores extracted from the exposed specimens after their load testing confirmed the formation of ASR gel and minimum accumulation of ettringite. The structural testing results showed that the failure mechanism in all three tested specimens was due to a brittle shear failure in the beam-column joint. However, slightly greater stiffness, strength, and ductility were observed in the exposed specimens as a result of the activation of the reinforcing steel in the specimens due to the expansion of the concrete primarily from ASR, which effectively prestressed and confined the core concrete. Sectional analysis and Strut-and-Tie Modeling (STM) of the experimental specimens were applied. Three-dimensional nonlinear Finite Element Analyses (FEA) were also conducted to numerically simulate the overall structural performance, internal response, and out-of-plane behavior of the experimental specimens. The effects of varying constitutive relations of the concrete in tension on models of the specimens were compared with the measured experimental response. A method to mimic ASR/DEF effects on exposed specimens was proposed and incorporated into the FEA approach. As a result, forces that prestress and confine the core concrete were effectively applied through the reinforcing steel prior to subsequent structural loading. The three-dimensional FEA approach was able to simulate the out-of-plane behavior of the beam-column joint and the proposed method yielded comparable results with the measured overall and internal behavior of specimens.

Expansive soils are treated with anhydrous or hydrated lime. The use of calcium-based stabilizers such as calcium oxide (lime) in sulfate-bearing clay soils has historically led to distress due to the formation of an expansive mineral called ettringite and possibly another such mineral, thaumasite. Predicting the precipitation of these minerals is a complex problem related not only to soil composition but also construction methods, availability of water, ion migration, and whether the expansive mineral growth can be accommodated by the void structure in the surrounding soil. In trying to control the damage associated with such occurrences, engineers have attempted to determine a threshold value of soluble sulfates, a quantity that is relatively easy and quick to measure, at which significant ettringite growth and, therefore, structural distress occurs. Unfortunately, experience alone and “rules-of-thumb” based on experience are not sufficient to deal with this complex issue. This thesis describes how thermodynamic geochemical models of lime-treated soil can be used as a first step toward establishing problematic threshold levels of soluble sulfates for a specific soil. A foundation for the model development is presented, and two different soils are compared to illustrate their very different sensitivities to ettringite growth upon the addition of hydrated lime. Various soil series along the route of SH 130 between Austin and San Antonio have been identified to contain soluble sulfate that may pose a problem for soil stabilization using lime and cement. Since the model predicts ettringite growth based upon site-specific properties, this thesis also shows how the model can be used to assess the potential amelioration effects of soluble silica. Research was conducted at the Texas Transportation Institute to develop a methodology for identifying areas which are susceptible for ettringite formation. The proposed methodology uses a magnetometer to quickly screen large areas for high sulfate. Application of GIS to identify ettringite formation using soils, topographical, and geological maps is also illustrated in this thesis.

The purpose of this study was to determine the cementitious parameters and placement temperature that impact internal sulfate attack in concrete. Concrete structures make up a large percentage of the infrastructure and multifamily housing. Durability is very important. Cements can be formulated to reduce the impact of external environmental exposure such as high salinity from marine environments or high sulfate levels from soils or surface waters. Concrete is also subject to internal attack such as alkali aggregate reaction, (AAR), and delayed ettringite formation, (DEF). This study focused on some of the cement chemistry issues that determine susceptibility of cement to DEF. Expansion due to DEF can weaken the concrete matrix resulting in microcracks that in some cases may progress to severe matrix cracking. The end result is loss of load carrying capacity and costly repairs. In this study, mortar bars were made with the as received cement chemistry and using additions of sulfate, and alkalis. The bars were then heat cured at various temperatures and stored in a saturated lime solution at room temperature. Measurements were made at predetermined time intervals. The series of mixes were made to determine the effect of varying sulfate levels, heat curing temperature, and alkali content in order to isolate the effect of these constituents. The cements were selected on the basis of tricalcium aluminate, alkali content, sulfate levels, C3S levels and fineness. The results indicate that a relationship exists between the rate and level of expansion experienced by the mortar bars and cementitious parameters, namely, alkali content, sulfate content, C3S levels and heat curing temperature.