Corrosion is a major challenge in the use of molten fluoride salt as a coolant in molten salt reactors (MSRs). A promising way of satisfying the two requirements of high strength and corrosion resistance is to clad structural alloys with a corrosion resistant material. Four candidate cladding and structural alloy combinations—stainless steel 316L and Incoloy 800H structural alloys either diffusion bonded to Hastelloy N or electroplated with nickel—were thermally aged at 700 °C for two to eight months. Based on measured concentration profles, the diffusion resistance of the four material combinations was compared and diffusion results were extrapolated to an end of reactor lifetime. The most important conclusion from this work is that Hastelloy N is highly likely to be signifcantly more diffusion resistant than nickel. The difference in diffusion resistance between Incoloy 800H and stainless steel 316L is relatively small. Two methods were used for extrapolating experimental diffusion results: (1) a diffusion model and calculated diffusion coeffcients and (2) simulations with Thermo-Calc DICTRA. Some simulations were carried out with a corrosion boundary condition of near-zero chromium concentration, demonstrating the potential of simulations for predicting diffusionlimited corrosion in molten fluoride salts. A surprising result of these simulations is that decreasing the thickness of Ni plating did not increase the thickness of diffusion zones in underlying structural alloys. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: With the depletion of high quality conventional materials for road pavements, the consideration of cement stabilisation for sub-base and base layer materials often provide a feasible solution to the road industry. Like all pavement material types, the design inputs should be determined using reliable test methods, which provide a good indication of the property of materials. Any evaluation should provide a better understanding of the engineering and behavioural properties of the materials. This should form the basis for ascertaining their suitability for use in the pavement structure. However, the road industry is dependent on strength testing of cement-stabilised materials as a means to ascertain material suitability for use. Strength alone does not offer reliable insight regarding the performance and durability of the stabilised layer. This is because a cement-stabilised layer may be very stiff but not strong enough to withstand the loading and endure adverse environmental conditions. Similarly, the stabilised layer may be prone to cracking emanating from shrinkage, which leads to performance and durability related distresses. A stabilised sub-base and base of the pavement structure experiences tensile stresses and strains under traffic loading. At laboratory level, the flexural beam test simulates to an acceptable degree the mode of stress to strain to which the pavement layer experiences. However, the test lacks a standard test protocol. This leads to inconsistencies while evaluating the same material type. Due to this fact, the formulation of a standard laboratory test procedure is necessary. Shrinkage cracking is one of the major causes of pavement failure. The manifestation of wide cracks leads to performance related distresses. Cracks provide zones for the infiltration of water into the underlying layers, an aspect that results in further deterioration of the pavement structure. However, the evaluation of shrinkage at laboratory level is not usually undertaken. Disregarding shrinkage evaluation stems from the fact that a number of guidelines consider it as a natural material characteristic. The road industry frequently depends on the use of low cement contents among other techniques as a means to mitigate shrinkage cracking in cement-stabilised layers. The selection of a mitigation measure usually lacks reliable data concerning the material’s shrinkage potential. Because of this, the requirement to evaluate shrinkage at laboratory level as part of a material property measure provides a good indication regarding the quality of material. Nanotechnology products such as the Nanotterra Soil® a polymer cement additive are purported to mitigate shrinkage cracking in cement-stabilised layers. However, their suitability for use remains unspecified and dependent on the stakeholders. With the development of a shrinkage method, the evaluation of shrinkage reducing products can be undertaken. This research proposes a flexural beam test protocol for cement-stabilised materials, comprising of a span-depth ratio of nine or greater as fitting to provide a reliable measure of the material’s flexural strength and elastic modulus. The developed shrinkage test method provides a good repeatability and is user friendly. The test provides a good indication of the shrinkage criteria of ferricrete and hornfels with and without the polymer. The efficacy of the polymer is dependent on the cement content in the mix and the type and quality of the material. The research provides insight pertaining to the characterisation of shrinkage, behavioural properties, and durability of cement-stabilised materials. Analysis of the shrinkage crack pattern reveals that use of the polymer lessens the development of tensile stress in a cement-stabilised layer. Equally, the application of the low cement contents for stabilisation may not result in cracking of the stabilised layer. This research contributes to a better understanding of cement-stabilised materials. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Namate hoë kwaliteit konvensionele materiale uitgeput raak, word sementstabilisasie van stutlaag en kroonlaag materiale al hoe meer oorweeg en is dit ʼn geskikte oplossing vir die padbou-nywerheid. Soos vir alle padboumateriale moet die ontwerpeienskappe bepaal word deur middel van betroubare toetsmetodes wat ʼn goeie aanduiding van die materiaal se eienskappe sal gee. Enige evaluering moet ʼn beter insae in die materiaal se ingenieurseienskappe en gedrag oplewer. Dit moet dan die basis vorm om die materiaal se gebruik in ʼn padstruktuur te evalueer. Die padbou-nywerheidmaak grootliks staat op die toetsing van skuifsterkte van sementgestabiliseerde materiaal om die geskiktheid daarvan vir gebruik te bepaal. Sterkte op sigself lewer egter nie ʼn betroubare maatstaf van die materiaal se gedrag en duursaamheid nie. Dit is aangesien ʼn sementgestabiliseerde laag baie solied mag wees maar nogtans nie sterk genoeg om belasting te weerstaan en bestand teen omgewingstoestande te wees nie. Net so mag ʼn gestabiliseerde laag vatbaar vir kraakvorming as gevolg van krimping wees en dit kan lei tot duursaamheid-verwante en werkverwante skade. ʼn Gestabiliseerde stutlaag en kroonlaag in die plaveiselstruktuur is onderhewig aan trekspannings en vervormings as gevolg van verkeerslaste. Op laboratoriumvlak boots die balkbuigtoets die spanning en vervorming wat ʼn plaveisellaag ondervind tot ʼn aanvaarbaar hoë mate na. Die toets beskik nie oor ʼn standaard-toetsprosedure nie. Dit lei tot afwykings terwyl dieselfde materiaal evalueer word. Om hierdie rede is die ontwikkeling van ʼn standaard-laboratoriumprosedure nodig. Krimpkraking is een van die grootste oorsake van plaveiselswigting. Die onwikkeling van wye krake lei tot werksverwante skade. Krake veroorsaak areas vir die infiltrasie van water in die onderliggende plaveisellae wat verdere agteruitgang van die plaveiselstruktuur veroorsaak. Desnieteenstaande word ʼn evaluering van kraking op laboratoriumvlak selde gedoen. Dit spruit uit die feit dat ʼn aantal ontwerp-riglyne kraking as ʼn natuurlike materiaaleienskap beskou. Die padbounywerheid moet dikwels staatmaak, op onder andere, ʼn lae sementinhoud om krimpkraking te minimeer. Hierdie tipe benadering gaan dikwels mank aan betroubare inligting oor die materiaal se krimpingspotensiaal. Om hierdie rede is die ondersoek van krimping op laboratoriumvlak nodig as deel van die ondersoek van die materiaaleienskappe om die kwaliteit van materiale te bepaal. Minimeringstegnieke verander deurlopend. Die toepassing van nanotegnologieprodukte, soos Nanotterra Soil®, ‘n polimeersement bymiddel, wat na bewering krimpkraking in sementgestabiliseerde lae kan minimeer, kom voortdurend op die mark. Nogtans bly hulle geskiktheid ongespesifiseerd en afhanklik van die leweransiers. Indien ʼn krimptoetsmetode ontwikkel word, sal die effektiwiteit van krimpverminderingsmiddels getoets kan word. Hierdie navorsing stel die ontwikkeling van ʼn toetsprosedure vir ʼn balkbuigtoets voor met ʼn spanlengte tot diepteverhouding van minstens nege as betroubare maatstaf van ʼn materiaal se buigsterkte en modulus van elastisiteit. Die ontwikkelde krimptoetsmetode lewer ʼn goeie herhaalbaarheid en is gebruikersvriendelik. Die toets verskaf ʼn goeie aanduiding van krimpingskriteria van ferrikreet en horingfels met en sonder polimeer. Die effektiwiteit van die polimeer hang af van die sementinhoud in die mengsel asook die tipe en kwaliteit van die materiaal. Die navorsing verskaf insig aangaande die karakterisering van krimping, gedragseienskappe en duursaamheid van sementgestabiliseerde materiale. Die navorsing help mee om sementgestabiliseerde materiale beter te verstaan.

The repair of reinforced concrete structures attracts more and more attention of researchers and constructors who see an ever growing number of pathologic phenomenons on several constructions that make use of this widely accepted material. The wrong notion which claims the concrete is an eternal and unchangeable matter has been definitively substituted by the fact that it s a dynamic and complex substance, vulnerable to several aggressive compounds which modify and cause damage to its chemical and physical structure. The present work intended to gather data about the performance of silica fume as a chemical admixture to mortars under the marine atmosphere in the tidal zone, and also evaluate if the magnesium sulfate has any major role in the development of the mortar s properties. To achieve the objectives of the study two groups of mortar were made, one used silica in its composition, and the other didn t. The mortar was cast in cylindrical and prismatic molds to, later, be subjected to natural drying and wetting cycles in the sea coast of Maceió. The cylindrical specimens were 10 x 5 cm and the prismatic ones were 50 x 15 x 4 cm and had reinforcement inside. The tests were conducted in the ages of 14, 28, 91, 135 and 180 days and concerned measuring the compressive, tensile and elastic modulos of the samples and also determine the corrosion potential of the reinforced mortar using the ASTM C 876-91 method. As an addition, X-Ray diffraction tests were conducted to verify if the compounds within the mortars had change and help explain the results from the earlier experiments. Results show that the silica fume mortars developed lower compressive strength than ordinary Portland cement mortars. The tensile strength tests displayed more balanced values for both mortars, with the ordinary exhibiting less strength than its silica fume counterpart at 91 and 135 days, but catching up with it (even slightly surpassing it) at latter ages. X-ray diffraction indicates changes on the phases of the hydrated paste. The analysis of the results suggests that cement mortar with silica fume addition doesn t present the same behavior related to ordinary cement mortar / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O reparo de estruturas de concreto armado atrai cada vez mais a atenção de pesquisadores e construtores que vêem um número crescente de fenômenos patológicos em diversas construções com este material. A noção errônea de que o concreto é um material eterno e imutável foi substituída pelo fato de que ele é uma substância dinâmica e complexa, vulnerável a muitos compostos agressivos que modificam e causam dano à sua estrutura química e física. O presente trabalho propôs-se a coletar dados sobre o comportamento da sílica ativa como uma adição mineral a argamassas expostas ao ambiente marinho, na zona de variação da maré, e também avaliar se o sulfato de magnésio participa de alguma maneira no desenvolvimento das propriedades da argamassa. Para alcançar os objetivos do estudo dois grupos de argamassas foram feitos, um de argamassa convencional e o outro usando sílica em sua composição. Corpos de prova cilíndricos (10 x 5 cm) e prismáticos (50 x 15 x 4 cm com armadura de aço) foram sujeitos a ciclos naturais de molhagem e secagem no litoral de Maceió. Os testes foram feitos nas idades de 14, 28, 91, 135 e 180 dias e compreenderam medir a resistência à compressão, à tração e o módulo de elasticidade das amostras. Ensaios de potencial de corrosão foram conduzidos nas placas de argamassa armada de acordo com a ASTM C 876 91 e análise por difração de raios X foram efetuadas para verificar mudanças nos compostos das argamassas. Resultados mostram que, ao fim do período de testes, a argamassa com sílica desenvolveu resistência à compressão menor quando comparada à argamassa convencional. A resistência à tração mostrou resultados mais equilibrados, com alguma vantagem para a argamassa com sílica. Análise da difração de raios X sugere possíveis mudanças nas fases da argamassa com sílica. Os resultados apontam que o uso de sílica ativa em matriz cimenticia aplicada em ambiente marinho não apresenta o mesmo desempenho quando comparado a matriz cimenticia convencional.

Orientador: Gladis Camarini / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-19T14:19:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pereira_ValdirMoraes_M.pdf: 1471160 bytes, checksum: 1317b5951c4368324373d0e6c2a488ba (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: Os mecanismos de transporte no interior do concreto são os principais responsáveis pela sua deterioração. Desta maneira, a permeabilidade deste material tem vital importância e influência na sua durabilidade, ou seja, influenciando na principal característica que determina a vida útil para o qual foi projetado. É a permeabilidade que controla a taxa de ingresso e movimentação de agentes deletérios que podem comprometer física e quimicamente a estrutura interna deste material, que pode ocasionar na deterioração da sua macro e microestrutura. Por isso, diversas metodologias têm sido empregadas para mensurar e avaliar essa propriedade do concreto; no entanto, grandes disparidades têm sido encontradas. Assim, este trabalho visa avaliar permeabilidade ao ar de concretos produzidos com cimento Portland de alto-forno (CP III - 40). O traço empregado nas séries de concreto produzidas foi nas proporções de cimento: areia: brita de 1:2:3. Foram empregadas três relações água/cimento (0,42 - 0,46 e 0,50), e os concretos submetidos à dois tipos diferentes de cura (imersa e ambiente) e ensaiados aos 7 dias, 28 dias e 350 dias. A metodologia empregada para a determinação da permeabilidade ao ar do concreto foi a metodologia proposta por Thenoz. Para complementar os resultados de permeabilidade ao ar foram realizados também ensaios para determinação do índice de vazios e absorção de água por capilaridade. Os resultados indicaram que os concretos com maiores relações água/cimento têm maiores valores de índice de vazios e apresentaram os maiores valores de absorção de água por capilaridade e permeabilidade ao ar. A cura imersa demonstrou ser mais eficaz do que a cura ambiente, pois os concretos submetidos a este tipo de cura foram os que obtiveram os menores valores de índice de vazios, absorção de água por capilaridade e permeabilidade ao ar. A idade de hidratação também influenciou nos resultados, onde idades mais avançadas também demonstraram menores valores de índice de vazios, absorção de água por capilaridade e permeabilidade ao ar. A análise da metodologia proposta por Thenoz para a mensuração da permeabilidade ao ar do concreto indicou que, de acordo com o número Mach, não há descompressibilidade do ar durante o ensaio. De acordo com o número Reynolds do escoamento, é possível afirmar que o escoamento durante o ensaio de permeabilidade ao ar proposto pela metodologia Thenoz ocorre sob regime laminar. De acordo com os resultados obtidos na análise fluido-dinâmica do escoamento, a metodologia Thenoz, para a mensuração da permeabilidade ao ar do concreto, mostrou-se eficaz para a determinação dessa propriedade do concreto / Abstract: Transport mechanisms in cement-based composites are primarily responsible for their deterioration. Thus, the permeability of cement-based materials is vital in the durability of concrete, which is the main characteristic that determines the life for which they were designed. It is the permeability, which controls the rate of entry and movement of deleterious agents that can compromise physically and chemically the internal structure of these materials, causing a deterioration of its microstructure. Several methods have been employed to measure and assess the permeability of concrete, but major differences have been found. Thus, this work is to assess the air permeability of concrete produced with Portland cement, blast furnace (CP III - 40). The dash employee in the series of concrete was produced in the proportions of cement: sand: crushed of 1:2:3. Relations have been employed three water / cement (0.42 - 0.46 and 0.50), and the concrete submitted to two different types of healing (submerged and environment) and tested at 7 days, 28 days and 350 days. The methodology used to determine the permeability of concrete was to air the methodology proposed by Thenoz. To complement the results of the air permeability were also conducted tests to determine the rate of empty and absorption of water by capillary. The results indicated that the concrete relations with major water / cement have highest rate of empty and had the highest absorption of water by capillary permeability and the air. The cure immersed proved to be more effective than cure environment, because the concrete subjected to this type of cure were those who received the lowest values of voids content, absorption of water by capillary permeability and the air. The age of hydration also influenced the results, where elderly also showed lower values of voids content, absorption of water by capillary permeability and the air. The analysis of the methodology proposed by Thenoz for the measurement of the air permeability of the concrete indicated that, according to the Mach number, there is incompressibility air during the test. In accordance with the Reynolds number of outlets, it can be said that the disposal during the testing of the air permeability methodology proposed by the Thenoz occur under laminar regime. The assessment of Thenoz methodology to measure the air permeability of concrete shows that this is an effective concrete test, according to fluid-dynamics analyzes evaluate / Mestrado / Arquitetura e Construção / Mestre em Engenharia Civil