Using electrical resistivity to determine the efficiency of supplementary cementitious materials to prevent alkali-silica reaction in concrete

In this study, the miniature concrete prism test (MCPT) was used to evaluate expansion due to alkali-silica reaction (ASR) in concrete mixtures with very highly reactive fine aggregates and supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). The concrete pore solution alkalinity and transport properties of concrete measured through bulk electrical resistivity were determined to investigate their correlation to the MCPT expansions. The findings showed that the concrete mixtures with SCM combinations that resulted in higher bulk electrical resistivity and lower pore solution alkalinity had less ASR expansion in the MCPT conditions. A potential new approach to determine the efficiency of SCM combinations to prevent ASR was proposed by combining the hydroxide concentration of pore solution and electrical resistivity of concrete.

Automated summary

This study used MCPT to evaluate ASR expansion in concrete mixtures with highly reactive fine aggregates and SCMs. The findings showed that concrete mixtures with higher electrical resistivity and lower pore solution alkalinity had less ASR expansion, suggesting a potential new approach to prevent ASR.