Effect of freeze-thaw damage on chloride ingress into concrete

In cold climates, reinforced concrete structures (RCSs) are frequently and severely damaged by freeze-thaw (FT) and deicing-salt attack during winter periods. FT action can also cause additional water uptake known as frost suction. If a critical degree of water saturation is exceeded, severe deterioration of the microstructure of the concrete is likely, enhancing chloride ingress and increasing the probability of corrosion of its reinforcement. We present herein a test method to characterize the resistance of concrete to FT and chloride ingress. Chloride migration tests were performed on concretes with different degrees of FT deterioration, with and without deicing agents. The performance of RCSs is decisively affected under these combined actions. Quantitative description of the resulting FT damage is achieved using ultrasonic measurements and resonance frequency analysis. The test results confirm that the latter nondestructive test method provides more reliable evaluation of FT damage compared with usual ultrasonic pulse velocity measurements. Different concretes with supplementary cementitious materials and different degrees of FT deterioration with and without deicing agents were tested. While concrete made with air-entraining agents clearly showed the best FT resistance, concrete with ground-granulated blast-furnace slag showed superior resistance to both chloride migration and FT attack, both being positively affected by appropriate curing conditions.