Influence of class F fly ash on the abrasion-erosion resistance of high-strength concrete

This study investigates the abrasion-erosion resistance of high-strength concrete (HSC) mixtures in which cement was partially replaced by four kinds of replacements (15%, 20%, 25% and 30%) of class F fly ash. The mixtures containing ordinary Portland cement were designed to have 28 days compressive strength of approximately 40-80 MPa. Specimens were subjected to abrasion-erosion testing in accordance with ASTM C1138. Experimental results show that the abrasion-erosion resistances of fly ash concrete mixtures were improved by increasing compressive strength and decreasing the ratio of water-to-cementitious materials. The abrasion-erosion resistance of concrete with cement replacement up to 15% was comparable to that of control concrete without fly ash. Beyond 15% cement replacement, fly ash concrete showed lower resistance to abrasion-erosion compared to non-fly ash concrete. Equations were established based on effective compressive strengths and effective water-to-cementitious materials ratios, which were modified by cement replacement and developed to predict the 28- and 91-day abrasion-erosion resistance of concretes with compressive strengths ranging from approximately 30-100 MPa. The calculation results are compared favorably with the experimental results. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.