DETERIORATION OF SOME CONCRETE STRUCTURES OF A SULFURIC ACID PLANT

THE PAPER DESCRIBES AN INVESTIGATION OF DETERIORATED CONCRETE STRUCTURES OF A SULFURIC ACID PLANT, INCLUDING SOME ISOLATED CONCRETE STRUCTURES, THE FOUNDATION OF AN ACID SILO, AND A HARBOR QUAY FOR STORAGE OF PYRITES. THIN-SECTION EXAMINATIONS OF SAMPLES OF THE CONCRETE SHOWED THAT THE CEMENT PASTE HAD BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO A MICROCYSTALLINE POROUS SUBSTANCE RESEMBLING GYPSUM. CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF THE GROUNDWATER, OF THE WATER IN THE HARBOR, AND OF THE WATER IN A DITCH OF THE QUAY REVEALED A HIGH CONTENT OF IRON (+2) IONS. THE ATMOSPHERE SMELLED OF SULFUR DIOXIDE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE CONCRETE IS PROBABLY DETERIORATED BY THE ATTACK CAUSED BY: (1) SULFUR TRIOXIDE IN THE ATMOSPHERE COMBINING WITH WATER, (2) SULFURIC ACID WASTE, AND (3) THE LOWERING OF PH IN THE DISINTEGRATION OF PYRITES. LOW-TRICALCIUM ALUMINATE CEMENT WAS RECOMMENDED FOR THE FUTURE CONSTRUCTION OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES AT THE PLANT. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  • https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr106/106-011.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Highway Research Board (HRB)

  Washington, DC   
• Authors:
  • Idorn, G M
  • Krogh, H
• Publication Date: 1970

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 65-66
• Monograph Title: Observations of the performance of concrete in service
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 106
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aluminates; Calcium compounds; Chemical analysis; Concrete; Concrete structures; Deterioration; Industrial plants; Iron; pH value; Pyrite; Sulfur; Sulfuric acid
• Uncontrolled Terms: Deteriorated concrete
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00213699
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jul 21 1970 12:00AM